Three city-owned properties located in “the heart of the city’s east end historic district,” are now seeking development proposals. Two of the three have been up for grabs before, however the Strategic Economic Development Committee didn’t see any request for proposals as fit for the opportunities.

The first proposal is for the rehabilitation of 120 Grand Street, formerly known as the “City Club” building. Planning and Development Director Alexandra Church said this property has been offered at least twice in the last ten years. More recently, it was put out last summer, which Church considered “terrible timing” considering the COVID-19 pandemic. When it was put out then, the city received three proposals.

“I think the [Strategic Economic Development Committee] thought while there were merits for some of them, all were incomplete and it was bad timing and they didn’t get the projects they had hoped for,” said Church. “They are looking for something that is not only able to restore the building, but that it becomes an attractor.”

This building is one of the last remaining works of Andrew Jackson Downing and Calvert Vaux. A press release from the City of Newburgh described it as a “blank canvas interior space” that “beckons a creative developer to explore its possibilities.”

“It’s a civic area, in front of the library, across from the court house,” said Church. “[We want] to get something that really attracts people and can expand on that idea here. That’s the hope, and hopefully it comes out in the request for proposal.”

The second proposal is a four-story corner building at 123 Renwick Street, which has never called for a request for proposal before.

“The city rarely gets possession of more commercial buildings,” said Church. “Generally, what we get possession of is west-end single-family houses, things like that. This is more of a commercial building.”

She said it is a large, potentially mixed-use commercial building and that they are looking for someone who wants to expand on the recent developments in the city.

The final call for requests for proposals is for a combined three-lot, vacant parcel at the corner of Montgomery and South Streets, which is across from Horizons on the Hudson school, for new construction development. While this lot has seeked development before, a recent small rezoning of the City of Newburgh allows for more opportunities with it not just being residential space anymore.

“We’re looking for something that can bridge the end of downtown Newburgh and go into the residential, northern Newburgh neighborhoods there,” said Church.

The applications are due this summer, which are then reviewed by the Strategic Economic Development Committee which could take several months. Following its review, the City Council will make its vote and the final decision. The redevelopment of these properties won’t begin to be seen until 2022.

For more history on any of the properties, or if you would like to submit a request for proposal, visit the City of Newburgh’s Planning and Development page.