Dear Kingstonian Supporters, 

This Thursday, December 2nd at 6:30 pm, there will be an important public hearing regarding the Partial Road Closure of Fair Street Extension, an important component of the success of the Kingstonian Project. It will be held in person in the Common Council Chambers at City Hall.

We are asking all concerned local stakeholders to attend and speak in favor of this proposal, in person, or by Zoom.

UPDATE

NOTICE – If you want to speak via ZOOM you will be required to pre-register by emailing Elisa Tinti (City Clerk) at : emtinti@kingston-ny.gov – simply send her your full name and where you live, (or work or own a business as it relates to Kingston).

To assist in your remarks, the developers have prepared the following Partial Road Closure Talking Points:

  • All of the governing bodies that have been weighing in all along have known we needed the partial road closure to build the project being presented.
  • The developers are providing enormous benefits in return for the necessary partial road closure. Public parking, housing, public gathering space, jobs, sales tax, ADA compliant pedestrian access, tourism, hotel rooms etc.
  • If partial road closure was an issue, it should have been communicated 5 years ago.
  • The consequences of the partial road closure were included in the traffic study presented as well as in the City of Kingston’s own DRI uptown traffic study which specifically addresses Schwenk Drive. Both studies concluded the project impacts were minimal and easily mitigated.
  • Without the partial road closure the public would lose some of the greatest benefits of the project—mainly the public plaza/gathering space which along with the public parking garage is the signature part of the project.
  • The public plaza will contain a kiosk promoting historic sites in and around Kingston and the Hudson Valley
  • There will be storefronts inside the pedestrian plaza creating sales tax and employment
  • The partial road closure is also necessary to construct the ADA compliant pedestrian bridge which economically links the uptown business district to Kingston Plaza and additional parking
  • Linking the 2 important business districts via the bridge is a proven economic benefit booster
  • The pedestrian plaza and ADA compliant bridge are part of the DRI grant and specifically included in all our use of funds
  • The bridge encourages walkability and pedestrian safety-2 things the project was asked to provide
  • All of these points were discussed and represented during SEQRA review and PILOT approval
  • As presented from the onset, the linking of both sides of the street is what makes the project most beneficial to the community and economically feasible to build. It allows the project to meet multiple goals outlined in advance by the City of Kingston and so much more—public parking, housing, employment, walkability, pedestrian safety, public restrooms, affordable housing, and public gathering space.

Public Hearing Details

December 2, 2021
6:30pm – 9:30pm

***THIS MEETING IS HYBRID***
In Person at City Hall in Council Chambers and Virtual

To join Zoom meeting, CLICK HERE or call: +1 646 558 8656
Meeting ID: 814 3291 1874
Online Passcode: 2crVt5vz
Phone Passcode: 57325016

If you want to speak via ZOOM you will be required to pre-register by emailing Elisa Tinti (City Clerk) at : emtinti@kingston-ny.gov – simply send her your full name and where you live, (or work or own a business as it relates to Kingston).

Thank you for your continued support,
The Kingstonian Developers