Peekskill Brewery Expansion, Central Firehouse and More: Peekskill Development Update

Several new businesses opened in 2011 and have seen success in their first few months in the City of Peekskill. The Quiet Man Public House from the New York Times; is attracting skaters from around the tri-state area; creative kids are regularly making an artistic mess at , and commuters have a convenient and exceptional new place to pick up their wine at in the historic Standard House.

This year, private owners and the city council are working towards more development. is expanding to a much larger space; the city is moving forward with the eminent domain process to make the plan happen; and the owner of is making progress with renovations (read details of these projects in list below). While these projects move forward, others have not progressed much since on the in March, 2011.

In 2012, the Peekskill City Council plans to continue its focus on recruiting more new businesses to its vacant storefronts and real estate properties. The city hired to survey residents of Peekskill and surrounding towns on what they would like to see here, and to evaluate established businesses in the downtown district. View the consultants most recent report attached to this article under PDFs. The city will also move forward with an implementation plan for its agenda.

The city has also hired a new Economic Development Directorto expand upon the work that former economic development officer Chris Marra, had been performing. Slaughter is focusing on attracting perspective tenants to properties along the waterfront, Lower South Street and downtown.

Patch caught up with Slaughter to see what residents can expect to happen with development projects this year. See the list below for updates some of the bigger plans for 2012.

• Peekskill Brewery Expansion: The waterfront brewery and restaurant is in the process of moving and expanding into the building at 43-57 Water Street, around the corner from its current location. Renovations have already begun. Included in the expansion will be a new 15Bbl brewhouse (fabricated by Metalcraft out of Portland, Oregon) which will allow the brewery to more than double its existing production with a lot of room to grow. “The food menu will largely remain the same, but the new space will allow us to more fully realize our goal providing excellent cuisine,” a Brewery spokesperson said.  The Brewery would not release information on when they think the expansion might be complete.
• F Sharp: Still in construction. Towards the end of 2011, it’s owner, John Ford said that its opening was “imminent.” Slaughter predicts it might open in the first or second quarter of 2012.
• Kurzhals Building: 900 main street: The owner plans to put a mall on the first floor, offices on the second and return the third floor theater to its original condition. He has completed new corners, new roof and new windows and is beginning interior work. View photos from the first stages of renovations .
• Central Firehouse: The city owns one of that it needs in order to build the firehouse. Because one owner of the remaining two properties does not agree with the city’s assessment and offer, and the other owner is “dragging his feet,” the city is taking actions to use eminent domain, the City Council discussed at a meeting with the Fire Departments earlier this month. Mayor Mary Foster said the city does not want to wait any longer for negotiations with property owners because the problems “in existing fire houses are very very challenging…and we need to move it forward.” Foster said she thinks the project will break ground this fall.
• Main Street Commons: This project is a planned 21,750 square foot commercial center at 1719 Main Street. The City expected construction to begin last year, but that has not moved forward. Auto Zone is still planned to move into that space and Slaughter says other tenants are still highly interested.
• 901 main street:  A bakery/sandwich shop was planned to move into 901 Main Street but no construction has moved forward on this project.
• Lincoln Depot and Welcome Center: The exterior of the has been completed and the Lincoln Depot Museum will soon be moving ahead with internal construction. Internal work is currently halted because plans to run the utilities through the visitor’s center to the depot building have changed because the visitor’s center has not broke ground yet.

       The city is responsible for the construction of the Welcome Center, to be        built beside the museum, but is still working on the final details for that        project. Slaughter said it should be put out to BID this year. In the mean time, the Lincoln Depot Foundation is spending an extra $250,000 to run utilities directly to the depot in order to finish the museum on their schedule. They plan to begin utility installation soon and expect that to take about three months. In the spring the interior of the museum should be completed.

• Peekskill Landing: Peekskill Landing is a vacant 4.4 acre waterfront site adjacent to the city’s Riverfront Green Park. The Final Development Design (you can find by clicking through the photos of this article) was adopted by the City in the Fall of 2010. Site remediation was finally completed in December 2011. The city’s engineering firm is finalizing draft construction documents this month and the city planner said he expects the project to go out to BID in the next several weeks. Construction should begin this sprint and if all goes according to plan, the construction will be complete by November, 2012. 
• Holiday Inn Express: The city has granted the man planning to build a Holiday Inn Express on John Walsh Blvd. a one-year extension on his approval. The owner has landscaped the site and put some screens up to block the unfinished site of the foundation from surrounding tenants, who were complaining about the unappealing view. The owner continues to search for funding to complete the hotel.
• Former Kelly’s Spot Owned by MTA: The MTA has received proposals for the former Kelly’s restaurant spot at the train station. The city still does not know exactly what will move into that space and the MTA has not given the city a response on what kinds of proposals they are receiving, according to Slaughter.
• Hugo’s: Owner Arne Paglia will reopen Hugo’s as a restaurant and bar and is aiming to open around May.
• White Plains Linen: The company will be closing their Highland Avenue facility and is in the process of expanding their facility at John Walsh Blvd.
• Bertolini & Sons: The beverage distributor will expand its facility on John Walsh Boulevard. It has received approval from the Planning Commission to do so.

What opened in 2011:

• MTA Renovations began towards the end of 2011
• Family Dollar
• Maureen Winzig’s Studio 44
• Orang Splot Art Spot
• Dylan's Wine Cellar
• Energy Movement Center

• Artist Lofts: One art loft was created at 804 South Street, and three art lofts were created at 950 Main Street.
• was reopened after several months of construction and improvements.

(Something missing? Tell us in the comments.)

What projects are you excited about? What else would you like to see planned for 2012. Tell us in the comments and take our poll.

Editor's Note: The Peekskill Trolley Company and Energy Movement Center opened in 2011. This information has been added to the article.

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