An aerial photograph of the Hudson Heritage plaza including the entry to Route 9 and remains of the former Hudson River Psychiatric Center in the background
An aerial photograph of the Hudson Heritage plaza with remains of the former Hudson River Psychiatric Center in the back right (east) and the Hudson River on the left (west).

Hudson Heritage

From Abandoned Healthcare Facility to Live/Work/Play Community

The former Hudson River Psychiatric Center sat vacant along Route 9 in Poughkeepsie, NY, just north of Marist College for many years. The 300-acre site includes more than 75 buildings on both the State and National Registers of Historic Places as well as a Frederick Law Olmstead designed central green. Developers sought to reimagine the site into a mixed-use development while preserving its historic character.

Preparing for Development

The earliest phases of a land development project are often an Environmental Impact Statement and a land survey.

Environmental Impact Statement

LaBella prepared an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), schematic site design development, and construction documents for the redevelopment of the former Hudson River Psychiatric Center. Plans for the mixed-use development include 750 residential units, 350,000 sq. ft. of commercial space, and a hotel. Portions of the development qualified for brownfield tax credits.

LaBella worked closely with the developer to design a project that respects the historic landscape and re-uses buildings where it is feasible to do so while respecting environmental limitations. The EIS scope included traffic and visual impact studies, cultural resource surveys including Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) documentation of the historic buildings, and extensive utility and stormwater analyses.

Land Survey

In support of the redevelopment, LaBella prepared a property boundary survey, detailed topographic and utility survey, subdivision mapping, and NYSDOT easement mapping. The project included over 6,400 linear feet of new town roadways along with more than 10,000 linear feet of private roadways.

Post appraisal surveying included survey construction support for roadways and utilities and as-built surveys to secure Certification of Occupancy.

The Hudson Heritage site is now enlivened with a grocery store, restaurants, and retail shops, all of which are bustling with local college students, community members, and visitors to the region. Improvements will continue, including construction of residences, a hotel, a campus green, and streetscapes that give the site the feel of a completely new community that respects its historic past.

A document showing the master plan for the Hudson Heritage mixed-use development
Hudson Heritage Master Plan
An aerial photograph of the Hudson Heritage plaza including remains of the former Hudson River Psychiatric Center in the background
Remains of the former, historic Hudson River Psychiatric Center—pictured in the background—will be preserved.
An aerial photograph of the Hudson Heritage plaza with remains of the former Hudson River Psychiatric Center in the back right (east) and the Hudson River on the left (west).
Hudson Heritage is situated along Route 9 in Poughkeepsie, NY, just north of Marist College and in close proximity to the Hudson River.
An aerial photograph of a traffic circle, remains of the former Hudson River Psychiatric Center, and room for development on the Hudson Heritage property
Traffic circulation is in place for future development.
An aerial photograph of a parking lot, sidewalks, and room for development on the Hudson Heritage property
Comprised of 300 acres, the Hudson Heritage site is being developed in phases.
An aerial photograph of parking, sidewalks, crosswalks, and street trees within the Hudson Heritage property
Sidewalks, crosswalks, and street trees create a walkable plaza.
A photograph of the sign for the Hudson Heritage plaza
Retail space in the plaza filled quickly upon opening.
LaBella provided extensive land surveying services for the property.
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