Hudson Heritage

From Abandoned Healthcare Facility to Live/Work/Play Community

The former Hudson River Psychiatric Center sat vacant just north of Marist University along Route 9 in Poughkeepsie, New York, for many years. The 156-acre site includes more than 75 buildings on both the State and National Registers of Historic Places as well as a Frederick Law Olmsted-designed central green. LaBella worked with the developer to reimagine the site, creating a plan that honors the site’s historic landscape and re-uses buildings, where feasible, while respecting environmental limitations.

The redevelopment plan includes 750 residential units, 350,000 square feet of commercial space, a hotel, over 6,400 linear feet of new town roadways, more than 10,000 linear feet of private roadway, as well as utilities.

From Master Plan to Construction

Land Development Planning

LaBella prepared an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), modified development master plan, and schematic, design development and construction documents. 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.

Civil/Site Work

In support of the redevelopment, LaBella prepared a property boundary and topographic survey, and subdivision mapping. The survey located underground steam tunnels and related complex infrastructure. LaBella also assessed two closed landfills, delineated wetlands, and did a comprehensive evaluation of the many historic structures on the site.

LaBella prepared amended site plans, a sewer district Map, Plan & Report, a New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation grant application engineer’s report, and SEQRA technical memos.

Entitlements

LaBella applied for and obtained project entitlements from the Town of Poughkeepsie Board and Planning Board, Dutchess County Department of Health, and other involved agencies.

Construction Support

LaBella also provided survey construction support and as-built surveys to secure Certification of Occupancy.

From Blight to Bustling

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.