HVR Presentation – December 3, 2022 at Bronxville Library

Please join us for our first in-person program since June 2019! Thomas Rinaldi and Robert Yasinsac will present Hudson Valley Ruins on Saturday December 3, 3:00pm, at the Bronxville Public Library.
.
In an effort to raise awareness for the plight of neglected historic sites in the New York’s Hudson Valley, co-authors and photographers Thomas Rinaldi and Robert Yasinsac will offer a glimpse at some of the region’s forgotten cultural treasures. Many of these buildings are listed on the National Register of Historical Places, and a few are even National Historical Landmarks. But in spite of their significance, these structures have been allowed to decay, and in some cases, to disappear altogether.
.
Rinaldi and Yasinsac have been photographing the Hudson Valley since the mid-1990s. Their book “Hudson Valley Ruins: Forgotten Landmarks of an American Landscape” was published in 2006 by the University Press of New England. The New York State Museum in 2016-17 presented a photography and architecture exhibition of their work entitled “Hudson Valley Ruins.” Rinaldi and Yasinsac continue to document the demolition, restoration, and reuse of neglected historic sites in the Hudson Valley.
.
Generously sponsored by the Friends of the Bronxville Public Library
Bronxville Public Library
201 Pondfield Road, Bronxville, New York 10708

Hudson Valley Ruins December 3 Program Announcement at Briarcliff Public Library

Posted in Tours Lectures and Events | 1 Comment

HVR 2021 In Review – Part Two

Continuing from Part One.

July – Newburgh – City Club Opened
The Newburgh City Club, originally the Dr. William Culbert House, is one of the Hudson Valley’s most significant ruins owing to its being a rare surviving collaboration of architectural design work between Andrew Jackson Downing and Calvert Vaux. It is also one of the few ruins of the Hudson Valley that I had not seen the inside of, until this past summer. From July 10 to October 31, STRONGROOM presented Martin Roth: “From 2017-2021 Martin Roth transformed a ruin into a garden for a plant concert.” The Newburgh-based arts organization brought forth the the site-specific “plant concert” installation conceived in 2017 by late artist Martin Roth inside the walls of the City Club ruin.


August 3, 2020


August 1, 2021


August 1, 2021


1970. Photo Credit: Historic American Buildings Survey (Library of Congress)

August – Kingston – Modjeska Sign Exhibit
Friends of Historic Kingston opened a fantastic new exhibit entitled “Signs of the Times, The Modjeska Sign Studio, Kingston, New York.” The exhibit chronicles signs and businesses of Kingston from the 1920s to the 1970s, including the Forst meatpacking company which appears in the Hudson Valley Ruins book. The highlight of the exhibition at is a neon sign that advertised Luigi’s Restaurant in Glasco, south of Saugerties. Lite Brite Neon Studio of Kingston rescued the sign from the Saugerties dump about eight years ago and restored the sign for this exhibit. Signs of the Times will continue in 2022.

September – Verplanck – KinoSaito Opens at Former St. Patrick’s School
The former St. Patrick’s School in Verplanck, NY (built 1921, closed 1991) was renovated and reopened on September 9 as KinoSaito, an art center rooted in the creation and practice of abstract art that honors the spirit of its founding muse, painter and theater designer Kikuo Saito.
I was allowed to photograph the building in 2017, not long after KinoSaito acquired the property. Fortunately the school building escaped the plague of graffiti and vandalism that befalls so many vacant structures. However, due to a few decades of disuse, the building did require rehabilitation. The first floor now contains two galleries and a restored classroom with local history information. Upstairs contains a performance space and two artists’ residences, converted from classroom space.
Photographs April 29, 2017 and October 31, 2021


October 2021


April 2017


October 2021


October 2021

October – Millbrook – Bennett School Demolition Begins
This fall demolition work began on the abandoned buildings of the Bennett School campus in Millbrook. Several buildings have been completely demolished already. Halcyon Hall, the centerpiece of the campus, remains standing but likely sometime in January will come down in a giant pile of timber, stone, and slate. The 20 million dollar project will turn the Bennett school property into a village park.
When Tom Rinaldi and I began posting our photos to the internet, in the late 1990s, Halcyon Hall was one of a half-dozen or so Hudson Valley ruins that appeared on reputable urban exploration websites, and it also featured in numerous “World’s Most Haunted Mansions“-type articles. I haven’t been inside the Bennett School buildings in a solid decade, but it was always somewhat comforting to pull into Millbrook and see that Halcyon Hall survived another winter or another windstorm, like cheering on an underdog that should have lost its fight a long time ago. Take a last look ASAP and say goodbye to this celebrity ruin – we may not see another like it again.


October 2021


October 2021


October 2021

November – Ulster Landing – Livingston-Ferenczy House Restored and Sold
About 7 or 8 years ago, myself and Tom Rinaldi became aware of a certain old house along the Hudson River north of Kingston. We found it by “flying over” the shoreline of the Hudson using the late, great, aerial imagery of Bing Maps (I say late, great, because the original Bing aerials used fall/winter imagery which, thanks to bare tree limbs, revealed ruins and mystery structures worth further investigation. For the past few years, Google and Bing have used summer images which is terrible for our hobby.) The house, used as storage by the last family who owned it, wasn’t abandoned but it wasn’t occupied either. What it was, was that rare house that had not been modernized, nor torn down, or otherwise tended to in at least fifty or so years.
The house was an eclectic pile, its origins still not exactly known, and apparently built in at least two stages, but it was one of the rare West Shore homes owned by the Livingston family who were landlords over much of the east shore in northern Dutchess and Columbia Counties. It was incredible that something like this existed still and was not a complete ruin. Yet it was certainly possible, once the family placed the house on the real estate market, that its days may be numbered, eyed as a “tear-down” by potential buyers. In 2019, the house was acquired by Muddykill Ventures who set about to preserve the character and appearance of the house and yet make it into a home for the 21st century. It appears that the house sold this past week, for 4.5 million dollars.


July 2020, pre-restoration.


July 2020, pre-restoration.


December 2020, mid-restoration.


December 2020, mid-restoration.

November – Poughkeepsie – Scenic Hudson Plans New Headquarters
Hudson Valley Ruins was happy to hear the news that Scenic Hudson will preserve an old industrial building in Poughkeepsie and convert it into their new headquarters. The adaptive-reuse project is being designed by the MASS Design Group. 60 Minutes aired in October a very interesting segment about the inspiring work that MASS and its Executive Director Michael Murphy are conducting locally and abroad. Unfortunately the program is not accessible without a subscription, but a transcription still appears at CBS News – highly-recommended reading.


November 2021


November 2021

December – Monsey – Rockland Drive-In Theater Demolished
The Rockland Drive-In Theatre screen was torn down in early December. A 5-1/2 story office building is planned to take the place of the 1,800-car capacity drive-in theater, which opened in 1955 and closed in 1987. Rockland Drive-In was one of two Rockland County screens still standing in 2006 when it appeared in the Hudson Valley Ruins book. The Nyack Drive-In screen in Blauvelt came down in the early 2010s.


December 14, 2005.

December – Newburgh – Balmville School Demolished
On December 22, 2021, the c. 1897 Balmville School on Route 9W was demolished by the Newburgh Board of Education. The building appeared to be in good condition when we photographed it in 2003. The school district ceased to use or maintain the building and did not entertain offers by concerned citizens to acquire and preserve the school building. The property appears destined to become a parking lot for the adjacent, in-use, Balmville Elementary School.


2003


2018
______________________________________________

So that is 2021 in a blog post (in two parts). Please let me know if you think I missed something newsworthy such as a demolition or the completed restoration of a former ruin. Already I am aware of some projects that may kick off, or complete, in 2022, and I have photos ready to go for when they can be shared. I may yet blog again, hopefully, and myself and Tom Rinaldi certainly plan to continue posting relevant topics at the HVR Instagram account. Thank you for continuing to follow along, and best wishes to all for a Happy New Year.

-Rob

Posted in Demolition Alert, HVR Annual Calendar | 3 Comments

HVR 2021 In Review – Part One

Hello and Happy Holidays!
In lieu of any real posts this year, I present a summary of newsworthy happenings. Mainly, the usual roster of demolitions, but some more-positive news as well.

January – Kingston – Brickyard Trail Opens
Just after the New Year, a portion of the Empire State Trail that traverses two formerly abandoned properties opened. The Brickyard Trail connects the Hutton Company Brick Works, rebranded as the Hutton Brickyards, a luxury hotel/event space, and the former Hudson Cement property which is still in the process of being fully converted to a park now known as Hudson Cliffs. The area was known historically, and better, as Steep Rocks – a perfect name that was just there for the taking for the new park.


Southern entrance to the Brickyard Trail. Car parking is nearby at Kingston Point Park.


The south end of the trail passes by the not-yet-restored steel kiln sheds of the Hutton Brickyards, now a luxury hotel/destination site. Summer rates of newly built cabins are $425-$595 night, which is way too rich for me.


The north end of the trail passes through the former site of the Shultz Brickyard and later the Hudson Cement Company. I was excited about the possibility of the trail winding its way past the cement company ruins, including the 300-foot tall silos. Which will be the subject of another entry later in this post.

February – Greenport (Hudson) – Farrand House Demolished.
The Farrand family farmhouse, with Gothic revival alterations, was demolished on February 23, 2021 to make way for an Aldi supermarket. My friend Paul Barrett and others advocated valiantly for the preservation of the Farrand House, which was converted to apartments in its last incarnation.
The adjacent McDonalds, with vintage mansard roof and fantastic roadside sign, was also demolished later in the year, to be replaced by a new restaurant in the plain, boring, modern McDonald’s template that is replacing retro-looking restaurants across the country.


March 2018


February 23, 2021. Photograph courtesy of David Sacco.

March – Hyde Park – Hyde Park Motor Company Demolished
Some research remains to be conducted, but the Hyde Park Motor Company building undoubtedly was one of the earliest automobile showrooms built in the Hudson Valley. Situated at the southeast corner of the main four-corners intersection in Hyde Park, the old car dealership seemed to be a perfect candidate for adaptive reuse – a restaurant or cafe perhaps. It was demolished instead, and the corner was still a vacant lot the most recent time I drove by.


Hyde Park Motor Company, April 18, 2010. Photograph by Tom Rinaldi.


Hyde Park Motor Company site, March 2021. Photograph by Tom Rinaldi.

April – Croton Falls – St. Joseph’s Church, Rectory and School Demolished.
In 2018, St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church sold this property to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The church, by then, built a larger house of worship in Goldens Bridge with room for 800 worshippers – the increased capacity meant that fewer services could be held, in comparison with the number of masses at the 200-person capacity Croton Falls church. The MTA will create a 450-space permit-only commuter parking lot at the site of the old church, right at a time when office workers have not yet returned to Manhattan in anywhere near pre-pandemic numbers. When work-from-home seems like not only “the new normal” but perhaps the way of the future, is another commuter parking lot the best idea?
A handsome if unspectacular church, the memories contained within St. Joseph’s are unspeakably horrible (link warning: abuse content).


St. Joseph’s Church, February 2021.


St. Joseph’s Church Interior, October 2020.


St. Joseph’s Rectory, February 2021.

April – Buchanan – Indian Point Power Plant Shuts Down
Not one of our ruins, of course, but an architectural monument on the Hudson River, Indian Point went offline permanently on April 30, 2021. The power plant went into operation in 1962 with the construction of the first unit, the low, saucer-like dome that is hidden behind the newer units that replaced it. The first unit’s associated ventilation stack was shortened in 2012. The two taller units, “with domes more closely approximating hemispheres” were constructed in 1974 and 1976. Adjacent to each of the two units are rectangular buildings that contain turbine generators where the energy is actually produced.
Architectural historian Frank Sanchis, also quoted above, stated in “American Architecture: Westchester County, New York,” that “the completely functional design of the Consolidated Edison plant derives its visual impact from the geometric forms utilized and the sheer bulk of the buildings of the waterfront site; the smooth domes are seen in contrast to the landscape from innumerable vantage points in the surrounding area.” According to the Daily Freeman (April 29), pending state regulatory approval, Entergy will transfer Indian Point to Holtec International who estimates it will take 12 to 15 years to demolish the power plant.


Indian Point, September 15, 2007.

April – Cold Spring – First Interpretive Signs Installed at the Northgate Ruins
In April, the first of sixteen interpretive signs were installed at the Northgate ruins in Cold Spring. The signs tell the history of the Stern/Cornish estate, and unmask some of the mysteries of the construction of the mansion.
Volunteers Thom Johnson, Christoper Wilson (formerly of New York State Parks) and myself wrote the interpretive content of the signs; the historic photographs were provided by descendants of the Stern and Cornish families. New York State Parks staff and volunteers assisted in the project, which was funded by a Parks and Trails New York grant. An official unveiling event is planned for Spring 2022. More info and a video interview with Thom Johnson can be found at NBC New York.


Thom Johnson and Rob Yasinsac after installing the first interpretive sign at the Northgate estate, April 2021.


A sign near the mansion.


The Northgate ruins will no longer be a mystery to people hiking through the former estate to and from Breakneck Ridge.

Summer – Kingston – Hudson Cement Silos Demolished
Sometime this past summer, Scenic Hudson quietly demolished the Hudson Cement Company silos. Following Scenic Hudson’s acquisition of the site, a consulting team reached out to Hudson Valley Ruins for our opinion of future plans for the Hudson Cliffs Park. Tom Rinaldi and I said “Of course the silos should be preserved!” We thought the cluster of 300-foot tall cylinders would become the focal point of the new park, repurposed and reclaimed from industrial artifact to cultural monument, in line with the industrial chic reclamation of the Hutton Brickyards just to south, and in the spirit of the exciting and imaginative reinvention that is occurring at the even more colossal Silo City location in Buffalo, New York.

Curiously there was no fanfare and no mention, that I am aware of, in a mid-Hudson Valley newspaper regarding the demolition of the silos. An Albany Times Union piece lent more importance and urgency to graffiti at the site than to the silos themselves. All so very curious, and another unfortunate loss.


Viewed from Ferncliff Forest Fire Tower, March, 2020.


Some folks viewed the graffiti here as art. The entire silo structure could have been a canvas onto which images could have been projected, like a 21st century drive-in movie experience. The silo cluster would have been an amazing backdrop for cultural events. Even just left as-is, it would have been a landmark and attraction along the trails within the new park.


Imagine the intimate music performances, art installations, and presentations that could have occurred in this awesome space. How amazing it all could have been.

Continue on to Part Two.

Posted in Demolition Alert, HVR Annual Calendar | 3 Comments

Online Presentation – Tuesday October 5

Thomas Rinaldi and Robert Yasinsac will present Hudson Valley Ruins on Tuesday October 5 at 7pm for the Somers Library. In this one hour virtual presentation we will share a history of the built Hudson Valley as it relates to these ruins, stories of our personal interest in this topic, and a look at some favorite locations.

Registration is required. Please register online with the Somers Library (https://bit.ly/39UPnZG) or call the library at 914-232-5717 in order to have access to the presentation. You will receive an email prior to the meeting with a Zoom invitation.

We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday night!

Posted in Tours Lectures and Events | Leave a comment

Hudson Valley Ruins Presentation – July 19, 2021

Thomas Rinaldi and Robert Yasinsac will present Hudson Valley Ruins on Monday July 19 at 7pm for the Greenburgh Public Library. In this one hour program we will share a history of the built Hudson Valley as it relates to these ruins, stories of our personal interest in this topic, and a look at some favorite locations.

Please register online with the @greenburghpubliclibrary at https://greenburghlibrary.libcal.com/event/7528831?hs=a.

Apologies for the very late notice. 9 “seats” remain available as of 8am on 7/18/21.

For those who cannot attend, we have at least one more talk scheduled, in September, and I will post an earlier notice for that presentation!

Posted in Tours Lectures and Events | Leave a comment

Hudson Valley Ruins Presentation – July 19, 2021

Thomas Rinaldi and Robert Yasinsac will present Hudson Valley Ruins on Monday July 19 at 7pm for the Greenburgh Public Library. In this one hour program we will share a history of the built Hudson Valley as it relates to these ruins, stories of our personal interest in this topic, and a look at some favorite locations.

Please register online with the @greenburghpubliclibrary at https://greenburghlibrary.libcal.com/event/7528831?hs=a.

Apologies for the very late notice. 9 “seats” remain available as of 8am on 7/18/21.

For those who cannot attend, we have at least one more talk scheduled, in September, and I will post an earlier notice for that presentation!

Posted in Tours Lectures and Events | Leave a comment

Illuminance at Bannerman’s Castle – Film Premiere November 13-15

ILLUMINANCE- Film Premieres November 13th-15th

“Illuminance” was filmed in October 2020 and features performances from the Daisy Jopling Band, Michael Feigenbaum, local youth musicians, and more. Performed under a full harvest moon, enjoy an intimate performance by the Daisy Jopling Band, which was opened by talented youth on different stages around the island with a backdrop of the majestic Bannerman Castle, illuminated by one of the world’s greatest lighting designers Deke Hazirjian. View the Illuminance trailer here.

The Daisy Jopling Band concert consists of original violin arrangements of The Who, among other modern and accessible pieces, blending traditional orchestral music aesthetics with a wide array of contemporary musical styles.

Daisy Jopling is an internationally renowned classical/rock violinist and has performed in many of the major Festivals and concert halls throughout the world, including Carnegie Hall and the Lincoln Center in New York, the Musikverein in Vienna, the Salzburger Festspiele, and at the Edinburgh International Festival in Scotland.

Tickets are $20, with purchase information at the Daisy Jopling Foundation.
All proceeds are split between the Daisy Jopling Music Mentorship Foundation and the Bannerman Castle Trust. View the Illuminance trailer here.

The Illuminance performances also included a reading by Thom Johnson as Frank Bannerman VI, shown here with a Bannerman Catalog of Military Goods which were warehoused at Bannerman’s Island Arsenal.

Posted in Dutchess County, Night Photography, Tours Lectures and Events | Leave a comment

Louw-Bogardus House Stabilization Work


June 28, 2020

Good news! Stabilization and partial restoration is underway at the Louw-Bogardus House in Kingston, NY. Parts of the house date to 1665-69, making the Louw-Bogardus House the oldest standing ruin among Hudson Valley Ruins. Friends of Historic Kingston, the owner of the Louw-Bogardus House, just released a video that explains the preservation work and future plans for use of the site. RUPCO, the Project Manager for the preservation work, has a website with additional information.


June 28, 2020


June 28, 2020


June 28, 2020


1905. Friends of Historic Kingston.


April 1, 2017


April 1, 2017


April 1, 2017


April 1, 2017


April 1, 2017


April 1, 2017

Posted in Historic Preservation, Ulster County | 2 Comments

Demolition of The Croft


The Croft, RIP.

In June 2019 Teatown Lake Reservation, a nature preserve and environmental education center, announced its decision to move forward with demolition of the Croft, a c. 1914 Tudor style mansion built by antiques dealer Arthur Vernay from pieces of centuries’ old English manor houses. “The New York Herald described the house as “probably the first completely antique Tudor house which was ever been constructed in America… Every particle of material used in the structure once formed a part of some ancient English dwelling.”


February, 2020.


July, 2019.

The prospect of demolition was publicized as early as 2015, with the only glimmer of hope for the house being the possibility of architectural salvage. Even that option was limited, as Teatown preferred “one buyer who will take everything.”

This weekend I was informed that a pile of rubble now occupies the space where the Croft stood. Another fascinating piece of Westchester County’s architectural heritage is gone.

Teatown acquired the Croft in 2010, two years after it was last occupied as a private home. That 2010 purchase of 67 acres was made to secure land adjacent to the existing preserve – the Croft and its associated garage merely “came with that purchase.” The Croft was not demolished because it was a ruin or a relic beyond repair. Teatown stated that it could not “find a practical use for the Croft that fits our mission, educational needs, and financial limitations.” However the adjacent Tudor style garage was renovated and now is in use as an environmental center.

Teatown’s full statement on the “disposition” of the Croft can be read at www.teatown.org/croft.

More photographs from July 2019:

Teatown Lake Reservation justified the preservation of the Croft garage even though the organization could not in its own way justify preservation of the Croft mansion. The garage is now the Teatown Environmental Science Center.

Posted in Demolition Alert, Westchester County | 22 Comments

HVR 2019

Hello again! One of these years I will get back into the habit of blogging. Until then, here is my favorite annual post. Mostly ruins, mostly Hudson Valley. Twelve images representative of my wanderings throughout 2019.

01. January


Odell Farmhouse, Clarence Fahnestock Memorial State Park, Putnam County.

02. February

The insta-famous pharmacy, Parksville, Sullivan County.

03. March

New Baltimore, Greene County.

04. April

Orange County.

05. May

Bannerman’s Island Arsenal, Dutchess County.

06. June

Rose Hill mansion demolition, Mount Kisco, Westchester County.

07. July
The Croft, Teatown Lake Reservation, Ossining, Westchester County. Truly unnecessarily slated for demolition.

08. August
Greenport (Hudson), Columbia County.

09. September

Dutchess County.

10. October

Cedar Glen (Roberts estate mansion), Highland, Ulster County.

11. November

Kiln ruins, upper Hudson Valley.

12. December

House by the Railroad, Westchester County edition.

Happy Holidays,

Rob.

Posted in HVR Annual Calendar | Leave a comment