Two multi-million dollar mixed use developments received unanimous approval from city planners on Tuesday, paving the way for up to 86 new apartments and potentially hundreds of new residents along a long-blighted stretch of Main Street in downtown Poughkeepsie.

City officials were quick to acknowledge the collective significance of the two redevelopment proposals—one by developer Jon Behrends and the other by the development team of Pennrose Properties and DuVernay & Brooks—which seek to resurrect dormant stretches of the 300 and 400 Blocks of Main Street.

"With these two pioneering developments, the city will take a giant stride toward re-establishing itself as the region's urban center," said city Development Director Edmund Murphy, who added that returning a residential base to the city's commercial corridor is the key to its future success. "Quality residential units downtown are essential to the support of retail, arts and culture, and entertainment. In short, residential growth is the key to downtown revitalization."

Behrends' plan calls for the rehabilitation of several connected buildings he owns along 382-394 Main Street, creating 32 upper floor apartments and several ground-level retail spaces. A short distance east along Main Street, the Pennrose/DuVernay & Brooks project would be built on a cleared stretch of city-owned land along the 400 Block and would feature 54 rental units with up to 7,200-square-feet of retail space.

Mayor Colette Lafuente hailed the projects as key components in the long-term revitalization of downtown Poughkeepsie, particularly praising the developers' efforts to design their projects in keeping with the city's historic architecture. "Both of these projects have been rendered with respect for the historical integrity of the streetscape. Both will bring people into the city and both will improve the appearance of Main Street immensely," she said on Wednesday. "It's really exciting."

Behrends, who has resurrected similar buildings in other parts of the city, has already begun demolition work on the estimated $3 million project, which he hopes to finish sometime in 2004.

Pennrose/DuVernay & Brooks will now submit an application for supplemental financing for their estimated $13 million project to the state Division for Housing and Community Renewal. Seeking a combination of grants and loans, the groups' spokesperson has said they will begin construction once (and if) they receive the funding commitments, which are generally announced in the fall. Both projects have already been awarded funding from Dutchess County's share of federal HOME funds.

Concrete Batching Plant Approved

Planners also approved a special permit and a site plan to allow the Cranesville Block Company to convert a former gasoline "tank farm" along Prospect Street into a concrete batching plant. The firm has conducted similar operations at a facility located roughly 300 yards to the north, but was forced to seek a new home after its lease term ended. Staff reports and a review by the city's Waterfront Advisory Committee determined that the new batching plant would remain in an industrial zone and would meet environmental and other regulatory standards.