Beacon revitalization continues

Latest project stirs enthusiasm

By Maeleeke J. Lavan
Poughkeepsie Journal

 

Darryl Bautista/Poughkeepsie Journal Shawn Montague, 9, left, Joshua Miller, 14, Josh Soto, 15, and Chris Montague, 16, play at Riverfront Park in Beacon Saturday.

BEACON -- Word that the River and Estuaries Center on the Hudson is coming to Beacon was welcomed by residents, business owners and government officials who hailed the announcement as the latest example of the city's rising fortunes.

''It's a wonderful, innovative economic development,'' Beacon Mayor Clara Lou Gould said. ''It isn't just about the educational benefits it's going to have. It's about the jobs it will create -- and of course the tourism created by it. This is a very high quality, upbeat kind of thing we can be proud of.''

Gov. George Pataki announced Monday that Beacon's waterfront will house the center -- a focal point of educational and scientific study.

The city's waterfront has been target of cultural development for many years, and now a slew of project initiatives are coming to fruition.

Among them:

- Next month's highly anticipated opening of the Dia arts center in Beacon.

- A feasibility study on a spur-line trolley to run through the city.

- Continued revitalization of Main Street.

''This is going to be a huge boost not only to Beacon and Dutchess County, but also to the 12 other counties in the Greenway Compact,'' said Carmella Mantello, executive director of the Hudson River Valley Greenway Communities Council, the state organization that encourages smart-growth planning. ''It's all about looking at the Hudson Valley as a region, and this will certainly bring attention to the Hudson Valley.''

''This will benefit residents and will benefit visitors,'' Gould said.

Local residents and business owners expressed satisfaction with the progress their community is making.

''Anything that draws attention to Beacon is a good thing,'' said Matt Boeltz, manager of The Little Pie Shop on Main Street. ''It's a whole cultural center around here.''

Big progress in a short time

Boeltz said he's witnesses a great deal of progress after only five months of living in the city.

''A lot of things are happening,'' agreed Nathan Nathani a local businessman. ''We're on the go now.''

Walking down Main Street Monday afternoon, resident Shelly Woods said the center will aid in the continued effort to make the city attractive and return safety and stability to its streets.

With continued development, she said, 'My kids can walk the streets and not have to worry about (anything).''

Officials from Scenic Hudson, a Poughkeepsie-based environmental organization, commended both residents and city officials for putting the city on the map.

''Governor Pataki's decision to site the center in Beacon highlights the interdependence of a healthy environment and economy,'' said Steve Rosenburg executive director of the Scenic Hudson Land Trust. ''Beacon's leaders and citizens should be congratulated, too, for they have worked for years to chart a new economic future that is based in the city's outstanding natural features and historic fabric.''

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