The Alms House
With a series of critical hearings and votes coming up, RUPCO is inviting the public to see for themselves “Landmark Place” — its proposal to create supportive housing for the formerly homeless, elderly and disabled at the former city almshouse.
RUPCO officials will host an open house at the 300 Flatbush Ave. edifice from 10 a.m. to noon this Saturday, Feb. 18. The event will feature guided tours, question-and-answer rooms on topics including supportive housing, the history of the site and RUPCO’s plans for it, as well as a presentation by project architect Scott Dutton. The open house comes as RUPCO is preparing for a Feb. 28 public hearing before the Kingston planning board. The board and the Kingston Common Council will have to grant approval for the project.
RUPCO bought the 1870s-era building, which last served as office space for the Ulster County Department of Health, last year. The housing nonprofit hopes to transform the historic building into supportive housing for the recently homeless, people with physical and mental disabilities and the frail elderly. The proposed “Landmark Place” would also include construction of a new building limited to those 55 years of age and up on the almshouse campus. The proposed new housing will include on-site security and medical and mental health services. RUPCO officials say the project will fill a critical need for supportive housing for low-income people struggling with age or disability.