Apparently 17 parks are not enough for Kingston. On Tuesday, the Ulster County Legislature gave a thumbs-up to hiring Port Architecture Urbanism to engineer and design “Cornell Street Park” in the old rail yard between Cornell and Down Streets. The cost will be $131,618, which is supported by a $1M grant from Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley, one of many local nonprofits heavily funded by Peter Buffett’s NoVo Foundation.
The decision to turn the area into a half-acre public park instead of developing it for some other purpose “will allow more of our neighbors to enjoy an open space right in their neighborhood”, said Legislator Greg McCollough in a statement. He added it would be a great place “to sit after carrying groceries from the Plaza.”
Legislator Megan Sperry praised the park plan as “providing tremendous health and social benefits”, claiming that open spaces are “a significant driver of economic development for our community.”
Legislators said in a statement that the park would include landscaping featuring indigenous plants and play equipment, as well as other amenities based on input from the public and available space. Construction on the park is expected to be completed in fall of 2026.
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