Plans were being made during July and August by the Historic Huguenot Street (HHS) to build an approximately 7400-square-foot facility with an outdoor patio, an amphitheater, and more than 100 parking spaces, including an internal road for buses and vehicular traffic on the sweeping green lawns behind the Deyo House.
The architectural renderings for this visitors’ center and grounds delineate the green space set for development with pink ribbons. A laminated piece of pink paper tacked to a wooden stick near the existing HHS parking lot off Broadhead Avenue serves as a public notice for a public hearing on the proposed project slated for Monday, September 8 at the New Paltz village hall at 7 p.m.
Neighbors and residents, many of whom are just now learning of the project, have put together a letter expressing their opposition to the proposed center.
“The historic heart of Huguenot Street is not confined to the seven stone houses we all know and love,” said their letter. “The meadow and its canopy of trees embody the land’s deeper story, reminding us that this place’s heritage is rooted as much in its natural landscape as in its architecture. These living elders shelter birds and squirrels, feed pollinators and hold centuries of growth; they really are every bit as vital from an archival perspective as the houses themselves.”
The letter makes reference to the fact that not long ago the HHS along with supporters and neighbors, citing that damage the vibrations from the motorized vehicles could have on the integrity of the centuries-old stone houses they were charged to preserve, gained approval for having a portion of Huguenot Street closed to all vehicular traffic.
“On a street so fragile that a section is already closed to traffic, introducing heavy construction and a large modern building is not just ironic — it is reckless,” the letter stated.
HHS’s planning narrative argued otherwise. “This thoughtfully designed facility will serve as a welcoming gateway to the site’s rich historical legacy, enhancing the visitor experience while preserving the integrity of the surrounding historic district,” it said.
The green space being eyed for construction is located in the middle of a pine grove and green space that includes picnic tables, grass lawns, shaded areas and is often the site of outdoor HHS events, Civil-War reenactments, SUNY New Paltz archeology digs, community happenings, and quiet space for people to gather and repose.
Existing buildings within the HHS holdings like Deyo Hall and the Old Fort currently welome visitors and display exhibits.
HHS claims that this visitors’ center would serve an existing need. A third of the site plan includes over 100 on-site parking spaces that will utilize permeable grass block pavers. There’ll be a designated bus drop-off zone, and two remote bus parking areas. “This project addresses the limitations of the current facilities and is intended to support a wide range of programming, protect and display historical artifacts, and offer flexible spaces for both community and educational use,” the project narrative stated. “We believe this center will be a respectful complement to the treasured heritage of Huguenot Street and a vital resource for future generations.”
That is not how the letter-writers residents view the project.
“Our opposition is not to a visitor center or to thoughtful development in New Paltz. Our objection is rooted in the loss of tranquil natural spaces, the failure to reuse existing buildings to fulfill this project’s vision, and the introduction of a building that would be out of scale with the historic neighborhood,” their letter stated.
Information is not yet publicly available about the cost of the project and how it is being funded.
The Design, Review Board and Historic Preservation Commission will hold a public hearing this week. The proposal can also be viewed via Zoom by going to the Village of New Paltz website and obtaining the link. The public is welcomed and encouraged to attend, and public comments can also be received by emailing them to hpc@villageofnewpaltz.gov. The public can also request copies of the project plans at that same email address.
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