The property at 25 Field Court in Kingston, N.Y., is shown in a photo taken Friday, April 12, 2024. (Tania Barricklo/Daily Freeman)
KINGSTON, N.Y. — The city announced Friday, April 12, that it has acquired a long-vacant and blighted property at 25 Field Court that officials say has been in tax arrears since 2010.
The approximately .85-acre site is located in a mixed-commercial and residential area in Midtown near Midtown Linear Park and the Broadway business corridor, Mayor Steve Noble’s office said in a press release.
“This site has unfortunately sat abandoned for many years, right in the heart of our City, while the surrounding corridor on Field Court has become a bustling hub for local businesses,” Noble said in a prepared statement. “I’m proud of the work our team has done to acquire this property and I look forward to future development that will restore the site to a vibrant part of the community.”
Bartek Starodaj, the city’s director of housing initiatives, added that the property has been a neighborhood blight for far too long.
“This is a singular opportunity for the City to be involved in the environmental cleanup and redevelopment of this important property in line with the goals of the City’s new zoning code,” he said. “I’m eager to move swiftly with next steps.”
The property features 125 feet of frontage along Field Court and approximately 120 feet along O’Neil Street, Noble’s office said. The property currently contains a vacant single-story brick building constructed in 1966 that is approximately 12,000 square feet, officials added.
The property has parking lots fronting Field Court and O’Neil Street, according to Noble’s office. Officials said another building housing various mechanic and office uses formerly existed on the site.
Noble’s office also said the building is designated “T5 Flex” under the city’s form-based zoning code, allowing for a wide variety of uses and building types.
Noble’s office is currently working to designate the area of Midtown that includes 25 Field Court as a Brownfield Opportunity Area as part of the Midtown Thriving project sponsored by the city and Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress. Receiving a Brownfield Opportunity Area designation would open the site to additional tax credits and state grants, officials said.
