Beacon's Parade of Green is On - Rain, Snow, Sleet or Shine - Honoring Anthony Lassiter, Grand Marshall 2022

Parade of Green committee volunteers painting the town with green, yellow, orange and blue shamrocks. Pictured from left: Rick Brownell, Bitsy, and Annie McElduff.

DAY: Saturday, March 12th
TIME: 12noon for the public (floats and cars line up earlier at 11am)
LOCATION: Starts at Pohill Park (near Bank Square) ends at Dummy Light (1 East Main near Trax)
RAIN OR SHINE

With weather apps calling for 100% chance of something wet this Saturday, March 12, 2022, Beacon’s Parade of Green is on with no rain date. Said one of the parade organizers, Kimberlee Markarian in response to Councilmember George Mansfield’s question of if the parade is rain or shine during this week’s City Council Meeting: “It is rain or shine! Which is so amazing! We went through a whole lot of things in the last couple of years. A little rain…we got it!”

The parade route is from Pohill Park (the corner of Main Street, 9D and South Avenue at Bank Square), runs down Main Street, and ends at the Dummy Light (near 1 East Main near Trax Coffee and the Chocolate Studio). Main Street will be closed (but all shops and restaurants open!), so the parade floats, cars and walkers will have full access to roll through. The parade starts at 12pm from Pohill Park.

Be sure to visit Meyers Old Dutche for their special “Shamrock” drink inspired by the parade. Later on, find a calm and cozy spot inside of Two Way Brewery for their live music, featuring the TMcCann Band starting at 7pm (food also available from the Flying Jibb)

Honoring Anthony Lassiter, Grand Marshall For 2022 Parade Of Green

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Photo Credit: Parade of Green

The Parade of Green is honoring Anthony Lassiter, was born February 1947 in Beacon. He attended Beacon High School where he was on the football, wrestling, and baseball teams. He graduated high school in 1966 and was drafted into the US Army in the spring of 1967.

Private Lassiter was trained to be an Army electrician. His primary responsibilities included building helicopter landing pads for Cobra gunships. Additionally, Specialist Lassiter was assigned to the "burial detail firing squad" where he performed the 21-gun salute at the funerals of fallen heroes.

Ultimately, Specialist Lassiter was sent to Republic of South Vietnam. Shortly after being promoted to Sargent, Lassiter and his Company were attacked by hostile forces. Lassiter was injured in that attack and was awarded a Purple Heart. He received an Army Commendation Medal for his distinguished service and was honorably Discharged from the Army in November 1969.

In January 1970, he went to work at IBM in East Fishkill. After several years, he became a manager. One of his favorite assignments was recurring college students to work for IBM. He worked at IBM for the next 30 years. Anthony married Patricia Lassiter. Together they raised 2 sons: Justin and Aaron, and have 8 grandchildren. Mr. Lassiter is now retired.

Anthony Lassiter serves his church and assists throughout the community in multiple volunteer activities. Anthony served on the City of Beacon Planning Board for 15 years, and continues to serve on the City of Beacon Housing Authority Board of Directors. He is a member of the American Legion Post 203, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 666, the Beacon Community Lions Club, and is a member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart.

Anthony is a long standing volunteer at the St. Andrew's / St. Luke's Food Pantry. For many years, he has served on the Spirit of Beacon Day Committee, and in 1991, was chosen as the Spirit of Beacon Volunteer of the Year.

Anthony is registered with Donate Life Organ Donation, and actively encourages others to register. As a civic minded individual who strives to serve this community and is dedicated to his fellow veterans, Anthony's commitment is limitless. This list only touches on his accomplishments.

The Army Commendation received by Lassiter proclaimed: "The loyalty, initiative, and will to succeed that Specialist Anthony V. Lassiter demonstrated at all times, undoubtedly made him one of the finest soldiers in this command." It can be concluded that Anthony Lassiter's loyalty, initiative, and will to succeed make him one of the finest citizens in this City of Beacon.

Sales Tax Eliminated For Clothes & Shoes Under $110 In Dutchess County - Plus - Forfeited Beacon Sales Tax Renegotiated Without Disclosing Beacon's Collection To Public

Starting March 1st, 2022 residents and visitors shopping in Dutchess County will not pay sales tax on individual clothing or footwear items costing less than $110. This cut in sales tax was first announced in October 2021, and adopted when Dutchess County passed its budget in December 2021. Sales tax generated from Beacon continues to be forfeited to Dutchess County - meaning the City of Beacon does not collect the money generated from sales tax to spend at its digression.

For decades, the decision for Beacon, Poughkeepsie and other municipalities in Dutchess County has been to funnel sales tax money to Dutchess County, and receive negotiated payments from Dutchess County in return. The dollar amount of sales tax generated from Beacon has not been disclosed by Dutchess County or New York State, as reported by A Little Beacon Blog, and continues to not be disclosed during Beacon’s recent negotiations with Mayor Lee Kyriacou in 2022 and signed legislation to continue the practice.

But First - The Benefit For Shoppers

According to Dutchess County’s press release from Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro sent 2/28/2022: “The sales tax exemption on clothing and footwear was adopted as part of the 2022 County Budget which provided for and is part of several efforts to deliver sustained tax relief to Dutchess County residents with more than $20 million in annual tax relief, including the largest property tax decrease in County history.”

“Starting Tuesday, residents and visitors will now pay less when they need to make essential clothing and footwear purchases. Combined, we are delivering $20 million in sustained tax relief.”

This means that every item in a store that is clothing or footwear and is under $110 will not be charged sales tax. Shops that ring their sales up manually will need to remember to do this when writing out the receipt. Shops that use point of sale (POS) systems and bookkeeping software like QuickBooks will have an easier time of assigning what products within their inventory have sales tax attached.

Different Sales Taxes Attached To Each Purchase In New York State

There are different taxes attached to retail sales. “In New York State, clothing, footwear, and items used to make or repair exempt clothing which are sold for less than $110 per item or pair are currently exempt from the State’s 4% sales tax,” according to Dutchess County’s press release.

“Consumers currently pay the Dutchess County sales tax rate of 3.75% and the 3/8th% Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District (MTA) tax, for a total of 4.125% tax on these purchases,” the press release outlined. “Effective March 1st, 2022, Dutchess County becomes one of only 9 counties in New York to eliminate county sales tax on clothing and footwear items under $110, and the only county in the mid-Hudson Valley region to do so.”

Those counties are or have been: Chautauqua County, Chenango County (outside the following) Norwich (city), Columbia County, Delaware County, Dutchess County, Greene County, Hamilton County, Tioga County, and New York City.

The sales tax exemption is a per-item exemption and doe snot include the 3/8th% MTA tax.

According to the press release, Dutchess County retailers were notified of the upcoming sales tax change by the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. Specific details of the exemption are available online Publication 718-C – Sales and Use Tax Rates on Clothing and Footwear.

Details Of Type Of Clothing Exempt

According to the legislation, “the exemption applies only to clothing and footwear worn by humans. It also applies to most fabric, thread, yarn, buttons, snaps, hooks, zippers, and similar items that become a physical component part of exempt clothing, or that are used to make or repair exempt clothing.”

Items not included in the exemption include costumes or rented formal wear; items made from pearls, precious or semi-precious stones, or imitations; athletic equipment; or protective devices, such as motorcycle helmets.

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What This Means For Sales Tax Collected From Beacon

New sales tax sharing agreement for 2023-2032 have been negotiated and are being signed into law. The dollar amount of sales tax generated from stores in Beacon has not been disclosed to the public by Mayor Kyriacou, who very briefly briefed the City Council at a Workshop meeting in February 2022, and more in depth at the following meeting, where the renegotiated rate was unanimously voted Yes on.

According to Dutchess County’s 2/28/2022 press release announcing this new sales tax cut: “The clothing and sales tax exemption goes into effect as the County is working with the Cities of Beacon and Poughkeepsie to update the current sales tax sharing agreement, which provides millions of dollars in sales tax revenue to local municipalities each year. The current agreement expires in 2023, and requires the authorization of each City Council, the County Legislature, and the NYS Comptroller.

“The agreement allows Dutchess County Government to continue to collect a 3.75% County Sales and Use Tax, with the Cities of Poughkeepsie and Beacon surrendering their right to receive one-half of the non-state sales and use tax (which equals 1.5%) collected within their respective municipalities. (The agreement is among these three parties because under state law, only county and city governments have the right to impose a local sales tax; towns and villages do not have that right.)

“The new agreement will be a streamlined agreement that eliminates the complicated formula for sales tax growth contained in the current agreement. The new agreement, which will run from 2023 to 2033, will be a simple percentage formula. Each of the cities will see a graduated increase in the percentage of sales tax received over the term of the agreement, with the City of Poughkeepsie increasing their percentage of sales tax collected from the current 4.59% to receiving 6.02% by 2030. The City of Beacon will go from its current 2.00% to receiving 2.62% by 2030. Local towns and villages will continue to share 9.5% of total county sales tax collected.

“Over the last 10 years, we have distributed more than $300 million in sales tax to our 2 cities, 20 towns and 8 villages. This new agreement increases the percentage of sales tax the two cities will receive, while ensuring the towns and villages sales tax revenue is protected and grows as sales tax receipts grow,” County Executive Molinaro said.

“The City of Beacon Council voted to approve the new agreement on Tuesday, February 22nd. The City of Poughkeepsie Council is expected to vote on the agreement on March 14th. It will then go to the Dutchess County Legislature for vote at the April board meeting.”

Generated Sales Tax Grew In 2021

According to a press release made by Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinar’s office on 10/13/2021: “Dutchess County has seen revenues rebound strongly in 2021, with sales tax receipts well exceeding original projections year-to-date and continued federal reimbursement for many of the COVID-19 expenses as well as American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding. This has enabled the County to fill many of the positions that had been held vacant this year and restore full position funding in the 2022 Executive Budget, expand and enhance programs, while also reducing the property tax levy – the amount collected from property taxpayers.”

While Dutchess County indicates that they know the sales tax number generated to them by surrounding municipalities who have forfeited their right to collect their own sales taxes, the totals for each municipalities continues to not be disclosed by Dutchess County, or Beacon’s Mayor Lee Kyriacou, if that number was disclosed to him while negotiating with the county on the rate.

Dutchess County Legislature Chairman Gregg Pulver said, “At a time when many costs are going up for families, I am very proud that Dutchess County Government is doing all we can to lower costs for our residents. This sales tax exemption helps people hang on to their hard-earned money and also makes Dutchess County an even more attractive shopping destination for visitors. We have worked hard to make smart, conservative fiscal decisions over the years so we can keep providing savings to our citizens.”

Knowing the sales tax number generated by each municipality would help all Dutchess County residents know if their municipality were getting a good deal from the County when being cut a check to be used at each municipality’s digression, in addition to being provided services by Dutchess County.

Mask Comes Down From The Face With The Hat Mural On Building On Main Street - People Remember The Mask In Photos

The person in the hat, a mural in Beacon at 314 Main Street. Days or weeks prior to this photo, the artist had installed a mask on the face. The mask is gone now. Below, find people’s photos of when the mask was up, taken in homage to helping Beaconties stay safe. Today, COVID-19 case counts are down, and vaccination rates are up. Hopefully they stay that way.

Back in 2015, which is 7 years ago, A Little Beacon Blog ran a contest for people to identify where a tiny corner of a photo was around town. It was called the “Where Is This?” Contest. It was a favorite activity for our readers, and it’s time to bring it back! At the time, a tiny snapshot of this photo was the clue, and a Beaconite named Michelle Rivas, who is currently a librarian at the Beacon Public Library, identified it first.

Since then, the mural of the person in the bowler hat at 314 Main Street (intersection of N. Chestnut) has become iconic. Not for it’s photogenic draw as a selfie-stopper for anyone visiting Beacon to get their photo taken in front of this mural, but for what was added to the mural: the mask. After COVID-19 was declared, and face coverings were mandated for public spaces, the artist installed a powder blue lattice mask on this face, trimmed in sunflowers. The move was made during a time of growing frustration with having to wear a mask as a safety measure to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

And just like that…the mask has been discarded. Sunflowers from the mask installation on the person in the hat mural on the building at 314 Main Street and N. Chestnut Street.

Little by little, more and more selfies emerged on Instagram of people with the masked version of the mural. By the end of February 2022, face mask mandates started coming down. While walking on Main Street one morning, the trimming of sunflowers was spotted sitting by trash cans. No one knew what that meant in that moment, but the entire lattice-based installation of the mask was also gone. A sign? A statement from the artist that they too are removing their mask policy, as restaurants and schools are, now that they are given the choice instead of being mandated by federal or local government? Local shops, eateries and gyms are all reviewing their policies, emailing their customers, and moving forward into what hopes to be a safe situation for what was once normal.

More importantly, now that COIVID-19 case counts have plummeted, vaccination rates are increasing (still room to increase! Kids need their doses, and everyone needs their boosters (talk to your doctor for your own needs if you have concerns).

A Little Beacon Blog has asked the world (jk, the community of residents and visitors to Beacon) to send in their selfies with the masked version of this mural. Or not the selfies - the scene could look different on different days. We will provide photo credit to each photo submitted and published. Email yours to editorial@alittlebeaconblog.com.

And this doesn’t means it’s over. The mask might come back. Get vaccinated! People can wear a mask if they are comfortable doing so.

Beacon Trivia: The stores currently in this building are Last Outpost Store (a great boutique with mens and womens apparel, home collectibles and house-designed jewelry) and Yanarella (a great inclusive dance studio for kids and adults). Prior to Last Outpost Store was The Dance Bag. Memories!

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Photo Credit: Maureen, taken September 2021

Photo Credit: Anvin Alexander @anvinalexander

Photo Credit: Anonymous

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Photo Credit: Ginny Moore “Hope this helps!”

Photo Credit: Megan Meister: “Summer 2020 while enjoying a wonderful weekend in Beacon.
Love your blog by the way!”

Photo Credit: Maura Simeone

Ice Storm Pelts Dutchess County - Covers Beacon In Sheet Of Ice

Those who have school-age children and enjoy making predictions on when there will be a snow day closure may have taken particular satisfaction in this Friday Snow Day (two weeks ago Thursday was a snow day as well). Yesterday (Thursday) was predicted to rain all day, with temperatures dropping overnight, leading to pelting freezing rain for the entire Friday. The Beacon City School District (BCSD) called the snow day Thursday evening, with a reminder Friday morning.

Horrors! Ice froze trash cans shut. Parked cars were sealed in a shell of ice.

Beacon was covered in ice. No school bus would be out in it. Dutchess County public transportation was running, and Beacon’s Post Office workers were once again out in their snow gear delivering the mail by hand. All Sport in Fishkill announced a delayed opening, and then an early closure. The Family Justice Center in Newburgh announced a delayed opening for 11am, and then gave up and told employees to work remote.

Anyone who didn’t get their piles of snow from the street or corners saw it frozen back into place as the sleet covered it in freeze mode. Central Hudson kept customers informed by email, Twitter and Instagram, showing footage of iced-over trees completely falling over under the weight of the ice, snapping power lines as they went.

Central Hudson posted photos of fallen trees. Here is a video of trees falling.
Photo Credit: Central Hudson

According to Central Hudson: “Locally, as of 8:30 a.m. on Friday, approximately 31,000 Central Hudson customers were without power with the majority of outages located in Ulster County. With sleet, freezing rain and wintry weather are expected to continue into the afternoon, additional outages are expected to occur during the day. Restoration activities are expected to extend into Saturday and possibly Sunday.”

This number rose to 50,550 homes without power by the afternoon. ALBB’s own Program Manager, Teslie Andrade, was without power in Newburgh until 4:30pm. Mutual aid was requested from Indiana, northern Pennsylvania and upstate New York to arrive to assist, with more possibly on the way. In total, Central Hudson expects to have a field force of more than 400 line and tree professionals.

With freezing conditions, pipes in homes are bound to freeze and then could burst, causing a big, expensive mess. People are encouraged to drip their faucets if they lose power, run out of oil to heat their homes, or generally risk an area being too cold to insulate the pipes.

Central Hudson tweeted tips today on how to prevent freezing pipes.

Family Looks For Missing Sister - Fishkill/Beacon Local - Frequented Mount Beacon (Updated)

On Christmas day, a young adult named Rachel Caprari was seen for the last time by her family. “Hey, my sister Rachel has been missing since Monday (December 27, 2021). The last my family and I saw her was on Christmas day. Please feel free to call/text (914-482-4624) or email (caprariiris@gmail.com) if you have any information," Iris Caprari wrote on Facebook, according to a Hudson Valley Post article. The article also includes other young people who have recently gone missing in New York.

Since then, Brian Caprari has posted the flyer the family printed out to help find Rachel: “We’re printing this out and putting it up everywhere, but please share if you can. Thanks again for everyone’s help,” the flyer reads.

On lampposts in Beacon, the flyer is taped, just after the Fishkill Police have put out a Missing Person flyer labeling Rachel and “Endangered Missing Person.”

According to her LinkedIn profile: “I'm a Geriatric Social Worker looking for part-time or full-time employment. I graduated from Marist College, where I earned my Bachelor's in Social Work. I live in Beacon, NY.”

According to LinkedIn, Rachel had worked as a counselor at Camp Herrlich, a recreation aid at Wingate Healthcare, and as as social worker for the Pines at Poughkeepsie.

At the Pines at Poughkeepsie, she completed responsibilities including taking intakes, assessments, one-to-one counseling, care conferences, care planning, interdisciplinary coordination, progress notes, discharge, advanced care directives, and auditing for the state survey.

As a Recreation Aide at Wingate at Dutchess, she facilitated activities for seniors, in groups and on a one-to-one basis. She ran cognitive games, art programs (crafts, watercolor painting, holiday projects, etc.), music therapy, light exercise, discussion and reminiscence, coffee socials, spa days, and special events. Other duties included escorting residents, cleaning, moving furniture, and doing paperwork, according to her LinkedIn.

According to the fliers, Rachel was last seen at her apartment complex at Olde Post Mall. She is 30 years old, and 5’4” weighing 140lbs. Her hair is red and she wears glasses. She is believed to still be in the Mid Hudson Valley, especially the counties of Dutchess, Putnam, Orange and Ulster. She is known to frequent the Mount Beacon area and may be in wooded areas near Fishkill/Beacon, or on trails in Parks.

Any information, please contact the Fishkill Police Department at 845-831-1110.

UPDATE 12/31/2021: The Fishkill Police confirmed to Mid Hudson News: “The body found in the woods at the end of Greenwood Drive in the Beacon Hills section of Fishkill on Friday morning has been positively identified as that of 30-year-old Rachel Caprari. Fishkill Police Lieutenant confirmed the identity to Mid-Hudson News on Friday afternoon.”

“The Fishkill police worked tirelessly to locate Ms. Caprari since she went missing from her home on December 27. Unfortunately, we were unable to locate her until this morning,” Lieutenant Schettino said, adding “While our investigation is continuing, there is no evidence of foul play at this time.”

Beacon Restaurants Open On Mondays

Bank Square
129 Main St.
Your friendly place on the West End Main Street for a latte, craft beer, or Mast Brothers Hot Chocolate. Also have snacks like yogurt, granola bars, and homemade donuts when they are making them.

Open Monday - Friday 6am - 9pm
Saturday from 7am - 10pm
Sunday from 7am - 9pm

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Tito Santana Taqueria
142 Main St.
(845) 765-­2350
Tito Santana Taqueria is a California-style Mexican fare with really fresh food you'd expect to find in a taqueria! From guacamole to fish tacos to cheesy quesadillas. They also serve beer and cans of wine! Stop in! The taco etiquette: Always order more than you can eat.
PS: Inspired Vegan & Gluten-Free options make Tito Santana Taqueria the place to be!

Open daily from 11am - 9pm (Closed on Wednesdays)

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Artisan Wine Shop
180 Main St.
Beacon's most delightful wine shop specializes in pairing wine with food.

Open Monday - Saturday 10pm - 8pm & Sunday 12 - 6pm.

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Meyer's Olde Dutch
184 Main St.
(845) 440-6900
This burger joint bought and replaced Poppy's and you can get the scoop! Look for Dirty Fries, creative cocktails, chicken sandwiches, and more.

Open Sunday thru Thursday for Food 11:30 am until 9 pm; bar until 10 pm; Friday and Saturday Food 11:30 am until 11:00 pm; bar until midnight.

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Beacon Bread Company
193 Main St.
(845) 838­-2867
You'll find not just their delicious, fresh baked bread, but you can stop in for warm french onion soup, grilled cheeses and other sandwiches, cheese danishes, brownies. Vegan options are available!

Open Monday-Friday 8am - 5pm (Closed Wednesdays)

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BJ's Soul Food Restaurant
213 Main St.
Beacon's stop for soul food including fried chicken, ribs, oxtail, and mac and cheese that rivals Stouffers. Enjoy a generous slice of a homemade three-layer frosted cake. Serves beer.

Open daily 7:30am - 9pm & Sundays 7:30am - 7pm

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Homespun Foods
232 Main St.
(845) 831­-5096
Delicious spot for breakfast, lunch or sweet snacks (like carrot cake or chocolate mousse). Be sure to ask about their deep dish french toast with real maple syrup, which had formerly was only baked on the weekend, but now may be served daily in Homespun's new morning hours for breakfast, starting at 8am. Also serves oatmeal, yogurt, quiche, sandwiches, cheeses and beer.

Open Monday from 10am - 4pm & Thursday-Sunday 10am - 7pm
Closed on Tuesday & Wednesday.

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Isamu Sushi
240 Main St.
Beacon's most modern and hip-looking sushi restaurant with a waterfall wall that kids love. Seats large party. Serves wine and beer.

Open daily 11am - 10pm & Sundays 12pm - 10pm

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Ziatun
244 Main Street
(845) 765-8268
Authentic Palestinian-Arabic-Middle Eastern food that serves vegan & vegetarian options as well as traditional meat dishes that include lamb and beef. Local blogger at Beacon Bits was quite taken with the flavors you'll find there, including mint, sumac, toasted pita, and more. After being open for 6 weeks, Ziatun (pronounced Zay-toon) made it to a Top 10 List at The Culture Trip. It is one of the restaurants from Kamel Jamal (you know him from Tito's, Beacon Bread Company, and W.T.F Beacon), and the child of Palestinian immigrants, born in a refugee camp in Jordan, you are sure to taste his passion for the Palestinian home-cooking and enjoy your dining experience.

Monday + Thursday-Saturday 11 am - 9pm
Tuesday + Wednesday 11 am-4pm
Sunday 11am - 8pm

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Max's On Main
246 Main St.
Enjoy Max's for lunch and dinner! A favorite around these parts is their crab meat cakes when they are available as a special. A dependable staple is their potato skins, which are a rare appetizer in these parts. And we know this because we are potato skin aficionados.

Open Monday-Thursday 12pm - 10pm
Friday & Saturday 12pm - 11pm
Sunday 12pm - 9pm

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Fu Xing Chinese Restaurant
250 Main St.

Open Sunday 12pm - 10pm
Monday-Thursday 11am - 10:30pm
Friday-Saturday 11am- 11am

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Scarborough Fare
257 Main St.
While not a restaurant, Scarborough Fare sells the olive oil, vinegar, pickles, pasta and sauces you need to make your own meals.

Open Monday, Wednesday - Friday 11am - 5pm
Saturday 11am - 6pm
Sunday 10am - 5pm

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Hudson Valley Food Hall
Eateries Inside: Mizz Hattie’s BBQ, Momo Valley, Shmuck’s Sweet Stuff, The Roosevelt Bar, El Nica, Barb’s Fry Works
288 Main St
The Hudson Valley Food Hall & Market showcases a variety of cuisines and local chefs from the Hudson Valley. In addition to food vendors, the hall houses The Roosevelt Bar, with a cocktail program showcasing local spirits from the Hudson Valley.

Open daily from 12pm - 9pm except Tuesdays

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Happy Valley
296 Main St.

Open Monday - Thursday 12pm - 12am
Friday & Saturday 12pm - 1am
Sunday from 12pm - 11pm

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The Studio @ Beacon
301 Main St
In addition to being a Spin/Boxing studio, they have a refreshing Smoothie Bar with an amazing selection of smoothies which will refresh and energize you. You can call in advance and place your order! See their menu.

Monday 5:30am–8:30pm
Tuesday 5:30am–11am, 5pm–8:30pm
Wednesday 9am–11am, 5pm–8pm
Thursday 6am–11am, 5pm–8pm
Friday 9am–1:30pm
Saturday 8am–12:30pm
Sunday 8am–1pm

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Glazed Over Donuts
315 Main St.
The sundae of donuts, the aroma of this donut shop, located in the navy blue building on Main Street near the Howland Public Library, can be smelled from blocks away, even into the residential area behind Rite Aid.

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday & Sunday 10am – 5pm
Friday & Saturday from 10am - 6pm
Closed Tuesday

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Roma Nova
6 Eliza Street (on a side street off Main Street)
This little pizza/taco combo is a favorite for some. It may be quick place to swing by and pick up a taco while you're out.

Open Monday - Thursday 11am - 8pm
Fridays 11am - 9pm
Saturday 12pm - 8pm
Closed on Sunday

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Beacon Natural Market
348 Main St.
The Deli Menu at Beacon Natural Market is an easy, tasty and healthy source for a work lunch or early dinner. A new menu is posted each week at their website, and you'll find creative dishes to select from, including Red Curry Chicken Soup, Mixed Green Salad with Golden Raisins and Walnuts, as well as Smoked Salmon Hash or a vegan Seitan Sausage & Peppers main dish.

Open Monday - Saturday from 10am - 6pm & Sunday from 10am - 5pm

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Beacon Pantry Cafe & Market
382 Main St.
Beacon Pantry is a specialty market for meats, cheeses, fish, crackers, jams, honey, granola, ice cream, and so much more. Known for carrying French and Italian delectables.

The Market is open Monday - Sunday from 10am - 6pm
The cafe is open Saturday & Sunday from 10am - 4pm and Monday - Friday from 11am - 4pm

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Big Mouth Coffee Roasters
387 Main St.

Open Monday - Friday from 7am - 6pm
Saturday 8am - 7pm
Sunday 8am - 5pm

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Draught Industries
394 Main St.
Draught's motto will give you an indication of what's it's like inside this little hallway of a bier garden in the middle of Main Street, and why it could be top of your list for beer: "Some people collect art. We drink it. 20 rotating Draughts & 2 rotating Beer Engines."

Open Monday 2pm - 10pm
Tuesday - Thursday 12pm - 10pm
Friday & Saturday from 12pm - 12am
Sunday 12pm - 10pm

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Yankee Clipper Diner
397 Main St.
If you need broad food selections from veggies to meat to seafood, Yankee Clipper is a Beacon staple that will seat you comfortably for any meal. If you've seen the movie "Nobody's Fool" with Paul Newman, you'll recognize Yankee Clipper in a scene. Find a huge menu that includes Italian, Southwestern, and enjoy a few dishes with a Greek flare such as a gyro or chicken slouvaki. Serves beer and wine.

Open daily from 7am - 10pm

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The Beacon Daily
29 Teller Ave.
Bringing you Fine Food, Craft Beer, Coffee, and Pie! Open daily and serving breakfast all day, their Brekkie sandwiches with home made English Muffins are a huge hit! Fast becoming a local and visitor favorite.

Open Monday - Thursday 10am - 6pm
Friday - Sunday 8am - 6pm

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Kitchen & Coffee
418 Main St.
A beautiful cafe and eatery serving baked goods, salads and soups that are all gluten free and really good.

Open daily from 7am - 7pm

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Carters Restaurant & Lounge
424 Main St.
A high-end yet very comfortable restaurant in one of Beacon's most historic buildings, with a menu that changes with the seasons.

Open Monday - Saturday from 11am - 12pm
Sunday from 11am - 8pm

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Brother's Trattoria
465 Main St.
Find pizza here of course, but also many more entrees of fish, steak and chicken. A favorite pizza is "Grandma's", a Sicilian style garlic cheese pizza with fresh tomato. Also ask about their gluten free pizza.

Open daily from 11am - 10pm

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The Bagel Shoppe
466 Main Street
The Bagel Shoppe has been offering the best bagels in the area from their Fishkill location since 1998. Now serving breakfast and lunch, Beaconites now have a location closer to home!

Open Monday - Wednesday from 6am - 3pm
Thursday - Sunday from 6am - 4pm

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Beacon Falls Cafe
472 Main St.
This American Bistro restaurant has a cozy and comfortable atmosphere with its quaint, old mountain town decor and super friendly staff. They offer plenty of delicious comfort food and beer options for diners.

Open Monday & Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 8pm
Friday 10am - 9pm
Saturday 9am - 9pm
Sunday 9am - 4pm
Closed Wednesday

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The Chocolate Studio
494 Main St.
The Chocolate Studio (formerly Gourmetibles) is perfectly suited for birthday parties for kids of all ages. They make their delicious treats in their own kitchen, including custom cakes, made to order. The aroma may hook you in for the night. They also make our own Cake Pops, French Macarons, chocolate covered Bacon, chocolate covered pretzels and lots more.

Open Monday - Saturday 10am - 6pm (except Tuesdays - closed)
Sunday 12pm - 5pm

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Vegetalien
504 Main St.

Open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday from 10am - 5pm
Friday, Saturday, Sunday from 10am - 6pm
Closed on Tuesday

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Sukhothai
516 Main St.
Sukhothai creates traditional Thai dishes, such as Pad Thai and Som Tam. They offer to spice each entree is to your taste, available in 1–5 in degrees of hotness.

Open Sunday - Thursday 1130am - 930 pm
Friday & Saturday 1130am - 1030pm

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Melzingah Tap House
554 Main St.
From the owners of The Barking Frog and the Public House, Kevin and Dana Collins, this revival of an old restaurant location is a welcome addition to the East End of town near the mountain. Stop in and look for a special fish and chips.

Open Monday - Thursday 12pm - 11pm
Friday 12pm - 12am
Saturday 12pm-3pm & 4pm-11pm
Sundays 11am-3pm & 4pm-1-pm

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Trax Coffee Roasters
1 East Main Street

Open daily from 7am - 7pm.

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Barb's Butchery
69 Spring St.
Local butcher trained with some of the best in the Hudson Valley, and works with farms within a 200 mile radius of the shop, ensuring that you get local meat every time. You'll not only get cuts of meat, but ask for any special home-stuffed sausages or braises they have put together that day. Barb's Butchery is known for their weekly lunch specials which can include Thick Slab Bacon BLT with Garlic Aioli or Fried Chicken and Waffles, so stay hooked on their Facebook page for updates.

Open 8am-6pm daily.

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Barking Frog
435 Fishkill Avenue
Awesome Pub & Restaurant located in historic Beacon, NY. Stop in and enjoy our full bar, fantastic food, and friendly pub staff!

Open daily from 12pm - 11pm

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Eat Church Food Truck
511 Fishkill Avenue
Eat Church is food as punk as truck. Eat Church is a celebration of community. Let us commune to give thanks and praises for the bounty of the Hudson Valley. Rock. Roll. Eat. Amen. They are a food truck that operates with the mission that community is built through the interaction of eating and drinking with one another. They provide multiple opportunities for these experiences through rotating menus or "revues" in which they will visit varying ideas about food and how we all come together to eat it.

Available daily at Marbled Meat Shop grab-n-go fridge!

Immersive Climate Theater Experience Comes To Long Dock Park: "Climate Change Theatre Action 2021"

SOON IS NOW is an immersive climate theater experience paired with activism presented in Scenic Hudson's Long Dock Park Beacon, NY on Saturday afternoon October 23rd, as part of the Climate Solutions Week (October 17-24) sponsored by Sustainable Hudson Valley. Theatrical performers showing their activism through spoken word and movement, and many of your favorite climate justice and education groups have come together to present solutions in a theatrical way called Climate Change Theatre Action 2021.

Hudson Valley and NYC based artists will read a selection of plays commissioned by Climate Change Theatre Action, a worldwide series of performances of short climate change plays presented biennially to coincide with the United Nations COP meetings. In addition, actors will read a portion of full length play and eco-parable, Escapegoat, by May Treuhaft-Ali. There will be poetry readings by Edwin Torres and Tom King, music by Elizabeth Clark (Seeds Under Nuclear Winter: An Earth Opera) and visual art and activism. Additional participants include: Hudson River Playback Theatre, Katiana Rangel, Twinkle Burke, Andrew Brehm, Chloé Hayat, abigail jean baptiste, Eric Magnus, Jean Brennan. Beacon Conservation Advisory Committee, Sustainable Hudson Valley, Fareground, Clearwater, Climate Reality Hudson Valley & Catskills chapter and others will be present to provide ways for the community to take action.

Schedule:

1pm Activism & Art: Environmental groups present to provide actions & Beacon based artist Jean Brennan will share FRUIT&ROT, an imprint centered around art and ecology.

2:00pm Performance Walking Loops: Sign ups begin at 1:30pm for the 3 walking tours of micro-performances that will take you along the wooded paths, tall grasses, and beach areas of the park. Tours start at 2pm, 2:15pm, and 2:30pm and last approximately one hour. 20 ppl max each tour and first-come, first-served. These tours are not catered towards young children. We can provide masks. Wear comfortable shoes!

2:15pm Sitting/Standing Performances: performances by Hudson River Playback Theatre, Edwin Torres, and Twinkle Burke will take place around the perimeter of the green field next to the Long Dock. These 3 performances are open to all including young children! They will take place in a loop and last until approximately 3:30pm. Bring your folding chair!

Parking Recommendations

Parking in Long Dock is limited. Walking, carpooling and the Free Beacon Loop Bus are encouraged. The Loop Bus drops you at the train station, and you can walk over to Long Dock. The best place to park is in the train station on the side closest to the Hudson River, where all spots are free on the weekends!

About The Producers

This event is part of Hudson Valley Climate Solutions Week organized by Sustainable Hudson Valley. Produced by Eve Morgenstern, Brian Mendes and Connie Hall. Contact: Eve Morgenstern for more information, evemorgenstern@gmail.com.

Use of Long Dock Park for this event has been provided by Scenic Hudson (scenichudson.org). The leading environmental organization focused on the Hudson River Valley, it is dedicated to creating environmentally healthy communities, championing smart economic growth, protecting working farms, opening up riverfronts to the public and preserving the valley’s beauty and natural resources. Since its founding in 1963, Scenic Hudson has permanently protected 25,000 acres of irreplaceable landscapes and created or enhanced more than 40 parks.

Look For Signs

Several graphic designs have been created to represent this initiative. You may see crossovers of them in social media and in other news outlets. Keep your eyes out, and read the messages to learn more.

Beacon School Lunch Is Going Local For National Farm To School Month

On October 14th, elementary students will be served pasta with NYS beef meat sauce, tossed salad with Common Ground Farm greens, local cucumbers, and NYS apples and pears!

Middle and high school students will be served loaded baked potatoes with school made NYS chili, NYS potatoes, tossed salad with Common Ground Farm greens, local cucumbers, and NYS apples and pears!

More About The Partnership Between Common Ground, Land To Learn, and The Beacon City School District

According to Sember Weinman, Executive Director of Common Ground Farm, told A Little Beacon Blog that they started working with the Beacon City School District leading Farm to School education programs in 2012 and began developing a relationship with food services director, Karen. They started a Vegetable of the Month taste test that allowed Common Ground and partner organization Land to Learn (was Hudson Valley Seed at the time) to encourage students to try fresh seasonal vegetables while the cafeteria expanded their veggie side dish menu options.

In 2016 Common Ground gave Karen a U-Pick membership that helped her to understand farm operations. They began donating lettuce and other greens to the schools in spring of 2016, and in 2017 worked on a micro purchase agreement to sell to the schools and participate in the bid process. Karen conducted a site visit and made several food safety recommendations, which Common Ground implemented.

Common Ground Farm focuses on lettuce because it has a short grow time and is very popular with students, but also sells smaller amounts of items that can be showcased through the Vegetable of the Month program like cucumbers, kale, carrots and tomatoes. 

Common Ground Farm thinks that nutritious food is a right regardless of economic background. They see public school as a way to reach a diverse cross section of the community. They were already leading education programs in the schools so it seemed like a really natural fit to begin working with the schools as a distribution point as well.

The Time Has Come To Replace The Clutter In Your Home; ALBB Has Some Suggestions

Got a clutter problem? Replace clutter with beautiful dried bouquets from Flora Good Times! Once your fresh bouquet runs out, pick the flowers that dry the best. Put those in a vase from Hudson Beach Glass or Raven Rose and place on desired clutter spot.

Challenge: you *must* file away the clutter items, and replace the fire alarm that is sitting there instead of in its protective spot in the kitchen. And lay more adhesive sandpaper for the mail person on the front porch steps so they don’t slip in the rain or otherwise (find at Bretts Hardware)

Find more vases and flower destination boutiques in A Little Beacon Blog’s Shopping Guide!

The 'Library Of Things' Collection Is Available Now From The Howland Public Library

The Howland Public Library has been working hard on its debut collection of things other than books, movies and magazines: the “Library of Things” collection, which is comprised of physical items for loan like binoculars, a ukulele or a Nintendo Switch.

”This collection was developed to meet the needs of our diverse and growing community,” said its curator, Kristen Salierno, who is the Director of the library. “There are three main accomplishments this collection will achieve. The first is that it will support a sharing economy that fosters sustainability efforts. With patrons sharing items, that means less waste. The collection also offers an opportunity to ‘try before you buy,’ to save money, and to test out something they might not have had access to otherwise. Finally, it supports the goal of providing equity to all members of our community. Those who might not be able to afford these items can still experience them through borrowing.“

The collection supports the library's mission to "provide free and equal access to information, education, enrichment, and personal growth experiences." The library's goal with this collection is to support lifelong learning and provide community members with opportunities to learn through the collection’s themes of Explore, Play, Create, and Connect. Explore the world with museum passes or STEAM discovery kits. Play videogames, a round of tennis, or a game of chess. Create a masterpiece with our Arts and Crafts kits. Connect to the world with WiFi hotspots or a camera.

The Library of Things collection was funded through a generous grant from the Mentmore Fund of the Common Counsel Foundation. The Friends of Howland Public Library also support the ongoing maintenance of this collection. For now, donations of "things" to the Library of Things collection are not being accepted.  

Any community member who is 18 years or older, a resident of the Beacon City School District, and has a library card in good standing can borrow from the Library of Things. To view the full collection, visit their website at beaconlibrary.org.   

Compass Arts Announces Last InterConnected Event - Poetry In The Park - This Thursday

Join The Poet Gold for a solo performance of spoken word and poetry that speaks to the hearts of humanity on issues of facing our fears, our truths, social justice, building bridges, and triumphing through hope and love.

When: Thursday, August 26, 2021 (rain date September 2)
Time: 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Location: South Avenue Park, Beacon NY

Musical accompaniment by award-winning violinist Gwen Laster and Damon Banks on bass.

Poetry collage kits designed by Romina Robinson, using the words of Poet Gold will be available as a self-guided activity before the performance. 

This is a BYOS event! Bring your own SCISSORS! 

The kits will have everything to make a collage, including a glue stick, but we invite you to bring a pair of scissors in order to truly customize your piece.

Volunteer Opportunity: Rainbow Pool River Extraction From Hudson River

Volunteers Needed To Help Take The Rainbow Pool Out Of The River

When: Thursday, August 19, 2021 - Saturday, August 21, 2021
Time: 9am
Who: Thursday - Friday involves the disassembly lighter-duty work whereas Saturday involves the wet, in the river, heavy extraction work. Individuals with mandated volunteer service hours accepted!

Email: kmanz@riverpool.org to volunteer or visit the Riverpool Website and complete the volunteer form.

Snacks and beverages to be provided!

On-The-Water Protest With Boats Against Danskammer Fracked Gas Plant Expansion Scheduled August 4, 2021

Photo Credit: Screenshot of the educational video from The Stop Danskammer Coalition

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UPDATE 8/12/2021: Photos from the day of the protest.
Photo Credit: Hudson River Sloop Clearwater.

Hudson River Sloop Clearwater Inc. issued a press release, advising the region of an on-the-water protest from the Stop Danskammer Coalition scheduled for August 4, 2021.

Activists to Hold Hudson River Flotilla Protest Against the Danskammer Fracked Gas Plant Expansion

”The proposed Danskammer expansion threatens public health, water, and air quality, plus locks New York into a fossil fuel future,” reads the press release.

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On Wednesday, August 4th, 2021, activists representing Food & Water Watch, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, and other members of the Stop Danskammer Coalition will take to the water to protest the proposed Danskammer fracked gas plant expansion currently under review by the New York State Siting Board.

Activists will hold an on-the-water protest consisting of the sloops Clearwater and Woody Guthrie, kayaks, and canoes, accompanied by an on-land press conference and rally to be held at the Town of Wappinger public dock in Chelsea, across the river from the Danskammer site. Speakers will voice concerns over the proposal’s threats to public health, water, and air quality, as well as prolonging fossil fuel use in New York. Contrary to New York’s much needed and widely supported Climate Act, the Danskammer expansion would exacerbate the global climate crisis.

According to The Highlands Current, “Elected officials in Beacon, Newburgh, Cold Spring, and Philipstown (as well as a proposed resolution from Ulster County legislature) have also opposed a full-time plant, saying it doesn’t fit with the state’s goal over the next 30 years to replace technologies that burn fossil fuels, which contributes to global warming. Nevertheless, the Siting Board on Feb. 26 declared Danskammer’s application to be complete.”

“We are confident that our efforts to incorporate and eventually convert to a hydrogen power generation facility are well within the state’s mandates,” Michelle Hook, a spokesperson for Danskammer, said on Thursday (March 18, 2020). “We are committed to immediately lower emissions by upgrading existing equipment and then phase in hydrogen so that we can help the state meets its climate goals.”

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On-The-Water Protest And Press Conference, Wednesday, August 4th, 2021

A press conference against the backdrop of a Hudson River flotilla, protesting the proposal to expand the Danskammer fracked gas plant. Interviews with speakers and activists will be available after the press conference. Photo opportunities will include imagery of the Danskammer plant with press conference speakers, the iconic sloops Clearwater and Woody Guthrie, kayakers, and paddlers on the river with banners and signs in front of the Danskammer site.

Speakers Planned To Attend

Press conference speakers to include Hudson Valley elected officials, a representative of the Ramapough Lenape Nation, and activists representing the following organizations: Food & Water Watch, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Newburgh Clean Water Project, Orange Residents Against Pilgrim Pipelines, Ulster Activists and other members of the Stop Danskammer Coalition.

Press Conference Time and Location

The press conference will start at 1 PM ET on Wednesday, August 4th. The press conference will take place at the Town of Wappinger Public Dock, located at 3 Front Street in Chelsea (adjacent to the Chelsea Yacht Club). Free parking is available at Hidden Rose Catering, located at 33 Chelsea Rd in Wappingers Falls.

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About Hudson River Sloop Clearwater
Launched in 1969 by legendary folk singer and activist Pete Seeger, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater has been at the forefront of the environmental movement as champions of the Hudson River. To date, more than half a million people have experienced their first real look at an estuary’s ecosystem aboard the sloop Clearwater. Clearwater has become the grassroots model for producing positive changes to protect our planet. For more information, visit www.clearwater.org.

About Food & Water Watch
Food & Water Watch mobilizes people to build political power to move bold and uncompromised solutions to the most pressing food, water, and climate problems of our time. We work to protect people’s health, communities, and democracy from the growing destructive power of the most powerful economic interests. For more information, visit www.foodandwaterwatch.org/.

Back To School Block Party Is BACK From I Am Beacon - How To Get Involved

BACK TO SCHOOL BLOCK PARTY
Day: Saturday, August 21, 2021
Time: 12pm - 4pm
Location: South Avenue Park

Supporting parents and students in preparing for the start of the new school year!

Community Leaders - Parents - Teachers - Administrators,

 As you know, back to school is one of the most stressful times of the year for both students and parents.

 In effort to support Beacon families, please join I Am Beacon for the Annual Back to School Block Party designed to help jump-start planning and preparation for the upcoming school year.

What ways can your School/PTA/PTO/Organization/Business be involved?

• Set Up a Booth: We are offering space (free of charge) to all groups, community organizations and businesses. This event will allow your organization to engage students/parents in a fun environment. 

• Donate supplies (i.e. pens/pencils etc) or materials (i.e. literature, tips & tricks) to be included in the Back to School "Starter Kit" back packs that will be handed out to the first 100 students.

• Help sponsor the event or donate raffle items in support of "Class in a Bag" which provides new back packs and school supplies to local students in need.

• Spread the word: Tell your network about the event to help us reach the most students possible. 

If you are interested in participating, click here to register your organization. For more information or questions, please reach out to Brooke directly at 845.505.6820 or iambeacon.brooke@gmail.com  

9 Properties Object To City's Proposed Historic Designation - Mayor Lee Kyriacou Proceeding Anyway - Read Their Letters/Reasoning Here

After the construction of 344 Main Street a few years ago, several development issues came to light that the people of Beacon objected to. This project triggered a massive undertaking of refining the City’s zoning codes to simplify or tighten regulation. During that time, then Mayor Randy Casale and then Councilmember Lee Kyriacou would walk around the city identifying commercial buildings and residential houses that they felt should be deemed historic, thereby being given these properties protection, design requirements, and overarching regulation on neighboring non-historic buildings, should the owner of a non-historic building want to build something that would have - in the eyes of City Council or Zoning/Planning Board Members - negative impact on the neighboring historic property.

In the chess game that is City Planning, historic buildings can be used to block proposed building projects, like this one here at 475 Main Street next door to the Howland Cultural Center years ago. Now that Mayor Lee Kyriacou has become mayor, defeating Randy in the last election, Mayor Lee moved forward with proposing building designations for 35 buildings and houses, and first presented them in March 2020. Several homeowners and commercial building owners came to a public meeting to object, and the topic was put on pause. Then the pandemic hit.

The subject was raised again in 2021, this time with a reduced number of 18 commercial buildings, which were brought to the public for a formal and required Public Hearing. Building owners could speak their objection and write letters of opposition. Despite receiving 9 objections from building owners - half of the first round of building owners - Mayor Lee Kyriacou wants to move forward with the vote to ignore their objection. In order to do that, he needs a “supermajority” vote from the City Council, to override the building owner’s objection.

If that happens, and if the building owner decides to challenge the city legally, Mayor Kyriacou at the last City Council meeting agreed with City Administrator Chris White that the City of Beacon needs to be sure it has “iron clad” reasons for how it is proceeding with forcing a building to have historic designation despite an owner’s objection, should a building owner take legal action to challenge.

Said City Administrator Chris White: “In light of the opposition of the 9 owners, Drew (one of the City’s attorneys from Keane and Beane) and I talked about that we laid out a compelling case, because if one of them were to challenge, then we want to make sure.” Chris continued to say that he asked Beacon’s City Planner to “take a second look” at the compelling reasons.

Said Mayor Kyriacou after City Council members gave their feedback to the presented reasons for historic designation for each building: “I'm very appreciative of everyone's comments” He voiced concern for preserving Beacon’s history. “I like the comment, Chris, about being iron clad about how we are doing this.”

The letters of opposition from the building owners has been published below.

Correspondence from 8 (of the 9) Owners of Properties Nominated for Designation in the Historic District Landmark Overlay Zone

On May 14, 2021 the City of Beacon sent 18 certified letters to the owners of properties nominated for historic designation in the Main Street corridor. The letters informed property owners of the proposed nomination, invited them to speak at a Public Hearing on June 7, 2021, and welcomed them to reach out to the City with any comments and questions beforehand. A sample letter to property owners can be found on page 2 of the City’s document.

Nine property owners responded with their objections to the City. The building owners of Max’s On Main, at 246 Main Street, despite their letter not being included below. Owner Richie Kaplan called in during the 6/7/2021 meeting to verbalize his opposition and state that he sent in a letter of opposition. In response, City Administrator Chris White noted the letter and said it was part of public record.

All letters of opposition (except 246 Main Street, Max’s On Main) can be found starting on page 5 of this document. For the ease of reading, they have been republished below with pictures of the building for quick reference.

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Sample Letter Sent To Targeted Building Owners

May 13, 2021

VIA CERTIFIED MAIL

[Property Owner's Mailing Address]

Re: Notice of Public Hearing
Property Proposed for Historic Landmark Designation- City of Beacon

Dear [Property Owner]:

The City of Beacon is considering designating multiple properties along Main Street in Beacon as historical landmarks to be included in the City’s Historic District and Landmark Overlay Zone (“HDLO”) and has proposed including your property located at 246 Main Street. A copy of the historic resource inventory form describing your property is attached. A remote public hearing to discuss the proposed designations is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on June 7, 2021, which you can participate in through the following link: https://bit.ly/2Qc4Yhd

You are invited to attend to present any comments or information you would like considered by the City Council or submit them prior to the public hearing to publichearing@beaconny.gov or by mail to HDLO Public Hearing, City of Beacon, 1 Municipal Plaza, Beacon, NY 12508. Any objection to the proposed designation must be submitted in writing prior to the public hearing.

Designation of Historic Landmarks

On June 7, 2021, the City Council will hold a public hearing to receive comments on its proposal to designate your property as a historic landmark pursuant to Section 134-4 of the Code of the City of Beacon (the “City Code”). The City Council, property owners and any interested parties may present comments or documentation at the public hearing which will become part of a record regarding the historic, architectural, or cultural importance of the proposed landmark.

In determining whether to designate a new historic landmark, the City Council shall consider any comments or information presented prior to and during the public hearing to determine whether the proposed landmark meets one or more of the following criteria:

1. Has distinguishing architectural characteristics of a period, style, method of construction, indigenous materials or craftsmanship;

2. Has special character or historic or aesthetic interest or value as part of the cultural, political, economic, or social history of the community;

3. Is eligible for inclusion on the State or National Registers of Historic Places.

The City Council is required to make a decision within 60 days of the conclusion of the hearing. A super majority vote of five (5) Council members is necessary to designate a new historic landmark if the property owner objects to such designation.

Benefits of Historic Designation

Landmark designation results in an honorary status for a historic building, imposes certain measures of protection on the building to prevent incompatible development, and offers other benefits for the property. For example, additional uses are permitted by special permit from the Planning Board in the HDLO pursuant to Section 223-24.7 of the City Code (primarily beneficial in residential districts). Such uses include (a) specialized business uses of low traffic volume, normally associated with history, the arts or cultural uses, appropriate to the structure and compatible with the neighborhood, and (b) residential, hotel or professional uses, provided they are appropriate to the structure, compatible with the neighborhood and are located on a street that can accommodate increased traffic as determined by the City Council.

In accordance with New York State Real Property Tax Law Section 444-a and Section 199-10 of the City Code, if you alter your property to restore or rehabilitate a historical feature, and the project results in an increase in assessed property value, you may be entitled to a phased tax exemption from the portion of your property taxes attributed to the increased assessment.

In certain instances, you may also be eligible for historic preservation grants, such as the Johanna Favrot Fund for Historic Preservation, the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Fund for Historic Interiors, or the New York State Environmental Protection Fund.

Certificate of Appropriateness

If your property is a designated historic landmark, applications for a building permit involving alteration, construction, or demolition of an exterior identified historical feature that is visible from a public street, public sidewalk or public park on a designated historic landmark or property shall require certificate of appropriateness approval from the Planning Board. In reviewing an HDLO application and plans, the Planning Board shall consider the factors outlined in Section 134-6.C of the City Code. The certificate of appropriateness required under Chapter 134 of the City Code is in addition to, and not in lieu of, any building permit. Additionally, any sign application involving an HDLO parcel requires review by the Planning Board, not the Building Inspector.

An applicant whose certificate of appropriateness has been denied may apply to the Zoning Board of Appeals (“ZBA”) for a certificate of economic hardship to obtain relief from the requirements of Chapter 134 of the City Code. In order to obtain a certificate of economic hardship, the applicant must demonstrate the existence of economic hardship by establishing:

1. The property is incapable of earning a reasonable return, regardless of whether that return represents the most profitable return possible; and

2. The property cannot be adapted for any other use, whether by the current owner or by a purchaser, which would result in a reasonable return; and

3. Efforts to find a purchaser to acquire and preserve the property have failed.

The ZBA will take into consideration the economic feasibility of alternatives to removal, alteration or demolition of a landmark or portion thereof, and balance the public interest in preserving the historic landmark, or portion thereof, and the interest of the owner in removing, altering or demolishing the landmark or portion thereof. An applicant will not be charged an application fee, professional review fees, or fees to prepare and publish any public notice incurred in connection with the certificate of appropriateness or economic hardship application, except for any fees associated with another land use application concerning the historic property.

Central Main Street Design Standards

All currently nominated properties are located in the Central Main Street (“CMS”) District, which already requires site plan review by the Planning Board for significant exterior building changes. When considering any application in the CMS District, a site development plan application, or special permit, pertaining to a designated historic property, the City Council or Planning Board shall also consider the standards set forth in Section 134-7 of the City Code. Such standards are similar to the general design standards in the CMS District and include:

1. The design, character, and appropriateness to the property of the proposed alteration or new construction.

2. The scale and height of the proposed alteration or new construction in relation to the property itself, surrounding properties, and the neighborhood.

3. Architectural and site elements and their relation to similar features of other properties in the HDLO.

The design standards in the CMS and Historic Preservation articles are intended to protect designated historic buildings from incompatible development on adjacent parcels. For proposed buildings on CMS parcels in the HDLO, abutting an HDLO parcel, or having a property line frontage directly across the street from an HDLO parcel, any fourth-story or corner tower shall require a special permit from the City Council, not the Planning Board. Furthermore, the Planning Board may, at its discretion, reduce certain on-site parking requirements for projects located in the CMS district that involve a designated historic property (see City Code § 223-41.18 G(3)). The Planning Board may also waive setback requirements for certain designated historic properties in the CMS district (see City Code § 223-41.18 J(15)).

We hope you will join us for the public hearing at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, June 7, 2021 and/or submit any comments you might have prior to the hearing. If you have any questions regarding this process, please do not hesitate to contact me at publichearing@beaconny.gov.

Sincerely,

Christopher White
City Administrator

Encl.

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PROPERTY OWNERS OF 246 MAIN STREET

The property owners of 246 Main Street, the Kaplan brothers, submitted a letter of objection explaining why they did not want the designation, but it was not included on the City’s website.

During his first call to the Councilmembers on 2/3/2020, Richie Kaplan stated: “We have been here since 2006. In 2017 we had the opportuinty to purchase the building. And we did. Thought that would be advantagious to the value of our business. We've done it and we are happy that we did do it. At that time, we did not know anything about Histroic Overlay or District. Or that our building would be included in it. Since we've been here, we think we have been good citizens. Been active in the community if we could. We want to continue.” He stated that he could comply with whatever the process was, but he ultimately filed an objection.

Richie told A Little Beacon Blog: “After the pandemic and the burden it has been, it will be more difficult for us. We didn't realize what the historic nature was that the piece of wood on the top of the building carried. I don't think it's fair that a handful of people can decide what a private person can do. We'll do the best we can. It's hard to have your hands tied more than they already are.”

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LETTER OF OBJECTION FROM PROPERTY OWNER OF PROPERTY NOMINATED FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION 1154 NORTH AVENUE

Mr. White,

As the owners of 1154 North Avenue, we object to the proposed designation of the property as an individual landmark or as a contributing element in the Main Street Landmark District.

We are fond of the building and are delighted the public can once again fully enjoy it (with art galleries on both floors). Converted for auto-related uses prior to WWI, it was open to commercial customers through much of the 20th C, then closed for 40 years and used for the storage of private cars. We intend to maintain the building in its current form, keep it open to the public, and construct a new building on the adjacent parcel (replacing the former site of the Eagle Hotel, demolished long ago). We hope this project can help restore a proper sense of arrival at the west end of Main Street. Landmark status for 1154 would substantially complicate matters and further delay or derail that effort, without achieving a corresponding public purpose.

In our view, the proposed designation is neither justified, nor necessary to maintain the integrity of the existing historic district covering the west portion of Main Street ... a goal which we cherish.

The three listed criteria of ‘distinguishing architectural characteristics’, ‘special .... value as part of the community ... ‘, and ‘eligible for inclusion on State or National Registers ...’ are loosely interpreted in the designation letter. 1154 North Avenue is a handsome 19th Century structure, but one much changed over the decades. The current ‘garage’ door is the latest in a series of door replacements, though that opening does date from the original 19th C construction. The ‘covered-over corner storefront’ reflectstwo major changes made in the 20th C: the first in mid-century when a large section of masonry was removed and new steel framing introduced to accommodate showroom windows when the commercial use changed from garage to car sales; and the second when those windows were blocked up and a passage door opened to allow secure storage of private cars for the building owner.

We respectfully request that 1154 North Avenue NOT be included as a landmark or contributing building in any expansion of the HDLO.

With thanks,

Jinny St. Goar Joe Donovan

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Hudson Todd LLC 4 Cross Street Beacon, NY 12508

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LETTER OF OBJECTION FROM PROPERTY OWNER OF PROPERTY NOMINATED FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION 4 CROSS STREET WHICH SITS WITHIN THE PARCEL AT 172 MAIN STREET

Mr. White,

As the owners of the buildings at 172 Main Street and 4 Cross Street, we object to the proposed designation of the 4 Cross Street building as an individual landmark and/or to its designation as a contributing element in the Main Street Landmark District.

The building at 172 Main Street (commercial, facing Main) is already included in the HDLO, as is the undeveloped section of land between 172 Main and 4 Cross. We have no concerns about that designation.

We are deeply concerned about the proposed designation of the 4 Cross Street building (residential, facing Cross, on the same tax parcel as 172), as our long-term plans for this area are still evolving, and such a designation could place major constraints on our ability to create a unified, functional and attractive structure at the corner of Cross and Main.

In our view, the proposed designation is neither justified, nor necessary to maintain the integrity of the existing historic district covering the west portion of Main Street ... a goal which we cherish. The three listed criteria of ‘distinguishing architectural characteristics’, ‘special .... value as part of the community ... ‘, and ‘eligible for inclusion on State or National Registers ...’ are loosely interpreted in the designation letter. 4 Cross Street is a utilitarian 20th Century structure, one example among hundreds of nearly identical structures located throughout Beacon and the mid-Hudson area.

If the same standards employed in evaluating 4 Cross were applied equitably, every building constructed before 1972 could be proposed for landmark status in Beacon. Singling this structure out for landmark status appears arbitrary and creates an undue hardship for us as owners.

We respectfully request that the 4 Cross Street building NOT be included as a landmark or contributing building in any expansion of the HDLO.

With thanks,

Jinny St. Goar Joe Donovan

......
Hudson Todd LLC 4 Cross Street Beacon, NY 12508

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LETTER OF OBJECTION FROM PROPERTY OWNER OF PROPERTY NOMINATED FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION 250 MAIN STREET

To whom it may concern,

We do not wish for 250 Main Street, Beacon, NY 12508 to be designated for Historic Landmark.

Thank You, Fa Tuan Ni

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LETTER OF OBJECTION FROM PROPERTY OWNER OF PROPERTY NOMINATED FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION 257-267 MAIN STREET

Mr. Christopher White City Administrator

Dear Sir,

I received your letter regarding our building located at 257-267 Main Street, Beacon and the City’s interest in re-designating our property as a ‘historic-property.’ I’d like to give a brief background if I may. Our company “26 East Main Street, LLC” purchased the property sometime around last August/September of 2020. We had been in contract to purchase for more than a year dating back to the summer of 2019! Once Covid hit, our closing was put off numerous times due to constant rescheduling of engineers, attorneys, banks, title companies, etc, all due to the pandemic. Then when we finally closed, almost 2/3 of the units were either with expired leases, unpaid rents, and/or vacancies as well as many other neglected items left unaddressed in/around the property for more than a year as a result of absentee-management. I am happy to report, that after an incredibly difficult, painful, costly, and challenging year, we are finally just starting to see some light at the end of this very long and dark tunnel, hoping for a better 2022.

We have been in property management and development for approximately 20 years. We purchased this property for (2) reasons; one- to manage as existing for a period, two- for the possibility to develop. There are (3) properties immediately neighboring us to the West on both street corners that have been completely built new, and a third currently under construction across the street and a few doors from the gas station. After removing former buildings, all of these brand new buildings are beautiful and greatly enhance and add value to Main Street. These owners rightfully enjoyed the freedom from restriction to develop their properties as we hoped and expected someday to have same, and feel otherwise would be greatly unjust.

We spent a significant amount of money investing in Beacon and this property. The justification for the large investment was solely based on the possibility to rebuild on our property as the aforementioned neighbors have. By adding this designation to our property, that opportunity seems greatly diminished, if at all.

After consulting with our attorneys, we have arrived at the conclusion that we are strongly against this proposal and do NOT want this designation/restriction/limitation placed on our property and further feel it will greatly devalue our investment, and doing so against our will (especially in light of all we just sent through the last (2) years) would just add further salt in our wound.

Please strongly consider NOT placing this unwanted designation on OUR property against our will, further causing financial damage and hardship to our already struggling investment.

Thank you for your time and consideration during these challenging times. Sincerely,

Vincent Satriano
26 East Main St, LLC

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LETTER OF OBJECTION FROM PROPERTY OWNER OF PROPERTY NOMINATED FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION 274 MAIN STREET
RECEIVED BY CITY HALL ON JUNE 9, 2021

Good day,
We are property owners at 274 Main Street, Beacon, New York We would like to thank you for all efforts put forth to preserve the integrity of Beacon.
After much thought and participating in the public hearing on Monday, June 7, we would like to kindly decline the designation of our building.
As many changes have been made to our building over the years, it does not completely fit the criteria to designate it a Historic Landmark. Not to mention it would be extremely detrimental from a financial standpoint as well.
We hope you will not consider us as this time.
Thank you for your time.

Kindly,
Michael and Tina Pomarico 274 Main Street
Beacon, New York

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LETTER OF OBJECTION FROM OWNER OF PROPERTY NOMINATED FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION 291 MAIN STREET

To Whom It May Concern:
I am writing to object the proposed landmark designations at 291 Main St, Beacon NY.

Sincerely,
Telephone Building Beacon LLC

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LETTER OF OBJECTION FROM ATTORNEY OF PROPERTY NOMINATED FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION 372 MAIN STREET (SALVATION ARMY)

June 7, 2021

Mayor Lee Kyriacou
And Members of the City Council City of Beacon
1 Municipal Plaza
Beacon, New York 12508

Rebecca A. Valk, Esq.

rvalk@cuddyfeder.com

Re: Proposed Nomination – Salvation Army Property at 372 Main Street. Historic Properties Overlay Zone

Dear Mayor Kyriacou and Members of the City Council:

I am writing this letter on behalf of our client, The Salvation Army, owner of property at 372 Main Street, known as tax parcel number 6054-29-018818 (the “Property”). This letter shall serve as Salvation Army’s objection to the nomination of the Property for landmark status under the City’s Historic Preservation Law.

The nomination of this Property is inappropriate as the Property fails to meet either of the criteria relied upon in the Historic Resource Inventory Form dated April 2021 (the “Inventory Form”).

The Inventory Form sets forth the rationale for the City Council’s nomination of this Property for

landmark status. A property nominated must meet one or more of the following criteria:

134-4 Designation of landmarks and historic districts.

B. The City Council shall determine whether a proposed district or landmark meets one or more of the following criteria:

1. (1)  Has distinguishing architectural characteristics of a period, style, method of construction, indigenous materials or craftsmanship;

2. (2)  Has special character or historic or aesthetic interest or value as part of the cultural, political, economic or social history of the community;

3. (3)  Is eligible for inclusion on the State or National Registers of Historic Places.

The Inventory Form for this Property relies upon portions of two of these criteria, alleging that the Property: (1) possesses distinguishing architectural characteristics of a period and style (subsection 1); and (2) has special historic and aesthetic value as part of the cultural history of the

City (subsection 2).

June 7, 2021 Page 2

As to the first criterion, the Inventory Form states “The building retains its original character. This religious structure is one of the more intact examples of its type, scale and period in the City.” This conclusory statement does not establish a legitimate basis for the designation of either the church building, which was concededly rebuilt in 1911, or of the building behind the church, which was admittedly constructed in 1961.

It is true that the church building has characteristics consistent with the period of its construction. However, that alone is insufficient to qualify for designation under the City’s code. To qualify the building must have “distinguishing architectural characteristics,” i.e., noteworthy, remarkable, odd, or unusual.1 The Inventory Form does not identify such features; rather, it lists features consistent with the period of construction and concedes that the church building is one intact example of this type of construction. The lack of noteworthy or remarkable features was cited in the 1979 Building Structure and Inventory Form for the Property (enclosed): “The church has a long history in Beacon, but architecturally, it is outclassed by other church buildings of its scale and period.” (emphasis added).

As to the second criterion relied upon, the Inventory Form makes a conclusory statement that the Property possesses “special historic and aesthetic value as part of the cultural history of the City.” Again, the Inventory Form lacks any discussion to support this conclusion. The inclusion of the Church in the HDLO based on the present documentation is unwarranted.

Additionally, there is no need to include the Church’s property in the HDLO at the present time. The Church plans to continue its mission work in the City of Beacon for the foreseeable future. If matters materially change at some point in the future, and the building were to ever cease to operate as a Church, the City always retains authority to reconsider a designation at that, more appropriate, time.

In conclusion, the Salvation Army objects to the nomination. The buildings at the Property are not appropriate for landmark designation. We note that a super-majority vote of five (5) Council members is now required to designate 372 Main Street a historic property because of this objection (Section 134-4G). We thank the Council for its consideration of these comments.

Very truly yours,

Rebecca A. Valk Enclosure
cc. Graeme Hepburn

William Null, Esq.

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LETTER FROM OWNERS OF PROPERTY NOMINATED FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION 378 – 382 MAIN STREET

We are Ed Benavente and Betsy Swanson, the owners of 378-382 Main St. also known as the Carriage Works Building. Those that have witnessed the evolution of this building over the years may be familiar with the various uses and changes since it’s construction in the mid 1800’s as a carriage and sleigh manufacturer to the present day office building with a cafe and market. In the process of renovating this property we took extra care and expense to recognize the history represented by the structure. This was a challenging project given the generations of alterations already in place. This was done without guidelines or compliance regulations other than standard building and safety codes. We specifically chose a property without historical designation status to avoid that extra layer of bureaucracy that can hamper the efforts of micro-developers and individuals without deep pockets like ourselves. While we appreciate the city’s efforts to preserve the character and regulating growth and uncontrolled development, it should be noted that adding more layers to the process serves to discourage thoughtful, grass- roots development and leaves the door open for larger development companies that have legal teams to run roughshod over any regulations in place.

Since moving to Beacon in 2006, we have supported many causes and organizations in town, including the Beacon Historical Society. We believe that history is an integral part of any community’s identity. We also believe that history needs to support the present and pave the way for the future. After many discussions with City Council members and the Building Department - we have yet to hear of any definitive benefit to this designation beyond a possible, ‘maybe’, when it comes to tax relief or preservation grants. In our experience, such designations can have an adverse effect on resale or catastrophic replacement. No doubt, today’s council has the best of intentions but we are more concerned with the unintended consequences of piling on more laws, regulations and exceptions to those same laws and regulations that might be manipulated in the future and have the reverse effect if the original intention.

We respectfully decline to participate in the historical designation at this time and hope that the City Council will expedite the conclusion of this subject so that more time and attention can be applied to ongoing taxation and infrastructure needs.

Thank you,
Ed Benavente Betsy Swanson

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