The building that is the little white house at 300 Main Street with the decaying yet mysterious storage garage behind it, was not on the market for long before it sold. According to a Douglas Elliman listing, the property, which includes both buildings and the entire paved lot, was listed for $900,000. The buyer, who also served as the listing agent, is the real estate agent Anthony Hardisty of Sam’s Realty. He told A Little Beacon Blog that the purchase price was $700,000.

People who knew this spot knew it for the now former owner Junko, the tiny but mighty woman who arranged and delivered flowers. She was also the go-to source for helium and air filled balloons so that you didn’t need to drive or bus up to Party City in Poughkeepsie. According to Anthony, she sold the building for “personal reasons” and will be continuing her flower delivery business, Flowers ‘N Gifts. However, upon calling Junko to confirm, Junko told A Little Beacon Blog: “300 Main Street sold. Closed. I am no longer delivering flowers.”

Proposed Replacement and Redevelopment Of 300 Main STreet

The proposed plans for 300 Main Street debuts at tonight’s Planning Board Meeting, represented by Taylor M. Palmer at the law firm Cuddy + Feder, who represent a majority of projects put before the Planning Board.

The plans do not ask for any special permissions to carry out the vision, as stated by Attorney Taylor in the letter of submission: “Please note that the instant Application has been designed to be fully zoning compliant. Accordingly, the Applicant understands that the Project does not require review by the Zoning Board of Appeals or the City Council.”

This is notable, as Beacon’s City Council has been known to put into place triggers where the project must come before City Council for approval, even if the Planning Board approves it. Making requests not already allowed in a property puts the project at risk if some of the loudest members of the public object to it, even if a majority of the public wants it.

An example would be if the project wanted a 4th floor in a zoning district that does not allow it as of right, like on Main Street in the CMS district. This intent would require permission from the City Council and a “give-back” to the community, like public green space. This example happened with the Alchamy building at 418 Main Street (also home to Kitchen and Coffee). A public green space was required to be there if they were to build a 4th floor, which they did (serves as the Penthouse). This project at 300 Main Street is proposing the natural maximum of 3 floors, so intends to stay within the Planning Board approvals.

According to the letter of submission, the architect is Aryeh Siegel, who is also the architect for a majority of commercial and residential projects in Beacon. The Applicant, Anthony Hardisty, proposes to construct a new 3-story building that will include both commercial space on the bottom, and residential above. Proposed are 8 residential apartments for the second and third floors (2 one-bedroom units and 2 two-bedroom units on each of the second and third floors), and 5 separate retail/commercial spaces of various sizes on the ground floor.

The intersection by 300 Main Street, showing its neighbors on all sides: Kumon, Happy Valley Arcade Bar, Glazed Over DOnuts, etc.
Photo Credit: Site Plan Approval Application for the project.

The property is quite long, which you can see in the images of the surrounding area. Making full use of it, the building, according to the architectural renderings and the application letter, has a flow built in to it they are calling a "retail arcade." The Happy Valley Arcade Bar is next door. While the building will front on Main Street, there would be a walkway along the east side of the building. "This walkway will provide pedestrian access to all 5 separate retail/commercial spaces." A second access point would be designed, as well as a ground-floor lobby for the residential apartments.

Visions for the walkway include 2 retail window displays, "several planters, and a trellis wall supporting climbing roses along the eastern lot line of the Premises," the letter details.

To be determined how people of Beacon will respond to this, as they aren’t used to fancy things. Some of them moved hard to block a nicely designed Dunkin’ Donuts, using the mechanism of banning all drive-thrus to carry out that move. In that case, special permission was not needed, as drive-thrus were already allowed. Killing the project, City Council, with the help of bike-lane advocates, banned all drive-thrus city-wide. Even though that location can entertain both bike-lanes and a drive-thru.

While this does sound like a fancy build at 300 Main Street, what’s coming next is quite messy. From a longtime Beacon citizen, Tina Lentini is opening Up In The Clouds Slime in the current white house, while this projects moves through the Planning Board process. Read all about it here.