FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 8, 2022

City of Kingston Seeks Landscape Design for Reconfigured Broadway & Grand Street Intersection Greenspace

KINGSTON, NY – Mayor Steven T. Noble is pleased to announce that the City of Kingston has issued a request for proposals (RFP) to provide landscape design services for the greenspace at the newly-configured intersection at Broadway and Prince Street.

The RFP asks qualified firms to develop a Landscape Design Plan to enhance the experience for active transportation users of the Broadway and Prince intersection. The Landscape Design Plan will serve as a blueprint for creating an attractive, inviting community space at a crucial juncture of the Kingston Greenline.

“This intersection serves as an important connector not only between the businesses in Midtown, but also serves as a midway point between the Rondout and Uptown business districts,” said Mayor Noble. “With the intersection realignment nearing completion, we are looking to create a welcoming, functional space for pedestrians and cyclists to encourage use of this portion of the Greenline. We are asking that the design take into consideration and incorporate the history of the intersection, along with the vibrancy, characteristics, and unique artistic nature of the neighborhood, the Midtown Arts District.”

The project will be managed by the City of Kingston’s Department of Health & Wellness and is funded by the Creating Healthy Schools and Communities program through the New York State Department of Health. Community engagement and stakeholder support will be an integral part of the Plan development.

“We are greatly appreciative of the funding from the New York State Department of Health through the Creating Healthy Schools and Communities project to be able to initiate this project,” said Kristin Kessler, Project Manager in the Health & Wellness Department. “We look forward to reviewing submissions that will help us create a beautiful, inviting community space at a historic location along the Kingston Greenline.”

The old Kingston Post Office was built at the intersection of Broadway and Prince Street in 1908. By 1969, postal operations had grown larger than the building’s capacity, and the building was sold, then torn down to make room for a fast food restaurant. The destruction of this architectural gem has been lamented ever since. The Midtown area has evolved over the years, and today nearly 40 buildings are devoted to art-based uses and a significant arts identity has been established for the community. The RFP asks that these distinct neighborhood features be incorporated into the design.

The Broadway Grand Street Intersection Improvements project realigned and improved the safety at a formerly dangerous intersection. Working with GPI, the engineering consultants for the Broadway Streetscape Project, the City redesigned the intersection of Broadway, Grand Street, Prince Street, and Pine Grove Avenue to reduce traveler confusion, crashes, and near-misses. Funding for the Broadway Grand Street Intersection Improvements project was provided by the NYSDOT Multi-Modal Program, which was secured with the assistance of NYS Assemblymember Kevin Cahill. The design integrated with the major $25 million Broadway Streetscape Project, and is the culmination of the new protected bike lane that runs north to the I-587 roundabout. Pedestrians and bicyclists traveling on the Empire State Trail, use this intersection to connect to Prince Street to continue along the trail route. To accommodate the realignment, an abandoned Planet Wings building was demolished, leaving community greenspace.

Due to global supply chain issues, the final poles for the Broadway Grand Street Intersection Improvements project have been delayed, and are currently expected to be delivered and installed this summer. Once the traffic signals are fully installed, they will be programmed to coordinate with the other signals on Broadway.

Proposals are due Monday, April 25, 2022 at 2:00pm. More information on the project at https://engagekingston.com/broadwaygrandintersection

Creating Healthy Schools and Communities (CHSC) Grant: The City of Kingston received this 5-year grant from the New York State Department of Health starting in 2021 to implement projects that support policy, system, and environmental changes to help make the healthy choice the easy choice in Kingston.