FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 1, 2023
City of Kingston Awarded $552,500 from the Department of State for Waterfront Revitalization Project
KINGSTON, NY – Mayor Steven T. Noble is pleased to announce that the City of Kingston has received $552,500 from the Department of State’s Local Waterfront Revitalization Program for Kingston Point wetland restoration and a waterfront kayak dock.
As part of the Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) grant announcements, the City of Kingston was awarded funding for the Kingston Point Wetland Restoration and Public Access Improvements project to restore wetlands and construct a public access point to the Hudson River.
The project, part of the City’s comprehensive Weaving the Waterfront initiative, includes demolition of two condemned City-owned houses in the flood zone on North Street and the construction of a small parking area, boardwalk, and pier with kayak dock to provide public access to the waterfront. The dock will provide safe access to kayakers of all skill levels to explore wetlands, which are currently accessible only from the Hudson River. It will also serve as a wetland viewing platform with educational interpretive signage for visitors.
“We’re thrilled to receive funding from the Department of State, which will not only help us protect our unique natural environment, this project will also support economic recovery and the overall well-being of our residents by enhancing Kingston’s outdoor recreation options,” said Mayor Noble. “The Ponckhockie neighborhood sits at the confluence of the Rondout Creek and Hudson River— an area of stunning scenery and tidal freshwater wetland. I am happy to bring such a special amenity to this historically underserved area.”
Julie Noble, the City of Kingston’s Environmental Education & Sustainability Coordinator, will be the Project Manager. She said, “This project aligns with the City’s Weaving the Waterfront revitalization initiative by enhancing resiliency and providing access to a unique riverine habitat. The blighted, unoccupied houses sit in the FEMA 100-year floodplain and are condemned due to frequent flooding. Returning this area to wetland will improve flood resiliency, support economic recovery, and serve as an opportunity for environmental stewardship and education. Not to mention a new public access point to the waterfront!”
Construction is expected to begin in 2024 and be completed by 2026. The total project cost is approximately $650,000. More information at: www.engagekingston.com/wetland-restoration-and-public-access.
The Kingston Point Wetland Restoration and Public Access Improvements project aligns with and supports the City of Kingston’s numerous waterfront revitalization projects. In June, Kingston was awarded $21.7 million through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program, the largest grant award in Kingston’s history.
The $21.7 million RAISE grant will support several initiatives of the Kingston Weaving the Waterfront Transportation Project, that will significantly expand the walkability of the waterfront, connect residents from underserved neighborhoods, and bolster the Waterfront Business District. The project will not only improve safety and access to park spaces, it also plans ahead for climate and sea level change by elevating roadways in two flood prone areas, East Strand and Delaware Avenue. The project develops walking and biking access throughout the Rondout Creek and Hudson River Waterfront areas, will increase safety for pedestrians and cyclists, and access to nature. New sidewalk and bicycle paths will provide connections to and from the historic business districts, will complete branches of the Kingston Greenline and the Empire State Trail (EST), and will connect to the 520-acre Sojourner Truth State Park.