Discovering the Thriving Creative Economy that is Hudson
On Saturday, October 10th, 2015, the APA NYM Urban Design Committee sponsored a walking tour of Hudson, New York. APA partnered with the Hudson Development Corporation to plan a tour route highlighting the history of Hudson and the greater Hudson Valley region, and connecting that history to the socioeconomic changes that have taken place over the last few decades.
The tour began at the Hudson Amtrak Station on Front Street, and was led by Sheena Salvino, Executive Director of the Hudson Development Corporation. Sheena led APA members on a two-hour walk through town, introducing guest speakers along the way that spoke to history, contemporary planning issues and future opportunities for growth and expansion in Hudson.
We began at Henry Hudson Riverfront Park, where we were given an overview of the landscape that shaped Hudson’s historical economy. Mark Castiglione, Acting Executive Director of the Hudson River Valley Greenway, led us through the history of the Hudson River Valley from pre-colonial times to present day (and mixed things up with some trivia and prizes to test our knowledge of Hudson).
From there, we made our way across Front Street to Basilica Hudson, an artist-owned and operated reclaimed 19th century foundry that was converted into an arts, performance, production and event space in 2010. We were lucky enough to see the space in action as they were setting up for a wedding later in the day. Sarah Van Buren, Managing Director of Basilica Hudson, gave us a detailed history of the space and its current uses, taking the time to point out the small details of the building that make it such an extraordinary piece of Hudson’s history and future. Basilica Hudson was one of the most captivating spaces I have been in, and the industrial past mixed with modern and creative uses made this one of my favorite stops on the tour.
The tour then made its way toward one of the town’s social and political crossroads-the intersection of 4th and Warren Street-before concluding at the Hudson Opera House, which was built in 1855 as the city’s first City Hall.
Gary Schiro was the Hudson Opera House’s first Executive Director and has produced over 3,000 diverse cultural events since its founding, including concerts, theater and arts workshops. Gary was energetic and excited to share with us the beauty behind the Hudson Opera House and how the spaces was and continues to be restored as an arts and cultural center that stands as a symbol of how Hudson avoided the worst of urban renewal. Concluding the tour at the Hudson Opera House gave tour goers a diverse glimpse into how the historic economy of Hudson has evolved into the creative economy we see today.
Hudson is creating a legacy for creativity, home to businesses, both large and small, such as Etsy, the peer-to-peer e-commerce website focused on handmade or vintage items, as well as the countless small shops and designers that line Warren Street and the surrounding parts of town.
Its clear to see when visiting Hudson that the town has carved out a little piece of the Empire State and made it all its own, embracing its identity and fostering a creative economy for the future.
Special thanks to Sheena Salvino, Executive Director of the Hudson Development Corporation, and all of our guest speakers.
Victoria Hallas is an Environmental Planner at Langan Engineering and a member of the NYM APA Urban Design Committee. Follow Victoria on Medium at @vhallas
Voices of Urban Design is a discussion forum that is curated by the APA New York Metro Chapter’s Urban Design Committee. Posts are edited for clarity and length only; opinions and statements that appear in this blog are not endorsed by the American Planning Association nor its affiliates. We expect and encourage healthy debate!
