Dutchess Manor Project Approved

Slated to become Fjord Trail visitor center The Fishkill Planning Board on Oct. 8 approved a plan by the Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail to transform Dutchess Manor on Route 9D into a visitors' center for the planned 7.5-mile multiuse trail between Cold Spring and Beacon. HHFT still needs approvals from the state Department of Transportation and other agencies for the former catering hall, which began its life in 1868 as a grand residence for merchant James Wade and is on the National Register of Historic Places. But the Planning Board's approval of the site plan and a special-use permit largely concludes a two-year review that drew opposition from Fjord Trail foes and neighbors over parking and traffic. During public hearings, those concerns overshadowed HHFT's plan to demolish additions constructed for the catering business and restore many original features such as the slate roof, rear porch, brickwork and trim. The interior will be remade with a first-floor welcome desk and interpretive exhibits, and upper-floor offices and meeting spaces. Public restrooms will be constructed off a sunken yard along the manor's south side; a rear lawn will host events and lounging visitors; and a shuttle will transport hikers to and from trailheads. The project, which includes 67 parking spaces, is expected to be completed by fall 2027. "In addition to restoring this 19th-century building and the surrounding native meadows, we will create newly accessible public spaces, and indoor and outdoor program areas that can support partnerships with schools and local nonprofits," said Peter Mullan, HHFT's president and CEO. Programming could include art exhibits and classes for adults and children to guided walks in the winter, said Amy Kacala, HHFT's executive director, at the Fishkill board's September meeting. "People could play lawn games. We plan on having food trucks, and so picnicking could happen." In response to concerns about parking and traffic, HHFT reduced the number of spaces by 57 percent, including eliminating a 47-spot overflow area south of the main structure. Despite the concessions, the Planning Board will still require that HHFT submit, within 15 months of the opening, an analysis of the parking lot use. The study must include how many hours 85 percent or more of the spaces are occupied. "If the site is not functioning ideally or improvements could be made, the board will have the opportunity to say to the applicant at that time that they should pursue making changes on the site," said Dominic Cordisco, the board attorney, at the Oct. 8 meeting. After the Wade family, the history of Dutchess Manor continued when Frank Timoney, an Irish immigrant who grew wealthy operating three brickyards at Dennings Point, bought the property in 1889. According to the Beacon Historical Society, George Coris, a furrier from New York City, bought the building at a tax sale in 1944 and operated it as a hotel, restaurant and bar until the early 1970s. The Coris family, which had the additions built as their catering business expanded, sold Dutchess Manor and an adjacent property at 14 Coris Lane to HHFT for $3.4 million in 2020. The Planning Board began reviewing the project in August 2024. In April, the board completed its environmental review, determining that the project will not have a significant impact. While acknowledging smaller impacts from land disturbance and runoff, as well as the "targeted" use of herbicides on invasive plants and an increase in visitors to the property, the Planning Board determined that HHFT will incorporate sufficient mitigations. In addition, the board approved a "certificate of appropriateness" that allowed HHFT to begin demolishing the additions before final site-plan approval.