The Metro: Phase One Construction Kick Off!

May 22, 2024

The Metro Building is gaining major momentum as Phase One of construction officially begins! Located at the intersection of Greenkill Avenue and South Prospect Street in Midtown, The Metro is a major project of NoVo in Kingston and is designed to enhance youth, individual and community development possibilities for local residents.

While initial sitework has been ongoing for many months, this next step is a significant mark in the construction timeline as it begins the buildout of the core and shell of the 70,000 sq. ft. building. Overall, the campus will include opportunities for hands-on education, training, and career opportunities, with an emphasis on the trades and local production.

The 15,000 sq. ft. Fabrication Center will enable access to new technologies such as 3D printing, as well as traditional tools for woodwork, metal work, fabrics, and more. Although it is still too early to accept tenant or programming inquiries, active construction means the project is one step closer to opening those possibilities to the community.

The partnership of Midtown-based Dutton Architecture, under lead architect Chris Smailer, has been a key asset in collaboratively creating an adaptive reuse that incorporates energy-efficient and sustainable green design into every facet. This environment-focused thinking aligns directly with the mission of NoVo in Kingston in creating safe, accessible spaces that contribute to Kingston’s community resiliency. It was also a priority identified by The Metro Youth Design team, a group of local youth who have been serving as an advisory panel for the project under leadership from The Kingston YMCA Farm Project and The Boys and Girls Club of Ulster County.

Sustainable building measures incorporated in the project include ensuring a carbon-neutral building performance by creating an ultra-high efficiency building envelope. This means continuous insulation is being applied to existing un-insulated exterior walls and a new concrete slab will be installed throughout

Preserving elements of the building’s classical midcentury look were also prioritized in order to respect the character of the neighborhood where it has stood since 1946. Construction will include the replacement of single pane, steel framed factory style windows with premium efficiency triple-pane insulated glass. This will be done by utilizing a stainless-steel thermally broken frame that replicates the original appearance.

Originally designed by locally-renowned architect Albert E. Milliken in the 1940’s, The Metro is a local example of trends in construction as national markets transitioned back to peacetime production in the initial years following World War II.

NoVo in Kingston is honored to play a small part in helping to preserve the beauty and history of Midtown. We know that vacant, unmaintained properties pose challenges to the health and safety of a neighborhood. The teenage youth advising this project have only known this building as an empty shell, but not for long! The team at NoVo in Kingston is thrilled to support bringing this building back to a productive, community-centered use.