The Metro

Metro Construction Notice: Planned Tree Replacement

As paper street improvements continue as part of The Metro project, two pine trees will be removed to accommodate new curbing adjacent with Barmann Park. These trees will be replaced with shade trees to enhance the area’s greenspace and provide an area of respite during the sunny summer months when the park is most active. In accordance with the City of Kingston’s regulations for its publicly owned property, the tree removal was reviewed and approved by the Kingston Tree Commission on April 10th , 2025.

The decision to remove the trees was made after plans for the new curb location along Barmann Park would require removing at least 30% of the root system and large, critical roots within three feet of the two pines’ trunks. Damage to roots in those areas would cause significant stress to the tree, as well as a loss of structural stability, increasing the likelihood of the tree dying and/or falling.

If the trees were retained in this location and supported through the critical root loss, the new parking spaces would conflict with the current branches, requiring pruning of over 50 percent of the top of the tree. Branch regrowth after pruning could turn into frequent management to not further conflict with parking.

There is ample room for new trees to replace the two existing pine trees. Plans are underway to install three new trees, aligning with The Metro’s project goal of a net tree increase. The proposed replacement trees will be provided per the guidance, recommendation and approval of the City of Kingston Urban Forestry department.

For any immediate safety concerns related to construction, please call PC Construction at 845-779-2477. For general inquiries about The Metro project, please reach out to [email protected]

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Metro Project Construction Notice: Public Parking Improvements Underway

As construction continues on The Metro building, improvements to a secondary street/informal parking area in the Greenkill Avenue right-of-way (often referred to as a Paper Street) will begin on Monday March 31st, 2025. This planned work will not impact traffic or create any area road closures, aside from the full closure of Paper Street. The Barmann baseball field will only be accessible from South Clinton Ave. Demolition will take place during the first two weeks of April, followed by curb and sidewalk prep/installation for the remainder of the month. Base paving of the area is planned for May. The Paper Street is planned to reopen to thru-traffic in June. Final paving and striping will be completed in the fall.

The Paper Street, which is owned by the City of Kingston, is an unpaved area of land which has been historically utilized for public parking. The area of work runs the length of Greenkill Avenue from South Prospect Street to South Clinton Avenue, to the South side of the current bicycle pathway.

This project will be accomplished at no cost to taxpayers. The City of Kingston will retain ownership of the land, but the renovation work is being fully supported by funding from NoVo in Kingston. Benefits of the Paper Street improvements include:

• Organizes traffic flow and parking to provide for improved circulation
• Improves safety and visibility in the parking area
• Addresses current drainage issues
• Provides a pedestrian connection from the Boys & Girls Club to both Barmann Park and The Metro
• Increases greenspace and tree plantings in the Greenkill Avenue corridor

For any immediate safety concerns related to construction, please call PC Construction at 845-779-2477. For general inquiries about The Metro project, please reach out to [email protected]

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The Metro building is a 70,000 sq. ft former factory located at the corner of South Prospect Street and Greenkill Avenue in Midtown Kingston. Both The Metro’s 15,000 sq. ft. Fabrication Center and the remaining 55,000 sq. ft. area of the building are under currently under construction.

The core intention behind The Metro is to offer a supportive space for young people, particularly youth and young adults in Midtown, to gain hands-on education, training, and career opportunities, with an emphasis on the trades and local production. The Metro will offer work areas for entrepreneurs and small businesses, as well as a variety of multi-use spaces and services, based upon community input and interest.

Lead architect Chris Smailer of Midtown-based Dutton Architecture has guided the design of an adaptive reuse approach that prioritizes energy-efficiency and sustainability in every facet. This forward 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.

 Construction Updates

NoVo in Kingston is partnering with PC Construction, a 100% employee-owned company, to complete the work on this project. In the Spring of 2024, geothermal drilling and parking lot repairs were completed. A total of thirty-two geothermal wells were piped to the building and backfilled as part of this pre-construction phase. This significant upfront investment in these innovative technologies will lower long-term operating costs and ensure stability of the building’s operation in response to our changing climate. Other sustainable building measures incorporated in The Metro 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.

In October 2024, 300 hundred yards of concrete were poured over a four-day period to create the new concrete slab for The Metro Fabrication Center and mechanical spaces. Prior to the installation, over 30,000 square feet of insulation was installed beneath the slab for top thermal efficiency, which will augment the building’s geothermal heating and cooling systems. October also saw the installation of 2,640 linear feet of blocking to facilitate the fitting of new windows on the second floor.

Throughout the design and construction process, preserving elements of the building’s classical midcentury look have been prioritized to respect the character of the neighborhood where it has stood since 1946. 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.

In November/December 2024, 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 building’s original appearance.

Winter 2025 will bring increased construction activity to the site, and exterior building improvements will soon be clearly visible in the neighborhood. NoVo in Kingston is honored to play a small part in helping to preserve the beauty and history of Midtown by bringing this building back to a productive, community-centered use. Please check back here for updates, or follow along on social media at Facebook or Instagram!