Saugerties continues to enjoy large festival music events, including one this evening, August 16, 2024. It's likely a one-of-a-kind town in which a recent town board agenda stated "Music follows the meeting".
Saugerties – The developers of the proposed Winston Farm off exit 20 of the Thruway in Saugerties Wednesday evening submitted their draft generic environmental impact statement to the town board, and say they are moving forward in a 'collaborative way' with Saugerties. while respecting the site's history and natural open spaces. This is the site of the original world famous"Woodstock" Festival. The developers are calling it a "Transformative Regional Entertainment Development"".
The study maintains the project, which would include housing, commercial space, a hotel, conference center, performance venue, light industrial space and a campground, would generate $62 million in annual economic impact at buildout, and have the capacity to provide its own water and traffic solutions.
Project spokesman Josh Sommers said the developers believe it will be a win-win for the community.
“There were so many iterations of proposals including a casino, an incinerator plant, and now we have local people that are looking to create economic development, tourism, and keep open space,” he said. “So, it’s really something we hope Saugerties embraces,” he said. The process will be “very community-oriented,” Sommer said, noting it will creates a lot of opportunities for Saugerties and the greater region.
But not all are as enthusiastic about this project. What will it do to the vast array of existing small businesses? Are they all truly collaborating in the design? And the conservation group Catskill Mountainkeeper decries the 275 tree forest that will be clearcut as the trade for a massive regional resort. They say that with many hundreds of acres of parking lots and roads, the impact on the aquifer could put the health of both the environment and its residents at risk. With the Draft Environmental Impact Statement completed and submitted in March of this year, and a commitment to "work collaboratively with the Town of Saugerties and its people", it will be quite the challenge to respect the area's environmental and historical past, along with the new tourist shops opened in the decades after Woodstock '94 overlaid with a massive regionnal resort ..all that without losing its backwoods Catskill Charm?
Saugerties residents Anthony Montano, John Mullen and Randy Richers bought Winston Farm in 2020 from the Schaller family, which had +owned it since 1961.
Winston Farm hosted the Woodstock ’94 music festival.
Portions Sourced from: Mid-Hudson News
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