Governor Pataki and Haverstraw

Governor George E. Pataki has continually supported the Haverstraw Revitalization effort. In his last round of grant distribution, Pataki released $3 million more toward the $150 million needed to continue Haverstraw’s rennaissance. This last funding happened in October of 2002. Since then, numerous projects in the Village have been earmarked by the state and federal government (like the Short Clove Road train overpass that has been funded and is in design stages). Rockland County government has also come through with millions of dollars for Haverstraw. Read about Governor Pataki’s thoughts on Haverstraw here.

The Bull Line…or Bowline?

The Bowline Pond area of the Village of Haverstraw, off Broadway and surrounding the Haverstraw Town Municipal Pool, has been living under false pretenses for close to 50 years. Bowline looked vastly different near 50 years ago. The pond originated as a clay pit, as numerous brickyards in the area manually excavated clay from that spot. The clay was fired into bricks and shipped downstream to feed the building boom in Manhattan and the rest of New York City.

A small steam locomotive, called a “Bull,” snaked its way down into the belly of the clay pit. The Bull delivered supplies and removed clay for firing. Small steam trains were often called John Bull(s), after an English, pot-bellied cartoon personification used as a national figurehead since 1712 in the United Kingdom. He is England’s Uncle Sam. The bull traveled on the Bull Line, a smaller gauge tracking system; its rails were a shorter distance apart than the train tracks we commonly use today. The Bull Line circled the area around the pit.

Martin Ginsburg on Haverstraw Ferries

Martin Ginsburg, who could quite possibly go down along with Mayor “Bud” Wassmer as men who “saved Haverstraw,” is the father of waterfront development in the Village of Haverstraw. The Harbors at Haverstraw, and subsequent communities that will follow it, are at any length children of Mr. Ginsburg. Thanks to him and his corporation,Ginsburg Development Corporation, the face of Haverstraw will be forever altered… for the better. Recently, in the Rockland Journal News, Mr. Ginsburg wrote a Community View in favor of ferry transport from Haverstraw and elsewhere in the Hudson River Valley:

Revitalizing Haverstraw in the Eyes of Bob Baird

There’s no overestimating the value of access to the Hudson River, and so there’s no way to put a price on the promenade being built in Haverstraw as part of builder Martin Ginsburg’s Harbors at Haverstraw development.

The promenade, which will run for 1.5 miles along the riverfront, will cost $14 million to build. Ginsburg will gradually line that part of the river with 850 units of mostly luxury housing.

Think of it like one of those credit card commercials.

New housing replacing mostly abandoned industrial sites: $400 million.

A 12-foot-wide walkway with benches, decorative lighting and historical markers: $14 million.

Public access to 1.5 miles of the Hudson River: Priceless.

Cruise to Dinner

On any given weekday evening, the Haverstraw Ferry runs its rounds to Ossining and back, shuffling commuters home from their daily work grind in the city. Little does anyone realize that the ferry can be used as a tool to quickly get to some of the best dinner spots in the Hudson Valley. Simply catch the boat at any of the times listed on NY Waterway’s website (5:00 and 5:40 PM are recommended for dinner). Enjoy a spectacular ride across the widest part of the Hudson River. As the ferry departs Haverstraw, and as the peak of High Tor Mountain shrinks into the evening sky, the cliffs of the Palisades Escarpment dive into the waters of the Hudson. The Pocantico Hills of Westchester gently climb and roll up to the horizon. The Nyack downtown shimmers from afar. Once reaching Ossining, get to the Metro-North train platform (southbound) and wait for one of the many Grand Central-bound trains. Take a sleek metro-liner south to Yonkers; get off here. Dozens of high-class, international restaurants now line the main street outside of the Yonkers Train Depot. Make your way to the Hudson River’s edge by crossing beneath the train trestle and to the famed Yonkers Pier. The Pier will soon offer a top-notch restaurant on its second floor, created by the famed Peter X. Kelly, dubbed “Xaviar’s on the Hudson.” A turn-of-the-century custard stand and coffee shoppe will be featured on the first floor. Eat outside on the sidewalk at the Pier View Restaurant and enjoy the dramatic vista of the Palisades cliffs across the river. Once finished eating, stay for dessert and drinks. Don’t worry you have time to catch a ferry back to Haverstraw; the last ferry leaves Ossining at 8:15PM. That gives you 2 hours to enjoy dinner, take an exciting ferry ride, and enjoy the unbelievable views of Haverstraw Bay and the Palisades. I strongly recommend this dinner “trip.” You’ll feel as if you’re in Europe and far, far away from your daily routine…

Haverstraw: New Urbanism & Smart Growth

I recently was boating near the area around the pedestrian bridge at The Harbors at Haverstraw, and I saw a very unusual sight. The NY Waterway ferry had just pulled in and was beginning to unload passengers. I sat and watched from my boat as professionals of all ages (about 10 or so men and women) came off the ramp from the ferry and strolled by, along the promenade, across the lagoon bridge and to the front doors of their homes. Martin Ginsburg, since conceiving The Harbors atHaverstraw , has hoped that residents of the community would use the ferry as their main means of transport to and from work in Manhattan. The idea is clearly working.

Haverstraw-Yonkers-Manhattan Ferry Launches Spring 2007

The proposed Haverstraw to Yonkers to Lower Manhattan Ferry has been approved and is expected to begin sailing in the Spring of 2007. New York Water Taxi has been selected by the Port Authority of New York to provide ferry service between the three ports. The service is described in the post below, “High Tech Commute From Haverstraw?” Read more about the Haverstraw Ferry here.

Read the Journal News article, “Meet the Little Ferry That Might” for more information. The above was brought to you by www.haverstrawlife.com