Peekskill BID to Spruce Up Downtown Gazebo
One of the landmarks in downtown Peekskill is getting a makeover.
The gazebo, located at the intersection of North Division Street and Central Avenue, has been slated for a major renovation by the city, but funds for the project have been held up by a legal tussle between Westchester County and the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development over a Community Development Block Grant.
While that fight wages on, the Peekskill Business Improvement District (BID) has opted to begin laying the groundwork for the larger renovation with some “sprucing up” improvements. This past weekend, volunteers painted the gazebo. Also on the horizon is new landscaping and replacing the bulletin board.
Local BID members Frank Pugliese and Gabriel Arango volunteered material and time for the cleanup effort.
“As business and property owners, all BID members have a stake in building a stronger downtown,” said Jason Angell, executive director of the Peekskill BID. “Particularly in times of tighter public budgets, we believe that if we all are willing to take small actions to improve Peekskill as community members, we can help this city meet its great potential.”
The Peekskill BID was created in 1995 and is made up of business and property owners in the downtown commercial district that pay a special tax levy to fund efforts to boost economic growth in the district. In 2004, the downtown district was added to the National Register of Historic Places, in part because of its 19th Century architecture.
“Peekskill is truly a ‘diamond in the rough’ kind of city and we are excited that the BID can be a player in making the city shine,” said John Sharp, president of the BID board. “Revitalizing the gazebo is just one more step in letting the world know that Peekskill is the premier destination of the lower HudsonValleyto live, work and play.”
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