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The demolition of the Pike Plan canopies in Kingston's historic Stockade District has reached the halfway point, city officials announced, as crews continue working through freezing temperatures to remove the structures that have sheltered downtown sidewalks since 1976.
According to an update posted on the city's website Thursday (Feb. 5), the project has reached approximately 50 percent completion as it enters its third week. Three crews are working on Wall Street, while another remains on North Front Street.
Mayor Steve Noble's office said workers are taking care to weatherproof and waterproof the exteriors of each building as they progress down the blocks. The $1.2 million demolition project, being conducted by Beam Enterprises of Chester in Orange County, is expected to conclude by Friday (March 13), weather permitting.
By Friday afternoon (Feb. 6), work along North Front Street had progressed to the point where canopy remained on just one building. On Wall Street, canopies had been completely removed from outside Hotel Kinsley and adjacent buildings housing businesses including Theresa & Co. and Vincenzo's Pizzeria & Ristorante.
The demolition has left behind damaged masonry where canopies were bolted deep into exterior walls. Crews are patching holes to ensure walls remain watertight, but additional restoration work will be up to individual property owners.
The city offered settlements of $1,000 per linear foot of frontage to the 44 affected property owners. Four property owners have accepted deals totaling $110,440, but 36 others have not yet taken the settlement offer. Those who decline can submit damage claims to the city or seek compensation in state Supreme Court.
The project has sparked controversy, with developer Neil Bender's William Gottlieb Real Estate, which owns seven properties along the Pike Plan, suing the city six times over the demolition. Neil Hurst, an attorney representing Bender, criticized the city's handling of the project and questioned how Kingston will pay for damages from parties that do not settle.
Hurst also raised concerns about lead paint present on some building facades behind the canopies. Noble previously defended the city's approach, noting that lead paint was not used in the canopies themselves when they were rebuilt in 2011, but is present on adjacent historic buildings, including at least three owned by William Gottlieb Real Estate.
City Engineer John Schultheis said both the city and contractor are complying with all Environmental Protection Agency standards regarding lead paint removal in demolition. Work officially began on Tuesday (Jan. 13) after a federal judge denied William Gottlieb Real Estate's request for a temporary injunction.
If the project stays on schedule, the Pike Plan will be gone before its 50th anniversary in April 2026. Noble has long sought removal of the structures, claiming they detracted from the aesthetics of the historic district and had deteriorated to the point where they posed a public safety hazard.