A Liberty Street Storybook Wedding, Emma + Ricardo
Photos © Joshua Brown Photography
When local photographer, Joshua Brown, asked if I'd like to share photos of a recent wedding he'd shot in Newburgh, my instant answer was "Yes"! Washington's Headquarters proved to be the most breathtaking backdrop for a wedding ceremony – the autumn leaves, the Hudson River, and the golden rays of sunshine all gave this wedding a warmth that transmits through the photos.
After the ceremony Emma and Ricardo walked up to Liberty Street where they held their reception in a warehouse that normally isn't used for wedding receptions. What an intimate and special affair.
Thank you Emma, Ricardo, and Joshua for sharing your photos. They are all at once inspiring and enchanting to see how the City of Newburgh can be the backdrop for a celebration of love. If you'd like to see a slideshow with more photos, click here.
America's Sweetheart Comes to the City of Newburgh to shoot "Timelines"
by Michael Lebron
Still from "Timelines" – New York | Katie Couric x SK-II, shot on Liberty Street.
Film crews are a frequent sight in Newburgh, and so – excepting neighbors who lost their parking spots for a day – few may have minded nor even noticed the one scurrying about Liberty and South on March 30th.
The shoot was one of many that took place in the metro areas of New York, Seoul, Tokyo and Shanghai for a docu-series just released by Katie Couric with the cosmetics giant SK-II. Called Timelines, it explores societal and familial pressures that young women face, through the lens of the mother-daughter relationship.
The urban dance music artist Maluca was selected for the NY episode. Her mom Liz – after living in Manhattan for 54 years – recently moved to Newburgh with her husband Michael to start a new business. So after shooting in Maluca's apartment, the crew headed up the Hudson River to Liz's home.
Katie shares photos of her children with Maluca and Liz.
It took several hours to run cables in, around, up and down the 1865 townhouse, but by 11:00 AM, Katie's interview of Liz got underway. Was Liz nervous? Maybe? During the early takes, Mollie, the director, was often heard saying "Liz, that was simply terrific! You're a natural! Could we do it again, and this time please remember to say Maluca instead of Natalie (Maluca's given name)?
Liz and Katie flash their million $ smiles.
After shooting B-roll of mom and daughter cooking in the kitchen and of Maluca playing DJ with some of Michael's vinyl LPs, it was a wrap. Michael and Liz then took Katie on a tour of the work they put into restoring and renovating the home so that it is so energy efficient that it may be Newburgh's first de-facto-passive-house/net-zero ready home (for more, see Liz and Michael's business website). They told her about their hopes for Newburgh's future, and the other wonderful things that many other people are doing in the city. Katie wanted to know more and promised Liz that she would come back to visit her and the city. Liz promised to remind her, and she wants everyone to know that Katie really is a sweetheart!
History Tech App Urban Archive expands from New York City to Newburgh
Press release: "Launching June 1, 2019, Newburgh is the first expansion for Urban Archive outside of New York City. Urban Archive, a technology non-profit, had their start in 2016 working with three institutional partners and only a few hundred archival photographs. Today, Urban Archive's digital platform features more than 80,000 geolocated images sourced from more than two dozen organizations in New York City. These images, which are available at your fingertips on a free iOS app, constitute a vital resource for the documentation of the City's rich history.
Local institutions in the Hudson Valley have now begun to make their rich photographic collections publicly accessible, utilizing Urban Archive's digital platform to tell their stories: the important intersections of architecture, preservation, place, and community. Through this new partnership, Newburgh residents and visitors can use the Urban Archive mobile app to interact with Newburgh's history where it happened through archival photos and special features such as curated walking tours, audio tours, and DIY then-and-now photo recreations. For this launch, five collaborative partners have added over 148 images of historic Newburgh for users to explore.
Situated 60 miles north of New York City, Newburgh NY is the second largest historic district in New York State with architectural styles representing three centuries. Walking through the city, visitors will learn about the buildings and their stories with the Urban Archive mobile app. Examples include structures by renowned local architect Frank E. Estabrook whose specialty was designing public buildings and schools, AME Zion Church where Frederick Douglass visited in 1870, and the endangered Dutch Reformed Church – an 1835 Greek Revival "temple" that is on the World Monuments Fund's list of the "100 Most Endangered Sites". Like many industrial cities, Newburgh suffered through the mid-20th century losing jobs, taxes, investment and over 1,000 structures to a failed urban renewal program. Some of Newburgh's lost notable buildings are also included in Urban Archive.
Collaboration is essential in compiling these archives. Local partners include City of Newburgh Heritage Center, Historical Society of Newburgh Bay and the Highlands, The Newburgh Free Library, The Southeastern NY Library Resources Council and The Department of Small Interventions. The five partnering organizations are excited to see how the platform can be utilized by teachers, students, and researchers to uncover location-based history. The team welcomes the opportunity to expand membership to other organizations who want to share their collections with the public."
Free Original 1940's Diner
If you are a lover of 1940's architecture and old railroad car diners, this might be an opportunity for you. The owner of the old Lilian's Family Diner on the corner of 9W and Dickson Street is giving it away for FREE to anyone that can transport the structure on their own. You will also have to create a new foundation, which the owner says is not that difficult.
The interior has been gutted and turned into office/storage space. However, the original facade was recently recovered when a brick layer was removed. The owner is not sure, but believes there is a possibility that this might be a Paramount diner. There definitely are similarities in the glass blocks used on the corners.
It would be wonderful if the diner could be restored and placed on an empty lot in the City of Newburgh. What empty lot could you imagine it on? If a taker is not found, the diner might have to be leveled as the land is needed. That would be such a shame.
If you are interested, please contact Fred Visconti 845-562-4040
Movie Filming on Liberty Street, Nowhere Ever After
A new film, Nowhere Ever After is being filmed on Liberty Street. It has been creating a lot of excitement for businesses that will be used, like the Wherehouse and Jenny's Floral Designs, which will be transformed into the Rome College Bookstore. The film is staring Melanie Lynskey (Rose from Two and a Half Men) and Nelsan Ellis (Lafayette from True Blood).
Almost three years ago, I attended a meeting that discussed how Newburgh could attract the film industry to the city. Since then, quite a few productions have been filmed in Newburgh, especially at Umbra Soundstage which has one of the few airplane stages north of New York City.
Old Town Cemetery Video
Check out this video of the Old Town Cemetery by Erica Shires. We are glad winter is over, but the snow sure does make the cemetery look beautiful.