The owner of a building that formerly housed the newspaper The Times Herald-Record is seeking a special permit from the City of Middletown in Orange County to convert part of the building for use by the nonprofit ADAPT of the Hudson Valley Inc.
Ellish Gardens LLC said that the building at 40 Mulberry St. in Middletown currently is vacant. The 2.85-acre site has on it the existing one-story building of approximately 53,000 square feet along with parking for 110 vehicles plus five handicapped parking spaces.
Ellish Gardens said that all of the changes that would be made to the building are internal and that ADAPT has signed a lease for 13,295 square feet of space for offices and to house its programming for clients.
“The program is a recreational and life skill building program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities,” ADAPT said in a document filed with the city. “These courses are taught both in the community and on site through traditional instruction. The program will also host our supported work department and work readiness space where we provide job skill training to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.”
ADAPT said that its new facility would operate Monday through Friday. It would provide programming for 61 individuals and will have 31 staff members. It described the staff for its day program as arriving at around 7 a.m. to prepare for going out in minivans that are used to transport the participants.
“Vehicles depart any time between 7:15 and 7:45 a.m. depending on the route. Our entire fleet of 15 vehicles are in use during this time, coming and going until approximately 8:30-9:00 a.m.,” ADAPT said. “During this time, we have approximately another 10 vehicles dropping people supported off at various times. By 9:15 a.m., the 15 program vehicles then depart for the community program activity of the morning.”
ADAPT explained that the morning client activities take from one to three hours, at which point all vehicles return to the site for lunch. During this one to three hour period, additional programming is provided on-site such as life skill building and recreational instruction. At any point in time, one or two additional teachers may be on site to teach the courses.
“After lunch, our fleet of 15 vehicles depart anywhere between 1:30 and 2:00 p.m. to drop the people we support back to their homes,” ADAPT said. “The additional 10 vehicles that drop people off in the morning return to pick up the folks they dropped off. After the 15 vehicles return back to program, staff return to complete their paperwork prior to leaving between 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. Around this time, additional people supported, who assist with our cleaning through supported employment, may be on site with their job coaches until about 8:00 p.m. About five people are present.”
ADAPT added that it conducts staff training and training for clients weekends or evenings.
“The regularity and frequency of these weekend and night programs are not set in stone but will occur from time to time,” ADAPT said.
ADAPT said that it is anticipated that 50 of the parking spaces on the property would be dedicated for its use.
