Kingston’s Planning Board has approved the site plan for a mixed-use project with an estimated cost of $20 million. Baxter Development Co. based in Poughkeepsie plans to move forward with developing the project at 615 Broadway on the site of the former Kings Inn motel. The motel closed in 2011 and subsequently was demolished, leaving the site vacant.
In 2018, Kingston sought interest from developers for doing something at the site but there was not sufficient response. In 2022, the city issued a Request for Proposals, which led to the selection of Baxter as developer. 
Conceptual rendering of 615 Broadway project in Kingston.
The project site is a 0.78-acre parcel in Kingston’s Midtown District, close to the Ulster Performing Arts Center. The approved plan calls for 70 residential units, 7,000 square feet of ground floor commercial space and a 3,630-square-feet courtyard and plaza that will be used as community open space.
“The new plans that Baxter presented to the Planning Board are the result of robust community engagement and feedback, and we are confident that this development will be an asset to the Broadway Corridor and Midtown Arts District,” Kingston Mayor Steve Noble said. “I am so pleased that this project, that will be located in a prime space in the heart of Midtown Kingston which has been sitting vacant for far too long, is moving forward.”
Eric Baxter, vice president at Baxter Development, said, “Working with the City of Kingston has been an exceptional experience. We’re proud to partner with a city that values both vision and collaboration, and we look forward to bringing 615 Broadway to life as a vibrant addition to Midtown Kingston.”
Approximately 20% of the units are to be priced in the affordable category and the remainder will be priced as workforce housing, reserved for individuals and families making an average of 80% to 120% of the Area Median Income. The developer will be making a payment of $132,000 to the city’s Recreation Trust Fund. The payment is a result of the Planning Board determining that the addition of 70 apartments will attract enough people to the area to impact nearby city parks.
“Recognizing that the project does offer a privately owned courtyard plaza intended to be open to the public during commercial business hours with some green space and outdoor seating areas, the Board concurs that this project would result in an increased use of nearby parks and facilities for programs and passive and active recreation,” the Planning Board said in its approval resolution. “Such increases require strategic planning to meet the needs of our residents and provide high quality of Iife experiences for all. Each impact, small or large, must be taken into consideration so we can best prepare for the future of our community spaces and offerings. The Recreation Trust Fund is utilized to help supply new playgrounds, pavilions, and amenities to contribute back to the city’s parks and programs and allows for the department to continue to grow its recreational opportunities to meet the community needs.”
