Middletown reboots

Joseph DeStefano, incoming mayor, already formulating plans to get city on track

Middletown, centered in the heart of Orange County, is aptly named in the simple, hardworking tradition of centuries gone by.

The city”™s population of more than 25,000 is spread out over five square miles and by incoming mayor Joe DeStefano”™s tally, nearly half of the city”™s population is Spanish-speaking. The stores that dot the city reflect the Latin theme. But whatever the culture, store owners, like DeStefano, want to see downtown Middletown attract new business and residents to live, work and become part of the city.

Gerry Sanchez is one of those interested stakeholders, focused more on the city”™s potential than its pitfalls. His company, Polonia Restoration, has bought up abandoned properties and refurbished them for mixed use ”“ the kind that urban designers tout as a way to attract city lovers priced out of the New York City market.

Sanchez these days is giving bankers tours of his newest endeavor on North Street, where he”™s bought two adjoining buildings and is in the process of refurbishing the upper floors into new apartments and redesigning the ground floor storefronts. “This is what people want today,” said Sanchez. “A neighborhood they can work in, walk in and have a life in. Middletown has some wonderful buildings that just need TLC. The city has been very supportive of our efforts, but the economy has not been kind. Getting financing is a challenge.”

Refurbished buildings on North Street reflect comeback.

Indeed, many storefronts are vacant, but it wasn”™t always like that, says incoming Mayor Joseph DeStefano, who said the 1960s urban renewal program was the beginning of the end for his hometown.

DeStefano has a vested interest in the city”™s rebirth: He owns Old Erie Pub & Grille and has been in the city”™s restaurant business ”“ as well as knee-deep in its politics ”“ since the 1980s. Scandal forced him to resign as mayor in 2005; after being acquitted, it wasn”™t long before he returned to the political arena, determined to win back his mayoral seat. He defeated incumbent Marlinda Duncanson in a landslide victory in November.Â DeStefano already is reportedly going over the city”™s 2010 budget to make sure he doesn”™t skip a beat when taking the oath of office on Jan.1.

“He”™s got more vision for this city than any mayor we”™ve seen since we”™ve been here, ” said one longtime storekeepers along the North Street corridor.

“We”™ve got some wonderful buildings and stores here that have just been let go,” said DeStefano. “It”™s great to see people like Gerry Sanchez coming in and restoring some of our architectural gems. We are rebuilding interest in the Paramount Theatre; it”™s from that point to the end of North Street where we are focusing on making the city truly a walkable community.”

Gerry Sanchez, owner of Polonia Restorations, in one of his renovated apartments.

DeStefano says taking the streets back one by one may be a formidable task, but he”™s determined to make it happen.
In order to do make the city attractive, says DeStefano, “People need to feel safe. I don”™t care how much money you throw at a neighborhood, if people are afraid to walk around at night, you”™ve got a problem. I want to make people feel like this is their city, their community and their responsibility to keep it safe and attractive.” Yes, DeStefano has definite plans for shifting the way the city”™s currently running itself once he”™s back in the mayor”™s seat.

The city that grew up as a hub of the railroad industry shows little of that former industry today. Thrall Library was once home to the Erie Railroad. Now, the building houses the library and several community rooms as well as a used bookstore.

Pocket parks are coming into vogue. And while mom and pop stores were displaced by malls farther down Route 211 in the town of Wallkill, many see Middletown”™s inner city as the place where revitalization can take place, given some work.

Stella Pupo opened Stella”™s CafÃ© in 2004. “We”™ve been very fortunate,” says the Italy-born owner. “We see new people coming in every day. I wasn”™t here when the city was the gem old-timers said it was, but I”™d like to be here when it comes back … and I think it will. We all just have to have faith in that and work for it.”