Sep 13, 20232 min read

Opening of the Red Barn Event Space in Columbia County

September 12, 2023

Enhances the City of Hudson by Creating a Year-Round, Multi-Use Destination, Complementing the City’s Waterfront All-Electric Heating and Cooling Systems, Energy Efficiency Upgrades, and Onsite Solar Arrays to Lower Carbon Footprint and Reduce Energy Costs Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the completion of the Red Barn in Hudson, Columbia County. This new addition to Hudson’s historic waterfront, located in close proximity to Hudson’s train station, will provide visitors with dining and shopping options and includes over $6 million in construction costs for the new Caboose, an event space, a full-service restaurant, Grapefruit Wines retail store, plus spaces for other community activities. The recently completed Red Barn site, created by South Front Street Holdings LLC, offers a dynamic year-round, multi-use space that will amplify and complement other activities on Hudson's waterfront and help to further advance waterfront revitalization for the region. “The Hudson River is one of New York State’s greatest assets and it is important to make investments that protect and preserve our natural environment while growing the economy in the surrounding communities,” Governor Hochul said. “The Red Barn in Hudson is a perfect example of sustainable construction that protects our environment, and it’s done in a way that will attract more businesses and grow the local tourism economy.” Located in Hudson's Downtown Revitalization Initiative "BRIDGE District," the site includes a 6,500 square foot historic post and beam Barn building, and the 4,000 square foot Market Building. The Market Building houses Kitty’s Market and Restaurant, which is now joined by the Caboose and Grapefruit Wines in the adjacent Barn Building to create a space that will further activate and enliven Hudson’s waterfront district year-round. The site includes an expansive garden, which serves as the site for a dynamic roster of performances and other community programming. The opening of Red Barn Hudson caps three years of construction, which transformed the two long-neglected buildings in the heart of Hudson’s waterfront. Sustainable redevelopment, utilizing comprehensive green energy measures and rigorously engineered systems to achieve 100% carbon-neutral operations for the Barn Building was a key element to the overall site planning. Renovations to the Barn Building included critical weatherization to seal the envelope using structural insulation panels (SIPs) to allow year-round, efficient energy performance with all-electric systems. Honoring the building’s past, the original structure and frame, including the beams, rafters and flooring, were preserved and meticulously restored, and were reused in the new building. Originally an unconditioned wood structure that sat on cement pilings directly above the ground, similar to residential deck construction, the renovation encompassed significant improvements to rehabilitate and re-purpose this former derelict site with innovative green design, including a completely new foundation with a frost wall and a gravel layer to allow for water flow in the case of flooding, all extensively insulated; exterior walls and roof were removed, and replaced with structural insulation panels; rigorous weatherization to fully seal the thermal enclosure; and the installation of all-electric mechanical and energy systems. Honoring the building’s past, the original structure and frame, including the beams, rafters and flooring, were preserved and meticulously restored, and were reused in the new building. The facility will be powered from clean, renewable energy from onsite solar arrays. Read the full press release here.