The Wellington

February 21, 2025

 

The Wellington
Pine Hill, Ulster County

A Historic Landmark, A Sustainable Future

The historic Wellington Hotel, a rare surviving example of Catskill resort hotels, is being revitalized to serve the modern needs of Pine Hill, NY. Built in 1882 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Wellington is more than a historic landmark—it is a pivotal part of Pine Hill’s future. This redevelopment will bring much-needed affordable housing and a food market to a town lacking both.

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Creating Rentals that Work

Housing in Pine Hill and the greater Shandaken area is scarce and unaffordable for many local workers. With rental vacancies at virtually zero and half of all tenants paying more than 30% of their income on rent, finding a place to live near work is a major challenge. This project will transform the vacant 12,000 square foot Wellington into 10 rent-affordable apartments designed specifically for people who work in the region—teachers, service workers, small business employees, and others who are vital to the Central Catskill’s economy and culture. The plan aligns with smart growth principles, supporting local employment, reducing long commutes, and helping small businesses thrive with a local workforce.

Addressing Pine Hill’s Food Desert

In addition to housing, the project includes a ground-floor food market/café, offering essential groceries and meals for residents and visitors. Currently, Pine Hill lacks a place to buy food, making it difficult for people to access fresh ingredients and daily necessities without long travel times. This food market will be a game-changer—improving access to nutritious food while also enhancing the village’s appeal to tourists.

Led by the Community for the Community

This transformation is driven by the people of Pine Hill. Twenty residents came together to purchase the Wellington Hotel, forming Wellington Blueberry, LLC and later, the nonprofit Friends of Pine Hill Historic District to guide its future. Community members throughout the village joined cleanup days to clear the grounds and cart away junk piles. Community leadership and dedication ensure that this project remains deeply rooted in local needs and aspirations. Friends of Pine Hill Historic District will own and manage the building while supporting future community development efforts.

RUPCO, a nonprofit leader in housing and community development, is the project’s development partner. With decades of experience in historic preservation and affordable housing across the Hudson Valley, RUPCO is committed to maintaining the Wellington’s historic character while ensuring it serves the needs of Pine Hill residents.

Funding Sources

This project represents one of several volunteer-led, initiatives in Shandaken that is supported by the Town to foster a sustainable balance between community needs, the local economy, and environmental preservation. Wellington Blueberry, LLC has invested over $600,000 in pre-development costs, including making the site safe and advancing architectural drawings. The National Park Service has approved those drawings which enable the project to raise $2 Million in Historic Tax Credit funds. On behalf of the Wellington project and the Town of Shandaken, Ulster County Economic Development was awarded an Empire State Development Restore New York grant of $1.6 Million toward the rehabilitation costs and will be applying for additional funding sources to help bring the $7.5 Million development to life. Tax deductible individual grant contributions can be made to RUPCO and reserved for the Wellington Project while Friends of Pine Hill Historic District waits for its federal exemption declaration.

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Made out to: RUPCO, Inc | Memo: The Wellington

Mail to: 289 Fair St. Kingston, NY 12401

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Who are you?
    Friends of Pine Hill Historic District and the Wellington Blueberry, LLC
    We are a group of local community residents who have come together with a shared vision: to revitalize and celebrate the history of our village. To bring this vision to life, we formed an LLC to acquire the Wellington and created Friends of Pine Hill Historic District nonprofit organization to ultimately own and operate it as well as support future projects. Our goal is to preserve the unique character and cultural heritage of Pine Hill while enhancing the community’s future.Partnership with RUPCO
    We’ve partnered with RUPCO, a leader in affordable housing in the Hudson Valley with over 40 years of experience. Their mission is to create homes, support people, and improve communities. As a trusted developer, RUPCO will lead the development of the Wellington Blueberry project, ensuring that our shared vision of preserving Pine Hill’s history while fostering a thriving community is realized. Together, we aim to create a space that celebrates our village’s past and future.
  • What are your plans for the building?
    Our plans for the building include:
    First floor: A food market for daily shopping featuring meat, dairy, produce, and baked goods sourced whenever possible from local farmers and artisans.
    Upper floors: Ten fully renovated apartments, designed for people who live and work in the area.
    Outdoor grounds: The half-acre lot will be cleaned up and available for both public and private events.
  • What’s the history of the Wellington Hotel?
    In the late 19th and early 20th century, Pine Hill was considered “the Saratoga of the Catskills” for its pure spring water and clean air. The Wellington Hotel, built in 1882, was an anchor on Main Street with multiple buildings, a café, stable and bowling alley and a cupola that can be viewed throughout the hamlet. It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places, but it’s been neglected for years. This is our chance to bring it back.
  • Why is this project important for Pine Hill?
    This project addressing local needs—affordable housing, access to fresh food, and revitalizing an iconic building. It’s about creating a stronger, more vibrant community for all of us.
  • Is this subsidized housing?
    No, this will not be subsidized housing. However, we are actively applying for grants to help reduce construction costs, which will allow us to offer affordable rents to local residents and workers in the area.
  • Will the redevelopment increase noise in the neighborhood?
    While construction will generate some temporary noise, work will be conducted during designated hours to minimize disruption. Once complete, the Wellington will house long-term residents and a café/market with regular business hours, ensuring a quiet and community-friendly atmosphere.
  • Will the redevelopment increase traffic congestion?
    The project is designed with appropriate scale in mind. Pine Hill is a walkable village. It is also served by UCAT so people can come and go from neighboring hamlets. The café/market will serve existing residents and visitors already coming to Pine Hill, meaning no significant increase in traffic volume is expected. Most residents will leave for work in the morning and return in the evening.
  • What about lighting on the building? Will outdoor lighting keep us from enjoying the stars at night?
    Shandaken has Night Sky regulations on its books and this project will adhere to those requirements.
  • What about parking?
    The project design includes 12 parking spaces where none existed on the site including one that will be ADA accessible and one for the commercial employee. Each apartment will be assigned one space. There is a municipal parking lot a half block away and the Town is working on creating a second one at the other end of Main Street. Current zoning law requires 1.5 spaces for residential units and parking requirements for commercial that can’t be fulfilled due to site limitations. Parking is an issue throughout Pine Hill and most historic villages that were built before there were so many cars. We will be requesting variances to make the project work and support the Town’s efforts to maintain municipal lots.
  • Who actually owns the building?
    The building is owned by a group of community members who formed a limited liability corporation, Wellington Blueberry, LLC—a name inspired by formal and informal names the building has had over the years. Ultimately, the building will be owned and managed by Friends of Pine Hill Historic District.
  • How will the project be funded?
    The building requires significant restoration, and we estimate the total cost of the project to be approximately $7 million. The project received a $1.6 million Restore grant from New York Empire State Development The National Park Service has approved our plans which allows us to sell historic tax credits to raise additional funds. We are applying to the state and county for additional funds.
  • This is so cool! How can I get involved?
    We’d love for you to be part of this exciting project! The best way to get involved is by joining our email list to stay informed about upcoming meetings, events, and project news. Please follow us on Instagram – @pinehillwellington – for behind-the-scenes updates and to see our progress. If you’re interested in supporting the project financially, contact us at hello@pinehillwellington.com and we’ll reach out about ways you can make tax deductible contributions to the project.