Safe Harbors of the Hudson is a mixed-use, non-profit housing and arts redevelopment project.

The project began in 2002 with the purchase of the Hotel Newburgh, a once proud destination, that had deteriorated over the years. Safe Harbors purchased the hotel in 2002 and in 2004 was awarded $21 million in state, county and federal funds to create a vibrant affordable, supportive housing complex.

Our Mission

Transforming lives and building communities through housing and the arts. See our Success Stories on YouTube.

Our Staff

For a list of our Staff members, click here. Founded by Tricia Haggerty Wenz, 2000

Housing

In 2002, Safe Harbors purchased the historic Hotel Newburgh at 111 Broadway in the City of Newburgh, New York. This once luxurious hotel destination had devolved into crime and drug infested, sub-standard housing for many of Newburgh’s struggling and disenfranchised residents.

In 2004, with state, federal and county support, Safe Harbors transformed the Hotel Newburgh into the Cornerstone Residence—safe, supportive and well-designed permanent housing for 128 of our neighbors, including those living with mental health diagnoses and physical disabilities, veterans, the formerly homeless, artists in need of affordable live-work space and low and very low income working adults.

This unique housing opportunity offers many amenities and programs designed to engage and enhance the lives of our residents and community members. On-site support services and job training is provided by Safe Harbors partner Independent Living, an advocacy and service organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for persons with disabilities. The Cornerstone facility includes a fitness center, library and computer lab. With our partner SUNY Orange, Safe Harbors offers a free GED program for our residents and community members. Field trips, special events and programs throughout the year make for a vibrant, inclusive community.

The Cornerstone also houses several multi-use spaces that may be utilized by residents and rented by community members for special events of all kinds. For information about space rental, please click here

For information about apartment rentals, click here to learn more.

The Cornerstone

The Cornerstone

Completed in 2006, The Cornerstone Residence includes 128 apartments, including 116 supportive housing units and 12 artist lofts. The Cornerstone houses a mixed tenancy of adults including the formerly homeless, those living with a mental health diagnosis, veterans, artists, low-income working adults, and other adults who need affordable housing.

The Arts

With the Cornerstone serving as our model and inspiration, Safe Harbors is continuing its goal of creating and implementing a redevelopment plan that will effect meaningful change and enrich the quality of life in the surrounding urban neighborhoods. It is our belief that the arts will help create positive social change in Newburgh, increasing traffic to the historic downtown area and encouraging an inspiring exchange of ideas, viewpoints, and cultures.

To this end, Safe Harbors opened the Ann Street Gallery located within the Cornerstone building as an integral piece in our redevelopment project. The Gallery presents contemporary art through exhibitions and programming which create new opportunities for education and immersion in the arts in Newburgh. As one of the only visual arts venues in the city, Ann Street Gallery serves as a locus for Newburgh’s arts and cultural landscape, supporting hundreds of artists and welcoming visitors through exhibitions, events and programs throughout the year. For a schedule of exhibitions, gallery hours and information, click here to learn more.

National Endowment For The ArtsAnn Street Gallery is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Ann Street Gallery

Ann Street Gallery provides innovative exhibtions, events and programs that seek to increase arts literacy and appreciation by engaging community and promoting forward thinking, socially responsive, and under-represented positions in contemporary practice.

Theater

The Historic Ritz Theater is Located on the Corner of Broadway and Liberty Street in the Safe Harbors building, The Ritz Theater is the last remaining historic theater in the City of Newburgh. Neglect and fire have claimed the others.

Our goal for the restoration of the Ritz is to create a venue for live performances, provide employment training and educational opportunities for the residents of the community, and provide a home for local arts and performance groups.

While we program the original Ritz Theater lobby as an intimate performing venue (see the Lobby at the Ritz), Safe Harbors is working to restore the Ritz and create a large-scale community performance space where such greats as Lucille Ball and Frank Sinatra made debut performances, where Elle Fitzgerald and Louis Prima sang timeless tunes and where countless memories were made. Explore the history of The Historic Ritz Theater.

The Ritz Theater

The Lobby at the Ritz

The Lobby at the Ritz is Safe Harbors’ intimate performing arts space. hosting world class musicians and partners with local production companies to create a vibrant performance venue in downtown Newburgh.

Work In The Community

2 Alices Coffee

Safe Harbors builds community through annual events, programs, and community engagement. Our spring community clean up brings hundreds of Newburgh and neighboring community members out to clean the city streets. Safe Harbors Annual 5K brings hundreds of runners, walkers, and spectators to the city each year. Safe Harbors Annual Holiday Festival, invites children and adults of all ages to visit with Santa Claus and Frosty, enjoy live music, shop local, and take in the holiday atmosphere in a vibrant community setting. Outdoor concerts, summer circus program, farmers markets and public art exhibitions have anchored Safe Harbors as a cultural and community hub and venue for local and partnering organizations’ meetings and events.

And…
Safe Harbors provided fertile soil for two vibrant businesses in our Broadway commercial spaces and is happy to have Grit Works and 2 Alices Coffee Lounge in the building.

Artist Studio Space

For resident and community artists, contact Theresa Gooby for more information.

Awards & Recognition

Safe Harbors has received many awards in recognition of our innovative work, including Orange County Arts Council 2015 Arts Organization of the Year, Orange County Citizens’ Foundation Placemaking Award in 2013, Orange County Chamber of Commerce’s Not-for-Profit Enterprise of the Year in 2008 and the Residence of the Year Award from the Supportive Housing Network of New York State in 2007. We are humbled to have received so much community support and look forward to many more years of continuing our mission.

We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals to engage fully. To request an accommodation or for inquiries about accessibility, please contact info@safe-harbors.org.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Safe Harbors of the Hudson is committed to fostering and maintaining an environment that values diversity, equity, belonging and access. This inclusive approach is integral to Safe Harbors’ workplace, housing and community programming.

We strive to ensure Safe Harbors’ leadership reflects the community and is focused on the success and celebration of Newburgh and its residents. This is a place where people are valued, respected and supported in reaching their full potential and where community voices can be harmoniously engaged and amplified. We recognize that diverse ideas, voices and perspectives strengthen our work and our community.

“In diversity, there is beauty and strength.”
—Maya Angelou

Changing Lives, Transforming Community