Ahead of Monday's planning board meeting in Kingston, people againt RUPCO's development proposal rallied in opposition to the plan for the former Kingston Alms House.
RUPCO is looking for a zoning change to build 60-plus housing units for seniors aged 55 and older. The group says the building was on the market for more than four years without any takers at the price the county was looking for.
RUPCO is set to receive a property tax abatement to redevelop the vacant property. But opponents aren't convinced it's worth losing out on that revenue, and don't believe the number of jobs created justifies the discount.
"Pilots are vehicles to incentivize developers to make investments where they otherwise wouldn't make investments, but they're always tied to job development," said Vince Rua with the Kingston Republican Party Committee.
"Again, that's wishful thinking on the part of some project opponents who are concerned that this project would be located in their neighborhood, in their backyard," said RUPCO VP of Community Development Guy Kempe. "That's really where they're coming from."
Kempe says RUPCO is purchasing the site for more than $300,000 more than the county listed it.