Burned Wappingers Buildings Getting Roofs; Barriers Coming Down
Buildings affected by the massive fire that swept through the Village of Wappingers Falls are quickly being rebuilt, with road barriers scheduled to be removed soon.
A Facebook page called Wappingers Rises has been created by residents who are working hard to heal the village after a tragic fire burned almost an entire block of buildings in June. According to a post by Village planning board member, Trent Atkinson, remediation of the buildings is moving forward with roofs and windows expected to be back on the buildings by December. Atkinson also reports that the barriers surrounding the buildings on Main Street should also be gone by Christmas.
The Village of Wappingers has seen a revival of sorts, with six new businesses opening their doors in just the last three months. In addition, the planning board member says that three to four additional businesses should be opening soon, with many more in the planning stages.
Atkinson attributes some of the Village's revival to a moratorium on new businesses being opened in Beacon. Inadequate infrastructure has put a stress on water service in Beacon, so no new construction will be approved for six months, and that term could be extended to years. In contrast, the Village of Wappingers has invested heavily on infrastructure, over the past few years, making sure current and future businesses will have enough utilities to grow.