The Plant Depot on Route 9 in Fishkill may not be sitting vacant for much longer.

Things are looking up for the local economy in 2021. Last year a record number of businesses sat empty on Route 9. At one point there were over 21 abandoned buildings between Poughkeepsie and Fishkill. But now, there may be a light at the end of the tunnel. Closed businesses in the Hudson Valley are finding new life as developers plan for big changes to the area. Recently we learned that a new Popeye's restaurant is being planned on Route 9 in the Town of Wappinger. And just this week it was announced that the Coyote Grill in Poughkeepsie was sold and will be transforming into a whole new business.

Now comes word that a huge eyesore may soon be disappearing. The Plant Depot closed down in 2015 after 22 years in business. At the time, owner Lou Paggiotta and his wife Lorraine decided it was time to retire. Since then, the building has sat vacant, leaving many wondering what would ever come of this huge piece of real estate.

Recently, developers approached the Town of Wappinger Planning Board for a conceptual review of a plan to transform the site into a new business.

Town of Wappinger
Town of Wappinger
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The plan is to erect a U-Haul Moving and Storage business where Plant Depot used to operate. The proposal calls for the original building to be used as a showroom, with new self-storage units and a truck share area. The truck share program would "allow for multiple families to share the same vehicle." Both the vehicle business and self-storage units would operate 24 hours a day.

Submitted paperwork is currently being reviewed by the Town of Wappinger. The Plant Depot site was most recently listed for 4 million dollars by McGrath Realty.

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