New Windsor approves contracts for Ruscitti Park activity center renovation

Ruscitti Park’s activity center moved a step closer to becoming a usable community space after New Windsor approved a new round of renovation contracts that town officials said were more favorable than the first bid package. The work centers on a 2,900-square-foot clubhouse and community-center renovation, with the town now aiming to have the building open by the beginning of next year.

The board awarded the general construction contract to Maeda Construction, Inc. for $280,813, electrical work to PowerGen Electric for $94,400, plumbing to TM Brennan Service, Inc. for $218,000 and mechanical construction to DJ Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. for $138,000. A state grant secured by Sen. James Skoufis covers $617,650 of the project, and the town is responsible for the remaining $113,563.

The re-bid matters because the project is not just a cosmetic fix. Bid materials describe selective demolition, asbestos abatement, new interior and exterior finishes, accessible toilet rooms and new openings, all of which point to a building that is being modernized for day-to-day public use rather than simply refreshed. For Orange County families who use Ruscitti Park, the renovation is meant to create a safer, more functional activity center that can support programming and community gatherings.

Town Supervisor Steven Bedetti has said he would seek additional grant money for park work, and the Ruscitti project fits into a broader recreation push that has already brought the town a $950,000 grant for a splash pad and improvements at Kristi Babcock Park and Ruscitti Park. In the town’s 2025 year-end update, officials also said New Windsor had received a grant to begin revitalizing the teen center, adding another layer to the town’s recreation buildout.

The board meeting covered more than park construction. Members authorized Bedetti to sign a letter of intent to sell the gymnasium at 323 Sue Kelly Ave. for $750,000, above its assessed value of $690,000, with the buyer planning a catering business there. The town had first issued a request for proposals for the property on Aug. 29, 2024, with initial proposals due Oct. 10, 2024, and final proposals due Oct. 30, 2024.

Recreation planning also reached San Giacomo Dog Park, where the town discussed resurfacing and relining the pickleball courts so the site can hold six courts instead of four. The original four courts opened in March 2023 at 402 Union Avenue, and annual membership is required. Together, the contracts, property sale and court upgrades show a town trying to stretch its park system further while keeping capital costs under control.

New Windsor’s board, which meets on the first Wednesday of each month, also continued to weigh a temporary moratorium on warehouse and self-storage development while the Master Plan and zoning code are updated. The town says its Master Plan is revised every five years and will be due for another update next year, leaving park upgrades, land-use rules and new revenue opportunities all moving at once.