Credit: Brent Buck Architects
On Wednesday, Oct. 9, the Pine Plains Planning Board reviewed a site plan for a new bookstore café proposed for the former Grange Hall at 3007 East Church Street. Architect Brent Buck and architectural designer Naomi Steinhagen presented the plan on behalf of Cynthia E. Daniel, who is overseeing the design of the space.
While Daniel is working with the architect, the business will be run by her son, Henri Lipton, who owns the property, and his fiancée, Michele Moses. “Our vision is to open the doors of the extraordinarily beautiful grange building to the residents and visitors of Pine Plains and to make it an inviting space for gathering and spending time,” Moses said in an email to the Herald. “We dream of having regulars who stop in often: to sit with a cup of coffee and a sandwich, to browse our curated selection of new novels, or to attend a reading or a seminar. We believe that bookstores are community spaces, and we have been so inspired by the grange’s history as we imagine its next chapter.”
Credit: Brent Buck Architects
The team at Brent Buck Architects has been consulting with Doug Weaver — an excavator who runs Superior Sanitation — to ensure compliance with county health codes. Last week, the Dutchess County Department of Health visited the site and conducted a percolation test on the existing septic system, which yielded positive results, according to Buck. The team has been advised to install a new septic system in the rear corner of the property.
“Our overriding goals here are to try and preserve the historic architecture that’s there, touch the outside of the building lightly and the interior of the building lightly as well, to preserve the character of the building, which we love,” Buck said.
Accessibility is a key focus of the design, with plans to add a ramp leading to a small front porch, providing access to the main floor. This level will house the bookstore, a café offering light fare and coffee with six tables, and an accessible bathroom. A small all-electric kitchen, an additional bathroom and storage space will be located on the lower level.
During the review, Planning Board members and town engineer George Schmitt raised questions about exterior lighting, signage, septic and generator locations, the loading area, and business hours. Board member Ethan DiMaria expressed concerns about the addition of small front porches, requesting a detailed rendering to better visualize their impact on the building’s historic facade.
“I think the deck that you’re proposing will alter the facade of the building more than I’m personally comfortable with,” DiMaria said, requesting a visual mockup of the proposed porch. Buck and Steinhagen responded by showing a historical photograph of the building from its time as a church, featuring a similar porch. They committed to providing updated visuals and further details on the septic system at a future meeting.
Credit: Brent Buck Architects
“I think the next step for this will be for us to come back to you with updated visuals and updated septic plans,” said Buck, who added, “I have confidence to tell Doug [Weaver] that we should start planning the septic.”
The meeting also included a report from John Furse, representing the Stissing Farms townhouse development at 34 Centre Road. Furse updated the board on the property’s application with the state Attorney General’s office to form a condominium association, a process that involves three reviews. The first step, the offering plan, was approved by the Attorney General’s office in early August. The second step, involving the review of additional forms submitted to a paralegal in the Attorney General’s office, is still pending. The final step requires sign-off from an architect to ensure that existing structures meet state standards for condominiums.
“We’re working, we’re frustrated,” Furse said, noting that it typically takes the state about 30 days to respond to submissions. He presented the town attorney, Warren Replansky, with a set of documents about three inches thick, outlining the group’s progress.
The next Planning Board meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 13.