The Pine Plains Planning Board approved the site plan for Sky and Celery, a new café and bookstore at 3007 East Church St., while considering another proposal that could expand the options for grabbing a bite downtown — a bakery and market in the former library building, vacant since 2016.
At the board meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 12, Industry Standard LLC, which owns the building at 7806 South Main St, presented preliminary plans to redevelop the site as a new location for Vitsky Bakery, an artisan bakery that uses locally sourced ingredients located in Wassaic. “It’s a great bakery,” said resident Sarah Jones who attended the meeting.
The project would also include a small market, and on the second floor either housing or a community space.
Ben Falk, representing Industry Standard, outlined two possible paths forward: a stabilization and renovation of the existing structure or a full demolition and reconstruction in the same architectural style. Preliminary plans include a 600-square-foot rear expansion for a basement and mechanicals, as well as a septic system that would service the building. A full site plan will be submitted for review in the coming months.
“The goal is to keep the spirit and look of the building alive while ensuring it lasts for the next 100 years,” Falk told the board.
The board also received assurances from Nathan Rawlinson, general manager of Stissing House, that the restaurant will replace its parking lot lights with DarkSky compliant fixtures. And it reviewed a permit renewal from Alchemy Pure, a branding and distribution company for legal cannabis that was previously granted approval to operate a 15,000-square-foot manufacturing plant at 2775 West Church St.
Editor’s Note: While it is confirmed that the owner of Vitsky Bakery has had discussions about the project, no formal decisions have been made regarding their involvement. As discussions progress, we will continue to report on any official developments.