Repair and Restore

Beacon puts millions into infrastructure upgrades

The City of Beacon is undertaking $40 million in capital improvements this year and in 2025, including two projects — construction of the central fire station and repaving and rehabilitation of Fishkill and Teller avenues — decades in the making. Here’s a look at what is happening now and what’s up next. 

Beacon Fire Station

Completion: Mid-October
Cost: $14.7 million
Status: The interior is finished except for an elevator panel. An open house will be scheduled once a certificate of occupancy is issued, likely in late October. The adjacent parking lot should reopen to the public by Sept. 30. 

Fishkill/Teller Avenue

Completion: July 2025
Cost: $9 million
Status: The rehabilitation of the roadway, sidewalks and crosswalks along a nearly mile-long stretch of Fishkill/Teller Avenue between Wolcott Avenue and Blackburn Avenue is a month ahead of schedule. Sidewalks also may be replaced on Fishkill Avenue beyond Blackburn. 

City Hall stairs

Completion: Early October
Cost: $164,000
Status: The exterior stairs from Beekman Street to the police station, along with a set from the station to City Hall, are being rebuilt. Signs lead pedestrians along an ADA-accessible detour from Beekman to Main Street. 

Wastewater administrative building

Completion: Winter
Cost: $500,000
Status: The city plans to solicit bids this fall to replace the roof.

Wee Play Tot Park

Completion: Benches, picnic tables and some shade structures to be installed
Cost: $120,000
Status: This space at Memorial Park was expected to be done in April, but as City Administrator Chris White told the City Council on Monday (Sept. 9), the contractor “ghosted” the project. (The play area is now open.) The nonprofit WeePlay Community Project donated $31,000 toward the cost.

West Main pump station

Completion: Begins this fall
Cost: $3.05 million
Status: The pump station creates pressure to force sewage through a line that delivers it to the wastewater treatment plant. The force main is also being replaced, a project that is underway.

Transfer Station

Completion: Done
Cost: $30,000
Status: Beacon’s former incinerator building was rehabbed over the past two years. Hundreds of nesting birds were removed, and the windows were replaced and repainted.

Wastewater settling tanks

Completion: Mostly done
Cost: $1.9 million
Status: Three sets of double, in-ground tanks at the wastewater treatment plant have been refurbished over the past three years. When wastewater enters the plant, solids settle out of the mix in these tanks. The city is spending $1.4 million of its federal pandemic relief funding on the project. 

Curb ramps

Completion: End of September
Cost: $220,000
Status: Thirty-four curb ramps are being rebuilt citywide to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. They should be finished before the milling and repaving of select streets begins.

West Center sidewalks

Completion: TBD
Cost: $191,000
Status: The City Council will vote on Monday (Sept. 16) to award a contract to replace 660 feet of sidewalk on the south side of West Center Street between South Avenue and the entrance to the Recreation Center.

Washington Avenue culvert

Completion: Begins this fall
Cost: $115,000
Status: The culvert allows a stream to run beneath Washington Avenue. A wall that supports the embankment and keeps it from collapsing into the stream will be replaced. 

Wastewater dewatering system

Completion: TBD
Cost: $5.54 million
Status: A failing mechanical belt-press system at the wastewater treatment plant will be replaced with two centrifuge units on the second floor of this building to further separate solids and liquids. Bids are due Oct. 3.