Ulster County is collaborating with the newly-established arts organization, BLUEprint and is planning to bring outdoor concerts and an outdoor movie series to residents
BLUEprint is a collective of local artists, musicians, and designers who have previously established successful festivals in the Hudson Valley, including the O+ Festival.
ULSTER, NY – Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan announced today that Ulster County will host an outdoor summer event series on the grounds of Enterprise West, the former IBM campus, thanks to a collaboration with the newly-established arts organization, BLUEprint. The group is a collective of local artists, musicians, and designers who have run concert venues, operated design studios, built art and music studios, and have previously established successful festivals in the Hudson Valley, including the O+ Festival. BLUEprint co-directors are Kingston residents Molly Sterrs, Kyle McDonough, Joe Concra, Micah Blumenthal, Jared Ashdown and Eliza Edge. BLUEprint is excited to partner with the founders and crew from BSP and Output agency.
“Ulster County has a diverse pool of talented artists and musicians, and I am so excited that they are bringing their creativity to bear to help lead the rebirth and renewal of the former IBM site,” said County Executive Pat Ryan. “The arts aren’t a luxury; they are for everyone. I’m thrilled to see the grounds of Enterprise West come alive this summer with community-driven programming that will benefit all of our residents.”
The BLUEprint summer series will be located on the former IBM parking lot and fields at 101 Enterprise Drive in the town of Ulster, and specific programming details will be announced at an upcoming date. Planned events include outdoor concerts, as well as an outdoor movie series. Interested community organizations can apply to host an event by visiting blueprinthv.com and filling out an application form. Last summer, the current BLUEprint location hosted thousands of Ulster County residents for free summer movies, and also welcomed hundreds to the Phoenicia Festival of the Voice, which will return this year for an expanded series August 27 – 29th 2021.
“BLUEprint’s adaptive reuse of the former IBM for community benefit is a significant step forward in transforming the West Campus,” said Town of Ulster Supervisor James Quigley. “I look forward to this positive utilization.”
“BLUEprint is about mapping the future without knowing the result – it is a living map,” said BLUEprint team member Saidee Sonnenberg. “BLUEprint seeks to be a destination that champions the creativity of makers and artists who are the backbone of Ulster County. We are an inclusive, people-first organization that respects the diverse landscape of our community and welcomes all event proposals for the Enterprise West campus.”
“As we continue to bring this property back to a useful, productive space, it is important to showcase often overlooked aspects of what it has to offer”, said Ulster County Legislator Brian Cahill. “Using the outdoor space to reunite our community after the enormous difficulties of the pandemic is a map to a new future for this campus.”
“I am excited to see Enterprise West being used and especially excited to see music events,” said Chair of TownOfUlsterCitizens.org Laura Hartmann. “As an artist manager for more than 30 years, it is very gratifying to see Ulster County support the arts in this way. And seeing this long-vacant property getting a new lease on life is inspiring.”
Enterprise West is comprised of two parcels on over 80 acres of land and a 400,000 square foot office building that was last used in 2015 as a tax processing center by Bank of America. The property ownership was recently transferred to the Ulster County Economic Development Alliance, a move proposed by the County Executive and approved unanimously by the Ulster County Legislature.
In March 2021, Ulster County announced that more than 20 proposals were received for the redevelopment of all or part of Enterprise West, including five to purchase some or all of the site, 11 to rent or lease some or all of the site, and 12 to provide services to assist the county in redeveloping the site. Proposals ranged from a satellite college campus, arts and maker space, and agricultural manufacturing facilities.
An Enterprise West Advisory Committee, which includes Sarah Haley, Tim Weidemann, Brian Cahill, Zac Kleinhandler, Jim Quigley, Laura Hartman, and Yvonne Wynkoop, is currently evaluating the proposals for the campus.