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Ulster County officials report Saugerties veterans center unusable; services continuing at alternate sites
Summary
Veteran Services Director Mark Kazapolei told the Health, Human Services and Human Rights Committee that the Hudson Valley National Center for Veterans Reintegration building in Saugerties has structural and contamination problems and is unlikely to reopen soon; programs continue at county-run Patriot House and other partner sites while staff seek longer-term options.
Veteran Services Director Mark Kazapolei told the Ulster County Legislature’s Health, Human Services and Human Rights Committee on June 4 that the Hudson Valley National Center for Veterans Reintegration building in Saugerties is being worked on but remains unusable in the near term due to multiple facility failures.
Kazapolei said conversations with the center’s executive director, George Hill, and county inspectors revealed significant problems including a failing roof, mold inside wall cavities and evidence of rodent infestation. "There's not a lot of confidence in that facility anytime in the near future," Kazapolei said, adding that the center’s programs remain operational at alternate locations.
County staff have shifted weekly PTSD groups and other programming into the county-run Patriot House and are using the Ryan House for some meetings. Kazapolei said the center continues to receive donations and that the vocational workshop remains open; he said county offices and economic development staff are assisting the center in finding temporary or satellite locations.
Deputy County Executive Amenta and the county’s economic development office have been searching for potential sites, Kazapolei said, including county-owned properties and other community facilities. Committee members asked whether the center’s temporary space at the Patriot House would remain available; Kazapolei said the arrangement is ongoing and does not currently have a time limit.
Legislators also raised a separate scheduling concern—whether a sheriff’s trailer used by the program might be needed for the county fair—after which Kazapolei said he would clarify the trailer’s status with county staff.
The committee did not take formal action on the update. Kazapolei and county staff said they were prioritizing continuity of services and exploring multiple site options while repairs or remediation are planned.
