FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 12, 2026

Mayor Noble Statement Regarding Pike Plan Demolition:

As a reminder, as we start to see the demolition of the Pike Plan canopies begin, the structure is in a state of irreparable deterioration and cannot be repaired. The Pike Plan was built between 1973 and 1976, during an Urban Renewal effort and was part of a plan to turn Wall and North Front Street into a pedestrian-only mall. This flawed strategy never came to fruition and the project was a failure. 

The canopies were then re-built in 2009-2011 with shoddy craftsmanship, which has been the source of litigation, and has caused headaches for the property and business owners ever since. At this point, the disrepair has become a dangerous situation, a looming hazard to the safety of our community.

These Stockade District buildings adjacent to the canopies are on the National Register of Historic Places and I believe should be seen without the Urban Renewal-era public attachment, but I have not taken this decision lightly. The canopies have been in place my entire life, and have been the defining characteristic to Uptown Kingston for nearly 50 years. But the concept of the project – the City owning a structure attached to other folks’ property -- is not tenable. Imagine owning your neighbor’s front porch. Not only does it make maintenance challenging, but if the front porch extended for your entire block across multiple homes with different aesthetics and standards, it would make upkeep all the more difficult.

I want to emphatically state: the Pike Plan is not what makes Kingston unique. The small businesses, the eateries, the shops, the vibrant arts and culture scene, and our residents are what makes Kingston special. Storefronts and restaurants have been blocked from street view, and the beautiful architecture has been hidden away by this imposing structure. I truly believe that once the canopies come down, Uptown will be able to shine.