When Ali Höcek and Cynthia Corsiglia were looking at potential spots for a joint development project, the couple had many reasons for landing on Newburgh, New York, a 19th-century industrial city on the Hudson River. Cynthia, a securities lawyer, grew up next to a river and wanted to be near the water. Newburgh’s storied mix of buildings—from Revival-style churches to old factories—appealed to Ali, an architect who runs AC Höcek Architecture (ACHA) in New York City.

Only 68 miles from the couple’s home in the city, Newburgh was also within easy driving distance. Then, there were the people.

“Cynthia remarked to me in the first few months of her explorations that she never encountered a closed door in her many walks through the streets. Always a nod, a welcome,” says Ali. “There is a real beating heart in Newburgh. We were moved by the openness of the community.”

At the turn of the 20th century, Newburgh was thriving, with more than 100 factories in a range of manufacturing sectors from shipbuilding to clothing production. The city’s riverfront also provided a key maritime port. However, over the past 50 years Newburgh has experienced economic depression resulting in higher levels of unemployment and crime.

Many of Newburgh’s buildings, businesses, and homes were forsaken after the city “suffered the ravages of a poorly planned urban renewal project in the early 1970s,” explains the couple. “When we first visited, its streets housed almost 800 abandoned buildings, in part caused by the unsupportable taxes burdening the remaining private property owners.”

But the city’s rough exterior didn’t deter Ali and Cynthia’s interest. “Despite Newburgh’s blight, its bones remain magnificent,” the couple adds.

Before: Exterior

Since 2015, Ali and Cynthia had been on the lookout for a prospective development project, not only as a means to merge their complementary talents, but also to satiate Ali’s abiding passion for urbanism, notably as a professor for 30 years. “Ali has spent years teaching at City College in Harlem,” says Cynthia. “His architectural and academic work are continuously informing one another.”

The couple also noticed that Newburgh seems to be having a creative revival of sorts, with new modes of industry setting up shop in the city, including the furniture designers Atlas Industries. “We quickly became intrigued by what seemed to be a bit of renaissance in the making,” say the couple. “Many Manhattan and Brooklyn [residents] had been arriving for years—woodworkers, craftspeople, and artists, and there was an enduring community of old-timers as well.”

Unfortunately, the property search was proving fruitless for the couple, with buildings going under contract before they could even make an offer. So when Cynthia got a tip on a promising one, she made an offer immediately. “Without my knowledge, by the end of the day, we were in contract on a building that resembled a very neglected midcentury post office,” jokes Ali.

After: Exterior

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For the renovation, Ali wanted to maintain the midcentury shell of the building—which was originally built in 1973—as well as its distinct contrast to the cityscape. A gut renovation stripped the interior of its bright purple shag carpeting and dropped ceilings, transforming the building into a dual-unit live/work space with a commercial space at the front and an apartment in the rear.

Before: Commercial Interior

After: Commercial Interior

Shop the Look

Inside the 1,863-square-foot structure, newly revealed and refinished concrete floors and ceiling joists are juxtaposed with custom cabinetry and cherished artwork and furnishings from the couple’s past.

Still, history is ever-balanced with a promising future, as the renovation reconnects the building with the surrounding city and, perhaps more importantly, the community. The commercial space is now home to a busy barbershop, Lion’s Den, and the rear unit can be rented out when the couple aren’t using it in order to introduce new visitors to the evolving city.

“We wanted to activate this space, as well as the quiet, overlooked corner of Newburgh in which it nested,” say the couple.

Before: Kitchen

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After: Kitchen, Living, and Dining Room

Before: Studio

After: Studio

Before: Bathroom

After: Bathroom

Before: Bedroom

After: Bedroom

Before: Rear Yard

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After: Rear Yard

More Before & After:

A Funky ’70s Condo in Oregon Gets a Soulful Makeover

A Terrace House in Melbourne Takes an Unexpected Turn

Project Credits:

Architecture: Ali Hocek, AC Höcek Architecture (ACHA) / @hocekarchitecture

Builder: AC Höcek Architecture (ACHA) / @hocekarchitecture

Construction Managers: SASRE Properties

Structural Engineer: Ciro Cuono, Cuono Engineering

Landscape Design: AC Höcek Architecture (ACHA) / @hocekarchitecture

Landscaping + Hardscaping: Jony Ramirez, JKE Contracting

Lighting Design: Mikael Charpin / @mikaelcharpin

Interior Design: AC Höcek Architecture (ACHA) / @hocekarchitecture

Cabinetry Design + Installation: Andrew Murphy + Dave Jones Designs

Contractor / Builder: Jose Pintado

Photographer: Stefan Hagen

Appears In

Before & After: A Crumbling 1970s Building Is Revived as a Dual-Unit Home with a Barbershop