Benjamin Moore Finalizing Plans to Paint in Nyack

Benjamin Moore will begin its Main Street Matters program painting in downtown Nyack with a ceremony and press conference Sept. 16, with the plan to complete the work in time for a closing celebration Oct. 6. 

Nyack will be the first of the 20 communities in Main Street Matters to have the work done. Benjamin Moore announced the communities in July. 

Benjamin Moore National Project Manager, Kendyl Wright, and Production Manager Christopher Snell spoke about the project in a meeting at Nyack Village Hall Monday morning, providing an update regarding the details of the work and answering concerns raised by Nyack residents and business owners.

One issue raised was the actual scope of the project. The tentative plan as of Monday is to paint and make other improvements to businesses on Main Street from Turiello's on the corner of Broadway and Main Street up to the Veteran's Park. They will be doing more than painting. For example, in Veteran's Park, they will make repairs to the gazebo and possibly replace trees. 

Wright said that could expand because some buildings in that area have chosen not to participate, so other building could be included. Those details should be available later this week. 

"This campaign was always meant to help revitalize businesses (in the communities) and that's what it is doing," Wright said. "This spread like wildfire. We never expected (the response) to be this big. 

"We are dealing with any disappointment on a case-by-case basis."

Wright said the average area Benjamin Moore is painting in each of the 20 Main Street Matters communities is two to three blocks, though it is different in each community. She added that the company avoided setting one firm budget for each painting because that would not be fair to communities where the costs would be higher. 

"If we had done that, Nyack would have lost out," Wright said.

Though Benjamin Moore is only painting ground floors, those businesses being painted will be given vouchers for discounted paint for their upper levels. Those vouchers will also be made available to other interested businesses in Nyack, which eased concerns of some business owners at Monday's meeting. 

Spilotras Painting or Chestnut Ridge will be the contractor doing the work. Wright said they have also expressed a willingness to offer discounts to other Nyack businesses. The amount of paint and discount involved for the vouchers and for any painting are still to be determined. 

Nyack Center Executive Director Kim Cross and other participants in the meeting asked about possibly including the Nyack Center, but Wright said they would be keeping the project in one area. Cross made the case for the center, but also took a positive approach to Main Street Matters.

"I think this is a great gift to the community," Cross said. "We have to make sure we take the best advantage of it."

Wright said other communities in Main Street Matters have found ways to add to the project, such as using Kickstarter and other methods to raise funds. Nyack Mayor Jen Laird White suggested doing something similar in Nyack, possibly including the direction of village funds from filming fees to help paint other local businesses. She set a downtown meeting for Sept. 23 to further discuss ideas. 

"We hope this ignites your community," Wright said. "We hope it is a kick starter for South Broadway and other neighborhoods."