Tim O'Brien reports in The Albany Times-Union that U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer was in Hudson Dec. 21, to push CSX to work with the city of Hudson on a $25 million redevelopment project. The city's Local Development Corp. is attempting to acquire property owned by CSX to turn the former Kaz warehouse into a mixed-use facility with residential, retail, and office components. CSX land is needed to extend the property to Front Street to provide public access and parking, roads, and sidewalks. "This proposal is the definition of a 'win-win' — it would allow CSX to have it staging area directly next to its tracks and enable the City of Hudson's $25 million waterfront redevelopment project to continue moving forward," Schumer said. "We cannot allow this project to be further mired down in red tape. We need to break through the bureaucratic morass and get this done so our residents and tourists can enjoy the waterfront and our business owners can enjoy the resulting increased revenue." Rob Doolittle, a spokesman for the railroad, told the Times-Union CSX is talking to Hudson officials. "CSX has been in contact with the city of Hudson to discuss the potential sale of a property near the former Kaz warehouse as recently as November," he said in a prepared statement. "We understand the city's desire and are supportive of its goals, however CSX actively uses that property to conduct operations in the Hudson area. We continue to attempt to identify alternatives that would result in a mutually satisfactory resolution, to help the city meet its goals while allowing CSX to continue providing essential transportation services to customers throughout New York." Hudson Mayor Tiffany Hamilton; Sheena Salvino, executive director of Hudson Development Corp.; Ben Ezinga of Sustainable Community Associates; John Hunt, president of the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce; and state Assemblywoman Didi Barrett were among the community leaders appearing with Schumer on Dec. 21. Read the full story in The Albany Times-Union.