Sam Raudins is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media that the proposed development of the former pocketbook factory located at 549 Washington Street on Hudson's north side was approved by the city planning board on November 18. The price tag for the project is estimated to be $25.6 million and will include the creation of a hotel with 40 guest rooms, a wellness center, a restaurant and bar, a public indoor lounge, and outdoor courtyard as well as commercial spaces for the arts, retail and creative office, and nonprofit uses. The lone dissenting vote, against site plan approval, was cast by Laura Margolis, over enforcing public access to the project's proposed green space. The granting of permanent public access was not made a condition of approval. The developers have indicated their intention to provide the requested access and have been encouraged to work with the Common Council to enter into a license agreement. The project is being developed by the building's owners, Sean Roland and Gabriel Katz. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.