Plan for Coppola's on 9 redevelopment mulled; owner denies closing

The Town of Poughkeepsie Planning Board is considering a plan that calls for the demolition of Coppola's on 9, a restaurant with 27 years of history that operates in a building that dates back to the 18th century.

One of the restaurant owners signed the application for the plan, which includes the construction of a new Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union on the site at 2373 South Road.

However, another one of the restaurant's owners said he has no plans to close the Italian American eatery.

"It's all rumors," John Coppola said, declining to comment further.

As of Sunday, Coppola's On 9 remained open and was operating as normal.

Antonio Coppola is listed as the owner of the 1.37 acre property, according to Dutchess County Parcel Access.

While Eric Hollman, planner for the Town of Poughkeepsie Planning Board, could not address the restaurant's status, he said the application had an owner's consent signature by Nicola Coppola, another one of the restaurant's owner-operators. Nicola Coppola could not be reached for comment.

The board approval process is ongoing but still in the early stages, Hollman said. The board unanimously voted that it would be "the lead agency to coordinate the environmental review of the proposed project," according to the agenda from its Sept. 15 meeting. The board also unanimously voted to "defer further action on this application pending establishment of a lead agency," directing the applicant to respond to planning board comments, according to the agenda.

Despite dating back more than 270 years, renovations to the site throughout the 1900s have disqualified the building from any formal designation by the Town of Poughkeepsie Historic Preservation Commission, according to John Pinna, Town of Poughkeepsie historian.

"While the building lost its original integrity, the land itself still holds historic value," Pinna said.

The plan calls for "redevelopment" of the site for a one-story, 4,300-square-foot bank, according to the Sept. 15 board agenda.

"The redevelopment would include the demolition of the site," Hollman said.

Lisa Morris, director of marketing for Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union, declined to comment on the plan.

The Coppola family also owns Coppola's Ristorante in Hyde Park.

A historic site marred by renovation

The Coppola's on 9 was first opened as Cappuccino by Coppola's in 1990. But, before that, and even before the United States declared its independence, the building served as the Westervelt House.

The Westervelt family, led by Casporus Westervelt, moved from Hackensack, New Jersey to Poughkeepsie in 1744, establishing their home in the building, Pinna said. The Westervelt family served as toll keepers along the King's Highway, which would later become Route 9, Pinna said. They would continue to serve as toll keepers following the American Revolution.

"At the time, every highway had designated toll keepers, and the Westervelts were designated as the toll keepers by the colony," Pinna said.

The site also served as a common meeting place, with its location at the corner of Route 9 and IBM Road making it an ideal stop for people travelling across the Hudson River, Pinna said.

The Westervelt family owned the site until the late 1880s, Pinna said, noting the building once served as a prime example of architecture during the Dutch and Revolutionary period.

As part of the plan, Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union said it would highlight the site's history within the new building, according to Hollman.

"The applicants have expressed a willingness to incorporate elements of the former building in the new structure," Hollman said.

Geoffrey Wilson: gwilson@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4882, Twitter: Geoff_LW