There is nothing like the exhilaration and entertainment of a great concert. There are indoor and outdoor concerts, but have you ever seen a concert on the water? This might be possible if the Point Counterpoint II floats along the Hudson River shores in Kingston.
The vessel is for sale for $2 million and looking for a new place to dock. While the town does not have the money, there may be an opportunity for a public/private partnership with other parties, according to Mayor Steve Noble.
Noble did not specifically name any potential investors, but according to World Architecture, Noble would like the venue to be at the Hutton Brickyards property that is owned by California-based MWest Holdings. Recently, it hosted two concerts by folk/rock music legend Bob Dylan, and Noble is hoping that this vessel would draw more visitors to Kingston.
According to Daily Freeman, MWest Holdings representatives did not immediately respond to a request for a comment.
Robert Bordeau, 90, is the current owner of the 195-foot-long barge-like watercraft and founder of the American Wind Symphony Orchestra. According to Noble, he will be having an “informational meeting” August 4 with Bordeau.
In telephone interview between the owner and the Chicago Tribune, he said that Kingston “is a perfect place” because it is “going through a very creative time.”
If the 41-year-old watercraft were to move to Kingston, it would be saved from the scrapyard. Cellist Yo-Yo Ma recently campaigned to preserve the clam shell-like concert venue, which caught the attention of Peter Wetzler, a Kingston-based composer, according to the Tribune.
The Point Counterpoint II is said to include sleeping quarters and an art galley in addition to the pop-up stage for classical music concerts. The vessel was designed by Philadelphia Architect Louis Kahn and was unveiled in 1976, two years after Kahn died.
The Point Counterpoint II is now docked on the Illinois River in Ottawa, Illinois.