Abandoned Carl’s Jr. to Become Hudson Valley’s Newest Restaurant

A Carl's Jr. restaurant that has sat empty for over three years is finally set to reopen, but not as a burger joint.

2018 saw the end of Carl's Jr. in the Hudson Valley.  After rebranding itself from Hardee's throughout the Hudson Valley, the popular burger chain quietly started closing all of their locations. In April of 2018, the Carl's Jr. in Kingston closed their doors to customers and then a month later the location on Route 211 in Middletown followed suit. In June of that year, the Hudson Valley's final Carl's Jr. on Route 9 in Poughkeepsie was shuttered,

That location has sat empty ever since. But now, it looks like a new restaurant is ready to move in.

Lately, there has been lots of great news for several abandoned restaurants and buildings up and down Route 9. A plan to build a new, state-of-the-art McDonald's is in the works at an abandoned bank on Route 9 in Poughkeepsie. It was also revealed that a project is being proposed to tear down the old Sonic restaurant in Wappingers Falls and replace it with an entirely new business.

The plan to replace Carl Jr.'s was recently revealed to the Poughkeepsie Planning Board. According to submitted documents, the building would be transformed into a new Taco Bell restaurant.

Unlike the McDonald's and Sonic projects, the proposal does not call for the demolition of the current building. Instead, major cosmetic changes to the structure are being planned including new awnings, signage and other architectural details.

The changes appear to be minor, meaning that the conversion of the building to a Taco Bell could happen very soon. The outdoor architectural changes are estimated to cost $125,000. More changes will be taking place inside the building, The kitchen equipment will be replaced, and the dining area will also get a complete remodel.

What do you think about a plan to bring Taco Bell to Route 9 in Poughkeepsie? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below or on our Facebook page.