Adirondack Review Board News

LAKE GEORGE LAND CONSERVANCY ADDS TO SUCKE BROOK PROTECTION - Adirondack Almanac ( ) Website

Wed, 30 Nov 2016 12:00:00 EST

A report states that the Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) recently acquired 72 acres in the Town of Putnam from Thomas and Mary Ellen Eliopoulos. The land, known as the Beaver Pond property, is the latest addition in a focused effort to protect the 2,000-acre watershed of Sucker Brook, a major tributary of Lake George.

VILLAGE BOARD APPROVES LOAN TO FORMER DEW DROP INN - Adirondack Daily Enterprise ( Saranac Lake, NY) Website

Wed, 30 Nov 2016 12:00:00 EST

Reporter Chris Knight reports that the new owners of the former Dew Drop Inn at 27 Broadway in Saranac Lake got a boost Monday as the village OK’d a $200,000 economic development loan to pay for interior demolition and basic infrastructure work.

VILLAGE MAY LOAN $200K TO DEW DROP OWNERS - Adirondack Daily Enterprise ( Saranac Lake, NY) Website

Mon, 28 Nov 2016 12:00:00 EST

A report states that the Saranac Village Board of Trustees will consider making an economic development loan of $200,000 to the owners of the former Dew Drop Inn at its regular meeting Monday evening. “The purpose of the loan is (to) undertake demolition, stabilization work and interior improvements at 27 Broadway,” the resolution states.

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The village Board of Trustees will consider making a big loan to the owners of the former Dew Drop Inn at its regular meeting Monday evening.

The board will also take up adoption of the proposed land use code, with a few modifications, and consider granting a local business $5,000 for handicapped disability improvements.

27 Broadway loan

A resolution on the board’s agenda would approve an economic development loan of $200,000 to Chicota Inc., a company formed by Calli Shelton and Randy Coles. The Texas couple purchased the former Dew Drop Inn earlier this year from Ed Dukett for $225,000 and plan to reopen it as a restaurant called 27 Broadway and a bar called Bootlegger’s.

“The purpose of the loan is (to) undertake demolition, stabilization work and interior improvements at 27 Broadway,” the resolution states.

The money will come from a revolving loan fund the village maintains to finance business, housing and other community development projects.

The term of the loan will be 12 months with a fixed interest rate of 1 percent, the resolution says.

Earlier this year, the Saranac Lake Local Development Corporation requested $500,000 in state grant money through the North Country Regional Economic Development Council for facade renovation and related construction to the former Dew Drop Inn. The project wasn’t selected as one of the NCREDC’s priority projects for state economic development funding this year — the priority projects were announced last month — but the regional council named it as a project supporting the state’s downtown revitalization agenda.

Code adoption

The board is also scheduled to vote on adoption of the proposed land use code. Following a public hearing at its last meeting, several minor, non-material changes have been made to the document, which has been years in the making.

There doesn’t appear to be any plan to rescind one of the biggest changes to the code. Several speakers had asked the board to reconsider combining the village’s Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals into a new Development Board.

The resolution about adopting the code on Monday’s agenda says combining the two should “provide net benefits to the village from efficiencies in administration and the regulatory process compared to the benefits of keeping two separate boards.

Nori’s funding

In other business Monday, the village board is slated to approve a $5,000 award to Andy Keal and Heidi Kretser of Nori’s Village Market for handicapped accessibility improvements made to the grocery store at 39 Woodruff St., which specializes in “local, organic and natural provisions.”

The money comes from the Saranac Lake Access for Everyone Grant Fund, created by the village in 2014 using $25,000 in community development funds. It provides matching grants of up to $5,000 to commercial property owners for improvements that increase accessibility in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the state Fire Prevention and Building Code.

LAWMAKERS OK FIVE TOWNS MARKETING HUB - Sun Community News ( ) Website

Wed, 23 Nov 2016 12:00:00 EST

Reporter Pete DeMola reports that Essex County lawmakers have tentatively approved the creation of a strategy for marketing a cluster of central Adirondack towns collectively known as the Five Towns, which would include Minerva, Newcomb and North Hudson in Essex County, and Indian Lake and Long Lake in Hamilton County.

MORE THAN 67,000 POUNDS OF EURASIAN WATERMILFOIL REMOVED FROM LAKE GEORGE - Post-Star ( Glens Falls, NY) Website

Wed, 23 Nov 2016 12:00:00 EST

Reporter Michael Goot reports that the Lake George Park Commission removed more than 67,000 pounds of the Eurasian watermilfoil invasive species from the lake this year, but ongoing maintenance is needed to prevent the problem from recurring.

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The Lake George Park Commission removed more than 67,000 pounds of the Eurasian watermilfoil invasive species from the lake this year, but ongoing maintenance is needed to prevent the problem from recurring.

Tommy Thompson, owner of Aquatic Invasive Management LLC, told the commission at its meeting Tuesday that his company has been targeting dense and moderately dense concentrations of milfoil instead of the lake as a whole.

“That was taking time away from other areas that could really use the milfoil eradication,” he said.

Dive crews got rid of the dense growths then made follow-up swings. Workers removed 2,685 bags of milfoil from the lake in 2016, down from last year's haul of 3,071 bags.

This year, the most milfoil was taken out of Northwest Bay, with 958 bags. This was followed by Sunset Bay with 428 bags and Gull Bay with 424. Each bag holds about 25 pounds of milfoil.

Some benthic mat barriers were used to suppress milfoil growth in Gull Bay, Thompson said.

Thompson said he would like to focus more on the village. He said his crew schedules work when it will not be as busy on the lake — for example, during rainy days and before the peak tourist season hits and cruise ships begin sailing.

The crews only pulled out about 21 bags in the village, compared with 536 last year. This year was a very good summer weather-wise, so crews could not spend a lot of time attacking milfoil in the village.

“It’s tough to negotiate and work around people when we’re trying to focus on a specific area,” he said.

When ships drive over milfoil patches, they cut them up into pieces. Those fragments have to be collected or new growth develops.

“It doesn't take too long before milfoil starts to grow back,” Thompson said.

Among the areas of concern for 2017 is Huddle Bay, which was not weeded this year. In 2015, crews pulled 265 bags out of Huddle Bay, and in 2009, they pulled out 1,700.

In GlenBernie-Blair's Bay, crews found a bunch of fragments and followed that trail to a previously undocumented milfoil bed. They pulled 148 bags out of the bay, compared with 64 the previous year.

“That’s something we don't want to get out of control because it only takes a couple of fragments to start,” he said.

The milfoil team also wants to focus on Roger’s Rock campground, where 24 bags were found in 2015 but which was not tackled this area because of time constraints.

The largeness of the lake makes it difficult to manage the work and keep down travel time between different areas, according to Thompson. This year, they decided to bring in multiple crews and split them up.

Board member Dean Cook of Ticonderoga suggested that the Park Commission put in zones where boats cannot go, so dive teams can chop up all the milfoil there.

Thompson said he did not think that would work.

“I think you’re going to run into backlash with a lot of people about that because we’ve run into disgruntled shore owners: ‘Why are you in front of my house? I can't get my boat in and out.’” he said.

In addition, special permits would need to be obtained to put in buoys and cordon off certain areas.

The goal is a cleaner lake that is more attractive to visitors, he said, but that requires an ongoing effort.

“It’s important that we keep the effort up because once you start taking steps back, you lose ground and you end up creating more problems, instead of solutions,” he said.

The Lake George Association spent $100,000 on the effort. Association Communication Director Pat Dowd said it was a successful harvest.

The Lake Stewardship Group of Cleverdale spoke during the public comment session in favor of more aggressive efforts to eradicate an Asian clam infestation in Sandy Bay. Nearly all of those residents who responded to a survey were in favor of doing what is necessary to get rid of the invasive species — even if it causes a temporary inconvenience.

ONE OF THE ADIRONDACKS' BIGGEST EYESORES IS COMING DOWN. NOW WHAT? - North Country Public Radio ( Canton, NY) Website

Wed, 23 Nov 2016 12:00:00 EST

Reporter David Sommerstein reports on the beginning of the demolition of the Jones & Laughlin Steel plant Tuesday outside Star Lake. There is not much talk about what the site will be used for, but the community is glad to be rid of the eyesore, and is hopeful that new jobs will be created.

UPSTATE NEW YORK COMMUNITY NAMED ONE OF THE COZIEST MOUNTAIN TOWNS - Times Union ( Albany, NY) Website

Tue, 22 Nov 2016 12:00:00 EST

Reporter Sarah Diodato reports that Lake George has been included in Expedia's list of the 17 coziest mountain towns in America.

COUNTY UNLOADS TAX DELINQUENT PARCELS - Sun Community News ( ) Website

Tue, 22 Nov 2016 12:00:00 EST

Reporter Pete DeMola reports that Essex County unloaded most of their tax delinquent properties at an auction last week. But lawmakers remain displeased with the results.
The auction saw the county collect $446,300 from 48 foreclosed parcels. The back taxes owed were $692,453.91, leading to a $246,153 loss — or just 64 percent of the total value.

GENERATIONAL DIVIDE ON DISPLAY AT BOREAS TRACT HEARING - Sun Community News ( ) Website

Tue, 22 Nov 2016 12:00:00 EST

Reporter Pete DeMola reports that a generational divide is emerging in discussions about the classification of the Boreas Pond tract. Young people lobbied for stringent environmental safeguards, while older adults say more access is needed for an aging population.

STEFANIK INTRODUCES BROADBAND BILL IN HOUSE - Adirondack Daily Enterprise ( Saranac Lake, NY) Website

Mon, 21 Nov 2016 12:00:00 EST

Reporter Brian Molongoski reports that U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik has introduced the Broadband Connections for Rural Opportunities Program (B-CROP) Act which aims to increase internet connectivity in rural communities through a combination of grants and loans, and is a companion bill to the one introduced by Senators Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., in October.

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U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Willsboro, has introduced the Broadband Connections for Rural Opportunities Program (B-CROP) Act along with U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wisc.

The bill aims to increase internet connectivity in rural communities through a combination of grants and loans, and is a companion bill to the one introduced by Senators Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., in October.

“In a 21st century economy, our businesses and families need access to broadband so we can compete around the globe,” Stefanik said in a statement. “This important legislation would provide greater resources to build this infrastructure in the North Country and in rural areas across our nation. I am pleased to join Congressman Pocan to introduce this bipartisan legislation in the House, and I urge my colleagues to support this critical 21st century infrastructure project.”

Per Stefanik’s release, here’s a breakdown of the bill’s provisions:

-Allows for grants of up to 50 percent of a project’s cost, and up to 75 percent for remote, high-need areas, to be awarded in combination with the current loan funding available through U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS).

-Combining grants with loans, the bill helps enhance the economic feasibility of projects serving rural and tribal areas.

- Provides highest priority to projects that serve areas that are currently unserved by high-speed broadband.

-Increases the authorized funding for RUS’s broadband programs to $50 million per fiscal year.

- Provides adequate resources to private sector providers, including corporations, LLCs, cooperatives or mutual organizations, state or local government, and Indian tribes or tribal organizations to expand broadband access to unserved rural areas. Partnership projects would be given special attention including initiatives that leverage matching funds and that work with anchor institutions like health centers, colleges, universities and other educational entities, and libraries.

COMMUNITIES SEEK WATER INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT - Adirondack Daily Enterprise ( Saranac Lake, NY) Website

Mon, 21 Nov 2016 12:00:00 EST

Reporter Kelly Carroll reports that Environmental Advocates of New York is calling on Gov. Andrew Cuomo to allocate an annual investment to water infrastructure as he prepares his 2017-18 budget proposal for the state Legislature.William Janeway, executive director of the Adirondack Council, said the initiative is significant for communities, especially in the Adirondacks.

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New York community advocates are calling on Gov. Andrew Cuomo to allocate an annual investment to water infrastructure as he prepares his 2017-18 budget proposal for the state Legislature, and local village officials are on board.

The request from Environmental Advocates of New York follows several studies on immediate and long-term needs that indicate at least $800 million is needed annually to repair and replace the state’s wastewater infrastructure alone, according to a press release.

Saranac Lake Village Manager John Sweeney said he fully supports the initiative as he thinks it’s a great opportunity for small communities.

“Any municipality in the North Country is going to tell you they are at more than average age in the vast majority of their infrastructure … well over 50 years old, approaching more like 100 years old,” Sweeney said. “We just put $15 million in (to our infrastructure) and we think we put about 15 or 16 thousand feet in, and we own 30 some miles.”

He added that any time a municipality can team up with another program for infrastructure, it’s a huge benefit as the municipality does not have to raise the money and is able to stretch their dollars further in other areas.

Tupper Lake Village Mayor Paul Maroun agreed that the request is important to help out smaller communities with their drinking water and sewer needs.

“It would be a benefit to small villages and towns, like Tupper Lake, where the taxpayers can’t afford to do it on their own,” Maroun said.

He said the village has received both outright grants and low-interest loans from the Environmental Facilities Corporation.

“It’s certainly beneficial to the people of the village and town of Tupper Lake because it ensures that we have cleaner water and purer water at a lower cost to the ratepayers in the community,” Maroun said.

New York reported the greatest documented need for investment in drinking and wastewater infrastructure nationwide in 2012 at $31.4 billion, according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2012 Clean Watersheds Needs Survey.

William Janeway, executive director of the Adirondack Council, said the initiative is significant for communities, especially in the Adirondacks.

“The Adirondack Park is the source of the Hudson River and many of the state’s other major rivers, making our small, rural communities the first line of defense for much of the state’s water,” Janeway said. “All of our towns have only a few hundred, or a few thousand, residents to foot the bill for multi-million dollar clean water projects. Those towns need help bridging the gap between what is needed and what they can afford.”

Environmental Advocates is also proposing that Cuomo instate the Water Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2015, a program he created, as a permanent budget line item, the press release said.

The program, which began with an initial $200 million investment over three years, grew by another $200 million over the same time period in the 2016-2017 budget, however just $175 million remains in the program today.

In addition, the EFC stated in its 2017 “Intended Use Plan” that demand for financial assistance outweighs the availability of funds.

Environmental Advocates has received support for the initiatives from Ross Pepe, president of the Construction Industry Council and executive director of the Construction Advancement Institute, Paul Gallay, Hudson Riverkeeper, and Tracy Brown, director of Western Sound Programs at Save the Sound.

Liz Marcello, campaign manager for Reinvent Albany, Marcia Bystryn, president of the New York League of Conservation Voters, Erin Crotty, executive director of Audubon New York, and Ned Sullivan, president of Scenic Hudson, also spoke in support of the cause, according to the press release.

The advocates agreed the investment must be made to protect the environment, economy and quality of life of citizens in New York state communities.

“Citizens have the basic expectation of government that the water they drink and recreate in is clean and healthy,” said Liz Moran, water and natural resources associate of Environment Advocates. “This responsibility has become a challenge due to old, dilapidated pipes hurting our communities, our waterways, and making it harder to grow local economies. The good news is that the Governor has begun to turn around decades of inadequate investment — and with a greater focus on the safety of our water, the Governor’s leadership can help all communities #FixOurPipes!”

Calls to Tupper Lake Town Supervisor Patricia Littlefield and Lake Placid Mayor Craig Randall were not returned by press time.

REPORT: CONVENTION BIZ, EVENTS BUOYING COUNTY TOURISM REVENUES - Sun Community News ( ) Website

Thu, 17 Nov 2016 12:00:00 EST

Reporter Pete DeMola reports that ccording to a new report from the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism, the agency is successfully navigating the one-two punch of shaky weather paired with ultra-stiff competition for travel dollars. Year to date, Essex county occupancy numbers are up 2.4 percent.

SIGNS OF REBIRTH FOR AN ADIRONDACKS RESORT COMMUNITY - Albany Business Review ( Albany, NY) Website

Thu, 17 Nov 2016 12:00:00 EST

Reporter Robin K. Cooper reports that a wave of new investors in bars, restaurants, hotels and cottages around Lake George in many ways signals a new era for a summer community that is trying to transform itself into into a year-round destination,

SENATORS ANNOUNCE $2 MILLION FOR AKWESANE TOURISM - Adirondack Daily Enterprise ( Saranac Lake, NY) Website

Thu, 17 Nov 2016 12:00:00 EST

A report states that Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand on Tuesday announced $2 million in federal funding to establish a tourism industry at Akwesasne, home of the St. Regis Mohawk Reservation.

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U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand on Tuesday announced $2 million in federal funding to establish a tourism industry at Akwesasne, home of the St. Regis Mohawk Reservation.

The Akwesasne Tourism Working Group will receive $400,000 for the first year and a total of $2 million over the next five years through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Native Americans Sustainable Employment and Economic Development Strategies Program.

The St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Council said in a press release that “the funding will address the unique challenges and opportunities for Akwesasne in developing a tourism industry that will provide employment, economic development and other benefits that reach beyond our community’s boundaries.”

“Diversifying our economy is a priority for the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe,” stated Christopher Thompson, who directs the tribe’s Office of Economic Development. “We are currently expanding our broadband technology, investing in agriculture and developing a cultural tourism industry in Akwesasne.”

APA OKs BIOMASS HEATER FOR STATE OFFICES IN RAY BROOK - Adirondack Daily Enterprise ( Saranac Lake, NY) Website

Thu, 17 Nov 2016 12:00:00 EST

Reporter Justin Levine reports that the APA last week unanimously approved a plan to construct a biomass heater at the state office complex in Ray Brook. The APA currently uses propane to heat its offices during the winter, and the two systems will be integrated to reduce the demand for propane.

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The state Adirondack Park Agency board last week unanimously approved a plan to construct a biomass heater at the state office complex in this hamlet.

The heating system, once completed, would burn solid wood-based material like wood pellets, and is estimated to save the state $58,000 per year on heating costs. The heater would service the APA headquarters, state Department of Environmental Conservation Region 5 headquarters and the state police Troop B headquarters.

The heater would be built in the back of the parking lot on land that is classified as state administrative. The building would be approximately 660 square feet and would house the heating system. A 35-foot-tall silo would be constructed to hold the biomass material. The silo is slightly scaled back from the original proposal and would need to be filled about every three weeks, it is estimated.

The New York Power Authority was the applicant, but a memorandum of understanding places responsibility for the project with the DEC. The project should begin construction in the spring and be finished by next year’s heating season.

Each of the three agencies would be billed for the heat received, but the APA’s Colleen Parker, who gave the presentation on the project, said that each agency building will be metered and that payment for heat would be based on the meter readings. This was a concern because the state police building is farther away from the heater than the APA or DEC and may not benefit from the system as much.

APA staff found the proposal to be in conformance with the State Land Master Plan as long as some conditions were followed. The conditions were minor and included a requirement for paving of a driveway around the heater, submitting a landscaping plan and designating that the exterior colors of the building and silo be dark green, brown or gray. The building will be dark brown, and the silo will be forest green.

The plan calls for removal of 56 trees that are 4 inches or greater in diameter, and the DEC’s Division of Lands and Forests approved the tree-cutting plan. The current plan for the heater calls for trees to be planted on the site after construction is completed.

The building will also house a small visitor viewing center. This project has been hailed as a demonstration project for the technology, and hopes are that it will rely on locally sourced pellets and forest products.

The APA currently uses propane to heat its offices during the winter, and the two systems will be integrated to reduce the demand for propane.

Marina decision

The APA board also voted on Thursday afternoon to deny an appeal of the Saranac Lake Marina, based on the understanding that agency staff and the marina developers have come to an amicable agreement on what the marina permit needs to move forward.

The marina had appealed a third Notice of Incomplete Permit Application issued by the APA, but legal counsel for the two sides seem to have come to an understanding of what the marina needs to submit to move the permit process along. Denial of the appeal will allow the marina to submit more information to the agency in an effort to get the permit considered.

Communications towers

The APA board also voted in favor of an 80-foot-tall cellphone tower in St. Lawrence County that will be disguised as a pine tree. Two other towers in Washington County that will be masked as trees also were approved.

MORE TOXIC OOZE AT ALCOA IN MASSENA - North Country Public Radio ( Canton, NY) Website

Thu, 17 Nov 2016 12:00:00 EST

Reporter David Sommerstein reports that State environment officials are taking baby steps toward ordering another clean-up of toxic chemicals on Alcoa’s property in Massena. It has taken taken 16 years to remove all the large equipment from the property, and put the site in a position to be added to the state Superfund list, which happened last month.

MASSENA VILLAGE OFFICIALS HEAR CONCERNS ABOUT TRANSFER TO DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS MATERIALS TO NEW SITE - Watertown Daily Times ( Watertown, NY) Website

Wed, 16 Nov 2016 12:00:00 EST

Reporter Bob Beckstead reports that Massena village trustees agreed Tuesday night to rezone and sell four parcels of land that formerly housed their Department of Public Works operation on South Main Street. They will need approval from State officials before they can store materials on another site, which is currently a softball field.

RAILROAD'S LAWSUIT STALLED AGAIN - Adirondack Daily Enterprise ( Saranac Lake, NY) Website

Tue, 15 Nov 2016 12:00:00 EST

Reporter Justin Levine reports that the Adirondack Railway Preservation Society's lawsuit against a state plan to remove 34 miles of track has been delayed until January. The postponement was requested by the state attorney general's office due to issues with ownership of several parcels of land in the travel corridor.

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A railroad group’s lawsuit against a state plan to remove 34 miles of train tracks has been delayed again, this time until the end of January.

Suzanne Messer, a lawyer for the Adirondack Railway Preservation Society, said the state attorney general’s office requested the latest postponement due to issues with ownership of several parcels of land in the travel corridor. ARPS, a nonprofit group that runs tourist trains under the Adirondack Scenic Railroad name, sued the state in April, a month before Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed off on the state plan — seen by some as a compromise — to upgrade 45 miles of tracks between Big Moose and Tupper Lake and to replace the tracks with a trail between Tupper Lake and Lake Placid.

The attorney general’s office and the state Department of Environmental Conservation have been silent on the suit despite multiple requests for comment over the last two weeks. DEC spokesman Sean Mahar said his agency doesn’t comment on pending litigation, but he confirmed Monday that the state requested the delay “for additional time to review title on a few parcels in question, and the state looks forward to oral arguments on the January court date.”

The state recently discovered it needs to acquire fee title to three parcels around North Country Community College in Saranac Lake as well as the Lake Placid train station, which is owned by the Lake Placid/North Elba Historical Society.

Messer said state officials are trying to get the owners of those parcels to voluntarily convey ownership to the state.

“The State is seeking to obtain letters of intent from the property owners at issue, meaning that the State is attempting to acquire that property through voluntary conveyances by the property owners,” Messer wrote in an email. “The State believes it can obtain those letters of intent during the 60-day stay period.”

Messer said the railroad agreed to the delay on the condition that no railroad infrastructure is removed during the postponement. The state had previously said local municipalities could start to remove the tracks as soon as this fall, with the rest of the infrastructure to be removed next year.

Messer said the lawsuit’s hearing is now scheduled for 10:15 a.m. Jan. 30 at the Franklin County Courthouse in Malone.

The suit alleges that the state Adirondack Park Agency, Department of Transportation and DEC failed to take into account historic preservation and economic figures when making their decision. If the state’s plan comes to fruition, the railroad would have to end its train rides between Saranac Lake and Lake Placid, although it could extend its service between Utica and the Old Forge area all the way north to Tupper Lake. ARPS wants the state to make the entire railroad line usable and create a parallel trail, as called for in a 1996 unit management plan.

The state started to reconsider the 1996 plan after a series of public meetings in 2013, and it first proposed its current plan in 2014.

The Adirondack Scenic Railroad ended its 2016 season, which may be its last, in late October.

HOTEL SARANAC FACES DEADLINE PRESSURE - Adirondack Daily Enterprise ( Saranac Lake, NY) Website

Mon, 14 Nov 2016 12:00:00 EST

Reporter Chris Knight reports that New Hampshire-based Roedel Companies is getting a $35 million loan to finish its restoration of the Hotel Saranac, but it comes with a big deadline. The loan documents say the project has to be complete and the hotel reopened and operating by May 1, 2017.

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Roedel Companies has received a massive loan to finish its restoration of the Hotel Saranac, but it comes with a big deadline.

The loan documents, filed in the Franklin County clerk’s office, say the project has to be complete and the hotel reopened and operating by May 1, 2017.

That’s six-plus months away, and it seems like a big hill to climb given the sluggish pace of the renovations so far. Fred Roedel III, managing member of Roedel Companies, acknowledged that there’s a lot of work to do, but he believes May 1 is a “reliable” completion date.

“We worked with our team to say, ‘Look we’ve got to get this done. When can we get it done?'” he said. “May 1 is what our schedule says right now. We’re working towards that.”

One of the issues has been that this is a much bigger and costlier project than even Roedel Companies initially envisioned. A budget included with the loan documents shows its projected cost has ballooned to more than $35 million. That’s more than two-and-a-half times the $13 million Roedel Companies said it would cost to buy and renovate the hotel in August 2013.

Roedel blamed the increases on a spike in construction costs and his company’s effort to make sure the Main Street landmark becomes “the very best product possible.”

The loan

In total, New Hampshire-based Roedel Companies is getting a $35 million loan from a New York City-based, Delaware-registered limited liability company called OWS BCA Funding. The Building and Loan Agreement was filed Oct. 18 in the county clerk’s office and actually covers improvements to three different Roedel Companies hotels.

The largest amount, totaling $15.75 million is earmarked for the Hotel Saranac renovations. Another $11.37 million would pay for renovations to a Courtyard by Marriott hotel in Nashua, New Hampshire, and $7.87 million would be for a Holiday Inn in Mt. Kisco in Westchester County.

Roedel said the new loan replaces a loan his company received from Community Bank in 2015. Community Bank sold that $14.5 million loan to OWS BCA Funding for $3.6 million plus interest, according to an Assignment of Mortgage filed Monday in the county clerk’s office.

“It was something that by mutual agreement we decided to go in different directions,” Roedel said. “Community Bank was a good support for a period of time. It ultimately turned into a project they didn’t want to proceed with so we replaced them, which is fine.

“We’ve got the money to get the project done. That’s what it means.”

Under the new loan, Roedel Companies will get an initial advance of $5.6 million to cover “hard costs” of construction and another $2.5 million advance for soft costs like design and engineering. Another $9 million is being set aside in a “future advance” account to cover construction costs once the initial advance has been depleted.

Deadlines

As part of the deal, Roedel Companies has agreed that construction of the project will be 100 percent complete, except for minor details, open to the public and operating as a Hilton Curio hotel by March 30 of next year. However, if Hilton agrees to extend the completion date under its franchise agreement with Roedel Companies, it may be extended to May 1, the documents state.

The hotel’s restoration has been slow, and it’s projected reopening date has been a moving target. Can Roedel Companies meet this new deadline?

“There’s a lot of work left to be done,” Roedel admitted. “Installation of the (parking) garage is supposed to start on November 21st. An awful lot is happening on the interior. It’s a coordinated schedule among all the contractors. We’re working toward the May 1 date. It’s a reliable schedule we’ve got right there.”

The project went through several stops and starts this summer and fall. Roedel said that had to do with the effort to get a new loan in place.

“The financing dragged a little bit, which had a little bit of an impact but not significant,” he said. “Despite the financing situation we continued to fund this project right through the summer, so we didn’t lose much time.”

The project was awarded a $5 million grant from Empire State Development in December 2013, but that money can’t be allocated until the hotel is up and running. The loan documents say the grant has not expired, but Roedel Companies has to file with ESD to request payment by June 30 of next year.

The budget

Roedel Companies’ projected budget for the hotel has climbed to $35.3 million. That includes $3.7 million in acquisition and carrying costs, $1.4 million for design work, $21 million in construction costs, $2.4 million for the purchase of furniture, fixtures and equipment, and a $3.4 million operations budget.

Of the $35.3 million project budget, Roedel Companies had spent $13.6 million as of Aug. 15. It had a $21.6 million balance to finish the project, to be made up by a project loan of $6.7 million and a building loan of $14.9 million.

The cost of construction is one reason behind the spike in the project budget, Roedel explained.

“Construction costs have simply been crazy the last few years,” he said. “They grew far greater than we expected them to, but they are beginning to level off.”

Beyond that, Roedel said the project is “substantially different” than what was originally planned in 2013.

“Back then, we envisioned renovating the hotel, operating the hotel and leasing all of the non-hotel space like the restaurant and the store,” he said. “As our investigation went on, it became clear that there was an absolute opportunity, if done correctly, to develop a better product. A better product meant that we run the restaurant, that we have a spa and a fitness center, that we have a retail store and that we do a level of branding we hadn’t necessarily envisioned at the beginning.

“It’s a far different project than it was. It’s going to be a hell of a hotel when it gets done.”

ADIRONDACK VISITOR CENTER EYED FOR NORTHWAY - Saratogian ( Saratoga Springs, NY) Website

Mon, 14 Nov 2016 12:00:00 EST

Reporter Paul Post reports that groundbreaking is expected next spring for a more than $1 million visitor center welcoming travelers to the Adirondacks. It is to be located at a rest stop on the northbound side of the Northway, just over the Saratoga County line between the Hudson River and Exit 18.

STEERING COMMITTEE UNVEILS SUGGESTED USES FOR FORMER MASSENA GENERAL MOTORS SITE - Watertown Daily Times ( Watertown, NY) Website

Wed, 09 Nov 2016 12:00:00 EST

Reporter Bob Beckstead reports that suggestions for usage of the former GM plan, which had been drawn up by a Brownfield Opportunity Area Project Steering Committee, were presented at a meeting on Monday. Ideas included a mixed-use redevelopment approach, with a lacrosse/sports complex and flex space business park.

ELIZABETHTOWN WEIGHS CODES UPDATE - Sun Community News ( ) Website

Wed, 09 Nov 2016 12:00:00 EST

Reporter Pete DeMola reports that the Elizabethtown Planning Board is in the final stages of updating the hamlet’s land use local law. Planning board members say the upgrade is long overdue, and adds clarity to a set of statutes that hasn’t been updated in 30 years.

APA WILL TALK LAND CLASSIFICATION PACKAGE THIS WEEK - Adirondack Daily Enterprise ( Saranac Lake, NY) Website

Wed, 09 Nov 2016 12:00:00 EST

A report states that the APA will hold a public hearing on a huge state land classification package this week, at 7 p.m. Wednesday at agency headquarters.

**Please note that a paid subscription is required to view the article online. A version of the article appears below.

The state Adirondack Park Agency will hold a public hearing on a huge state land classification package this week, at the same time as it meets to discuss, among other things, the Saranac Lake Marina and a biomass heating system for this hamlet’s state office complex.

Regular meeting

The APA will have its regular monthly meeting on Wednesday and Thursday at its headquarters in Ray Brook. A half-day meeting on Wednesday starts at 1 p.m. with Executive Director Terry Martino’s report.

At 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, the Regulatory Programs Committee will vote on an appeal of a third notice of incomplete application for the Saranac Lake Marina.

After the marina discussion, the committee will hear about two proposed telecommunication towers in Washington County.

On Thursday starting at 9:15 a.m., the Regulatory Programs committee will hear about a proposed biomass heating system at the state office complex in Ray Brook — comprising the APA, state Department of Environmental Conservation and New York State Police offices next to each other on state Route 86 — and then another telecommunication tower in St. Lawrence County.

At 11 a.m., the State Land Committee will decide whether to proceed to a public comment period of State Land Master Plan conformance for the Lake Champlain Island Complex Unit Management Plan.

After lunch, the Economic Affairs Committee will hear a report from Chris Maron on Champlain Area Trails work to develop and maintain multi-use trails in the Champlain Valley.

The Local Government Services committee will consider a vote on whether to approve the town of Lake George local land use program amendment.

The full agency will reconvene at 2:30 p.m.

Classification hearing

The APA will also hold a public hearing on a proposed land classification package at 7 p.m. Wednesday at agency headquarters.

More than 100 parcels of land are up for classification in the Adirondacks this year. This will be the first classification process the APA has undertaken in the last five years, except for classification of the Essex Chain Lakes parcel last fall. More than 54,000 acres of land are set to be classified or reclassified.

The APA is proposing the addition of more than 16,000 acres of wilderness, most of which would be in the Boreas Ponds tract. The Agency also proposes adding 161 acres of primitive, 17,427 acres of wild forest, 108 acres of state administrative, 75 acres of intensive use and 2.5 acres of historic land.

There will be an additional seven public hearings around the state through the beginning of December, and public comments will be accepted both at the hearings and in writing until Dec. 30 this year. Public comments on all 102 parcels will be accepted via email at classificationcomments@apa.ny.gov, or by mail to Adirondack Park Agency, P.O. Box 99, Ray Brook, NY 12977.

To see the proposed land classifications, visit www.apa.ny.gov/state_land/index.html.

COUNTY APPROVES OUTSIDE VENDOR FOR TITLE SEARCHES - Sun Community News ( ) Website

Tue, 08 Nov 2016 12:00:00 EST

Reporter Pete DeMola reports that Essex County lawmakers have approved using outside vendors to aid the county clerk’s office in the title search process for tax delinquent properties, in an effort to increase regular tax auctions designed to place the properties back on the tax rolls.

SARANAC LAKE MARINA CONTESTS APA DELAY - Adirondack Daily Enterprise ( Saranac Lake, NY) Website

Tue, 08 Nov 2016 12:00:00 EST

Reporter Justin Levine reports that LS Marina LLC, the owners of a marina in Saranac Lake, are appealing a delay in the state Adirondack Park Agency decision-making process on their proposed expansion. The APA issued a third notice of incomplete application to the marina in August, but the marina has appealed. The APA board will consider the marina’s appeal of a request for additional information at this week’s regular APA meeting.

**Please note that a paid subscription is required to view the article online. A version of the article appears below.

The owners of a marina in Saranac Lake are appealing a delay in the state Adirondack Park Agency decision-making process on their proposed expansion.

The APA issued a third notice of incomplete application to the marina in August, but the marina has appealed. The APA board will consider the marina’s appeal of a request for additional information at this week’s regular APA meeting.

LS Marina LLC purchased the former Crescent Bay Marina properties on Lower Saranac Lake in 2014 for $1.4 million and proposed an expanded, solar-powered marina. The company first sought a permit from the town of Harrietstown and received it after a lengthy review.

“We thought it would be a simple, easy process with the APA, and here we are a year-and-a-half later. We’ve addressed all of the staff’s concerns, and we’re still in limbo,” Lake Placid resident Mike Damp of LS Marina LLC said in a press release. “We actually met with APA staff three years ago to get their opinions on the docks before submitting our proposal to the town. In fact, APA staff encouraged us to go to the town Planning Board first in order to make their review easier.”

The marina consists of two sites: the primary marina at Crescent Bay and an “annex” on Ampersand Bay. There would be 278 total boat slips at the two locations, according to Damp.

Damp also said that the owners of LS Marina LLC have since spent an additional $475,000 “resulting from continued delays and additional information requests from the Adirondack Park Agency staff,” the release said.

“And they still can’t move forward on plans to replace the former dilapidated marina structures with an expanded, environmentally friendly, state-of-the-art commercial marina that will restore full service to Lower and Middle Saranac lakes.

The release goes on to say that “the area of the bay in focus has been choked by invasive milfoil for many years and that his (Damp’s) proposal includes annual milfoil removal and ongoing management and prevention.”

The agency had classified the area at Ampersand Bay as a “Value 1” wetland which carries with it the strictest protections, but after LS Marina LLC commissioned its own study of fish populations, the APA changed its position and classified the area as a Value 2 wetland, which, according to the release, would permit the expected boat traffic from the marina.

The marina would require a variance to win approval for its covered docks, plus a permit due to the wetlands. Since the docks are covered, APA staff has said they are considered structures and need a variance due to shoreline setback restrictions.

In LS Marina LLC’s appeal, lawyers for the company say “its proposal to cover slips in its marina expansion involves a pre-existing marina (circa 1924) in a hamlet area.” Hamlet is the APA’s least restrictive private land classification.

“The applicant’s position has been rejected by agency staff who now have determined that the covered docks constitute a ‘structure’ which triggers shoreline setback provisions.”

The marina has already removed most of the older structures with approval from both the APA and the state Department of Environmental Conservation.