I’m glad to see the Adirondack Daily Enterprise asking serious questions, specifically financial ones, about a proposed emergency services complex currently planned for 33 Petrova Ave. It’s an important discussion. These questions, and associated stories, have spurred recent well-researched and data-filled commentaries to this publication by Mark Wilson, Dan Reilly, John Monroe and Howard Riley.

I’m saddened, however, that Saranac Lake Mayor Jimmy Williams did not take the Enterprise questions seriously, nor provide meaningful answers beyond his opinion. The same can be said about public inquiry and concern. I hope that changes in future interviews and that the Enterprise is able to connect with the Saranac Lake Village Manager, whose responsibility is preparing and overseeing the village budget, for deeper detail.

However, the line that struck me the most from the Feb. 14 “Paying for 33 Petrova” story is this opinion: “But Williams said they are unlikely to be able to do housing there. The majority of property is on wetlands or within 100 feet of wetlands, he said.”

One can presume that if it is possible to build a proposed 70,000 square foot facility that will house firetrucks, police cars, boats, a decontamination unit, a fuel filling station and rebuild a privately owned residential road, that wetlands are not an eliminating factor for a housing development. The Fawn Valley project recently completed in Lake Placid built six single family affordable homes and 16 townhomes on just over 3 acres.

If the circa 1950’s St. Pius X building is removed, I have to imagine that the shovel ready footprint of the property is well over six acres, without including the Hot House or surrounding wetlands. Meaning, the potential exists for an affordable housing development that is double the size of Fawn Valley without impacting the Hot House or changing road infrastructure. I also have to imagine that building homes for year-round residents would increase the tax base and further contribute to a healthier community financial picture.

For arguments sake, let’s say that it is and 30 single family homes can be built there and sold for $220,000 each (the price of Fawn Valley homes). That would equate to roughly $3,100 per unit in Village taxes or $93,000 annually. This does not take into the account the economic impact that residually comes with more year-round residents — kids in schools, employees for businesses, volunteers for civic organizations, etc.

I wholeheartedly agree and want emergency services facilities to be improved, however there are options to accomplish it that have not been seriously examined. With the Armory now being occupied by the Police Department, it must be a serious conversation that the property be annexed into the Village of Saranac Lake and developed for emergency services. Combined Fire and Rescue should be considered. The direct access to Route 3 by itself, let alone the structure style, should be a selling factor. It was built to house military vehicles. Doing so leaves the possibility of remodeling the existing Fire and Rescue facilities for the Police Department, which would keep it visibly located in the heart, and most population dense, part of the village. It also provides ample vehicle bays and the potential for returning some of the property to parking, which we all know will be an issue in that area.

The Fawn Valley project also generated $3 million into the local trades’ economy through the hiring of carpenters, plumbers, excavators, electricians and painters. In addition, it added upwards of $4 million of valuation to the North Elba, Essex County and Lake Placid Central School District tax base. But most importantly, it provided 22 affordable brand new homes to people who live and work in the community. All on three acres.

The current plan for 33 Petrova, which is potentially the largest developable property within the village, will remove it permanently from the tax base for a project of the scope and scale that a shrinking village does not need, does not know if it can afford to build, and if built, does not know what it will cost to maintain. It will also likely displace, or close, a well established business in the Hot House, which is a community asset.

Given the current trajectory of this project, my fear is that too much time, effort and money will be wasted on a project that is either scrapped or scaled back to a point where all earlier considerations are viable, as they were before 33 Petrova was even in the mix. Thus further delaying progress on improving emergency services, mitigating the housing crisis, or making the community more affordable for those who already live here, and those who potentially could.

Mayor Williams speaks as if the Village Board of Trustees is unified on the current plan. It is not, but should be. A project of this size demands our leaders work together and agree upon a plan that is financially sound and benefits the community as a whole.

Thus far, this has not happened and Mayor Williams’ leadership on the matter has been the opposite. That can change, and for responsible progress to be made, it must.

——

Doug Haney is a resident of Saranac Lake.