SLINGERLANDS — The family that owns Toll Gate Ice Cream and Coffee Shop is proposing to rehabilitate the single-story building behind the shuttered eatery to open a new ice cream shop there.
Zautner Toll Gate Enterprises LLC is scheduled to present plans to the town’s Development Planning Committee on Thursday, Jan. 20 for a new ice cream shop. It’s to be located behind the one it closed five years ago when the proprietor fell into health problems. Toll Gate was once a popular stop for ice cream and fast food since it first opened in 1949. There were tentative plans in 2019 for another eatery to occupy the storefront, but that never materialized.
The project, located at 1569 New Scotland Road, proposes to rehab the single-story building behind the eatery’s rear parking lot. The new 3,400-square-foot footprint will include a raised ceiling and approximately 400 square feet of additional indoor space, with an added outdoor patio.
The vacant building has housed various retail tenants. An antique store did business from that location in recent years. The building stands relatively hidden behind the vacant Toll Gate and current Trustco Bank branch.
News of the proposal ignited excitement on social media last week from local residents who have missed the popular ice cream parlor.
A revitalized feature of Slingerland’s past has drawn visitors back to the area in recent years. The Albany County Helderberg-Hudson Rail Trail runs immediately behind the proposed project. Foot traffic from the trail would likely bring a return to business.
Issues brought before the Development Planning Committee are not approved without reviews from the Town, including its zoning and planning boards.
— Michael Hallisey
