Rotterdam town officials came under fire at this week’s meeting of the Hamburg Street Merchants Association for the administration’s decision to apply for Restore NY grant money for the Curry Road redevelopment project instead of the Grand Union property on Hamburg Street.
About 40 Hamburg Street area businesses owners and residents attended the Merchants Association meeting Monday, Sept. 24, and most said they felt that the town’s latest move showed that Hamburg Street was being passed over again.
The Hamburg Street corridor has been deteriorating for the past 30 years, and attracting new business is tough because the corridor lacks the necessary infrastructure, including sewers.
At the last town board meeting, Wednesday, Sept. 12, the town’s administration said it was going to apply for Restore NY grant money to help finance a private project to redevelop the town-owned Curry Road shopping plaza into a condominium complex with space for retail and professional offices.
Board member Robert Godlewski said he found out that the town was applying for the money for the Curry Road property during the executive session an hour before the regular meeting.
I understand their frustration, I really do, Godlewski said. `They really need an anchor store there.`
Town officials, including Supervisor Steven Tommasone and board members John Mertz and Diane Marco, attended the Merchants meeting and said the reason they are applying for money for Curry Road is because there is a specific plan for the property, and application requirements have changed. Under the second round of funding, the town can only choose one property to apply for money to be used instead of three.
Mertz said he has an obligation to do what is right for the town, and if the town stands a better chance of getting grant money by using another property, he is not going to let another property owner who is upset change his mind.
`I need to do what is best for the town and make sure that Rotterdam comes first,` Mertz said. `We need to be more specific with the plans. Just saying we have an empty building with an area that needs development won’t pass.`
Owners of the old Grand Union property on Hamburg Street said they have documentation, which proves the town had promised they would be first in line for this next round Restore NY grants.
Restore NY is a state program that gives money to municipalities in order to help with redevelopment or revitalization of commercial areas. The program is expected to have about five rounds of funding; town board member John Mertz said there could be up to eight rounds. In this second round, the state plans to give up to $100 million to municipalities across New York.
In the first round of funding, Rotterdam won $2 million, which is going to be used to redevelop the Rotterdam Commerce Park, owned by the Galesi Group. Tommasone said the Galesi Group plans to rehabilitate buildings three and four to make them more conducive for small business.
County Legislator Carolina Lazzari, R-Rotterdam, attended the meeting. She wanted to know if the town had an idea as to when Hamburg Street business owners should expect to see results.
`You have to give credit for these folks who have invested and tried to make a go of it in this area,` she said. `I think it is a lot to ask these folks to hang on without any end in sight.`
Mertz said these things take time.
`We can either do it right or do it overnight,` he said.
Tommasone said he believes that the Metroplex Development Authority will help invest in Hamburg Street. Metroplex Director Ray Gillen is supposed to attend the Merchant’s next meeting Monday, Oct. 15.
`I think views will change once we hear when he has to say,` Tommasone said.
In the meantime, town officials said the Merchants should think about forming a Business Improvement District, which Tommasone said would help the corridor receive money from Metroplex and from the state.
The Merchants are planning to hold another meeting Monday, Oct. 15, with Gillen and chairman of the Upper Union Street BID Michael Mastrianni.
Tommasone said he wants to work with the Merchants Association to revitalize Hamburg Street and the businesses there are not being overlooked.
`I applaud them for their efforts and together we’ll get a lot accomplished over there,` he said. “