After two and a half years of efforts in Rotterdam to open the first Disabled American Veterans apartment complex in the country, the proposal is closer to becoming a reality.
The Schenectady County Legislature on Tuesday, Jan. 10, unanimously approved the sale of the former Draper School property to the Disabled American Veterans of New York Services, Inc. The DAV has offered to pay the County $63,333 for the 3.5-acre property located on Draper Avenue in Rotterdam, and plans to convert it into approximately 120 apartments for disabled veterans. The agreement is pending judgment of foreclosure, which is expected to be reached on Friday, Jan 20.
County Legislator Tony Jasenski, D-Rotterdam, applauded the development.
“It is a wonderful project that will provide a great home and reuse of the old Draper school building and a great place for our veterans to be housed,” Jasenski said.
Eximius Education Foundation, a charter school, previously claimed to have signed an agreement with First Niagara Bank, the property owner, but it backed out of it last year. The DAV in June of 2011 was contacted by First Niagara to see if it was still interested in the property. Some residents voiced their opposition to a charter school moving in, citing concerns of increased traffic in the surrounding neighborhood.
There is currently $190,000 in unpaid property taxes on the property.
On Aug. 24 of last year, the county filed a petition and notice for foreclosure to gain ownership of the property. Once the foreclosure process is completed, the county would move to sell the deed to the DAV.
The DAV would be purchasing the parcel “as is,” and assuming all responsibility to inspect and repair the property. Also, it would release the county for any future environmental claims brought forward.
Tom Reiter, junior vice commander of the state DAV, said he is pleased the process is moving forward after extensive efforts to secure the property.
“We are just waiting for everything to get finalized,” Reiter said on Wednesday, Jan. 11. “We have a few more things that have to be done, but it is progressing and it is progressing at a nice pace … I’m happy.”
Reiter said his previous comment to the media regarding the DAV backing out the proposal seemed to help move the process along. He added the DAV was concerned about continuing deterioration of the building, which has already seen substantial damage due to weather and people entering the vacant building.
“We got the police watching the building and all the windows are closed … we are just making sure the building doesn’t deteriorate,” Reiter said.
He said there is a great deal of interest in the success of the project.
“We got people banging on our doors wanting this to be the first one,” Reiter said.
The state DAV is planning to open up similar housing facilities for roughly 10 Veteran Hospitals statewide. The Rotterdam facility would serve as the model for future apartment complexes.
Besides serving as a model site, County Legislator Holly Vellano, C-Rotterdam, said the facility would improve the blighted area.
“It is going to be a great example of what we can do for our disabled veterans,” Vellano said. “For Rotterdam, it is going to rebuild that whole area and I think it is going to (bring) wonderful people utilizing restaurants and shops … it is a win-win for everybody.”
