Strategic Redevelopment Plan
Ericsson-Spence Engineering Property,
29 Grant Street, Walden, NY
1
WALDEN LOCAL DEVELOPMENT
CORPORATION
February 9, 2010
Good Evening Mayor Maher, Mr. Politi and Honorable Trustees:
My name is Thomas Olley and I am here before you as a representative of The Walden
Local Development Corporation (WLDC). With me, this evening, are William “Bill”
Kirnan, Gregory Raymondo and Stephanie Faso.
The WLDC was formed in December 1997 as a Not for Profit Corporation with the
purpose of encouraging economic development in the Village of Walden, to attract new
businesses into the Walden community, to promote job opportunities and improve the
overall economic health of the greater Walden Community. The WLDC was also formed
to lessen the burden on the local government and act in the public interest. The “service
area” of the WLDC is the Village of Walden and the geographic area within one-mile of
the Village boundaries.
Currently, the WLDC Board of Directors is comprised of 9 individuals. They are:
• William Kirnan, President
• Thomas B. Olley, Vice President
• F. Bryan Paz, Secretary
• Bruce Lott, Treasurer
• Gerald N. Jacobowitz
• Gregory Raymondo
• Fred Smit
• Daniel Epstein
• Stephanie Faso
As you can see, Board of Directors is comprised of individuals who live or work in the
Village. Many of us have very deep and strong ties to the Village. The Board represents
a broad range of businesses, professional and community interests.
The WLDC has made a number of contributions to the Village. The following were
projects undertaken by the WLDC on behalf of the community:
• Community Charette (identified matters of concern to the community)
• Two (2) Realtor’s tours of available commercial properties
• Feeling Good About Walden Campaign
• Wallkill River Clean-up with Army Reserve (854th Engineering Battalion)
Over 20 Dump Truck Loads were removed from the lower dam area (cooperative
effort of WLDC, Village and Town of Montgomery)
• Rehabilitation of Three (3) dilapidated properties:
o 21 North Montgomery Street
o 52 Ulster Ave.
o 17 Oak Street
•
•
Participated in the Grant Applications for the Maple Street Riverfront Park
Sponsored the Children’s Playground project at Wooster’s Grove
o Over $130,000 in funds and materials were raised to construct the Park
o Designed by the Children of the community with sessions at WES and
BES.
o Of 700 individuals contributed over 5200 hours to construct the
playground in 4 ½ days.
o Community came together, with new people involved.
o Picnic Pavilion constructed in Honor of the fallen of September 11, 2001
The WLDC has been inactive for the past several years. The economy during the mid
1990’s was doing what the WLDC had initiated. The WLDC did not see particular
projects that we would like to undertake.
Current Undertaking
The Walden Local Development Corporation (WLDC) is in the process of purchasing
and preparing a development plan for the former Ericsson-Spence Engineering (and most
recently the Packaged Lighting Systems) Property in Walden. The property has a 150
year history in the Village. It first housed the Ericsson Steam Engine plant and later its
successor, Spence Engineering. To this day Spence is an important manufacturer of
steam valves and still calls Walden its home.
This property offers an exciting opportunity for the Village of Walden. The property
should be redeveloped as a mixed use commercial, office and residential transit
(commuter) oriented development. The redevelopment will take a former vacant
dilapidated site and transform it into a positive asset for the Village. The WLDC vision
for this property to develop historically themed re-use of the ground floors of the building
for commercial uses and residential uses in the upper floors. The property has a large
area of vacant land area to the south. It also borders the Norfolk-Southern Railroad right
of way. It makes sense to preserve this area for transportation related uses.
Redevelopment of this property will lead to development and possibly adaptive re-use of
other properties and buildings nearby. The long term, grand vision is to extend the Main
Street Village Square theme through to this area along East Main, Hepper, Grant, and
John Streets as well as Railroad and Orange Avenues. This would link the important
Main Street businesses to a transportation hub via a pedestrian friendly thoroughfare.
The Post Office would remain central to the heart of the Village. By linking the
development to a transportation (commuter) oriented development the local businesses
can capitalize on capturing business from commuters stopping in Walden rather than
passing through Walden.
In order to undertake this redevelopment the WLDC will require a substantial initial
investment to prepare redevelopment plans and project funding packages. The WLDC is
currently in the process of seeking grants from the State of New York as well as other
governmental agencies and foundations. The WLDC is seeking seed money from the
Village of Walden to be used initiate the redevelopment of the property and as matching
funds for the sought after grants.
The Village of Walden received moneys from the Federal Government Department of
Housing and Urban Development in the Form of a Housing Development Action Grant
(HoDAG) for the Oak Street Housing Project. The Village “partnered” with the
developer to utilize the funds as they were awarded. All or a portion of those funds were
returned to the Village for future housing and development uses.
The WLDC is seeking up to $50,000 of those funds for the re-development of the
Ericsson-Spence Engineering property. These moneys will not cost the taxpayers and
residents of the Village anything. We believe that these moneys have been set aside just
for these purposes.
The funds will be used for the following tasks:
•
Initial Due Diligence
o Engineering Inspections
o Grant Writing
o Developer Requests for Proposals
•
Final Due Diligence
o Surveys
o Cultural Resource Investigation
o Environmental Inspections
•
Legal Fees
•
Conceptual Planning
•
Engineering and Planning Fees
•
Other costs directly associated with the property acquisition and re-development.
To date, the WLDC has been able to utilize its volunteer Board of Directors to perform
numerous tasks, in addition, we have had certain professional services and guidance
donated to us. We have reached the point where future services must be paid for.
We thank you for your time and please feel free to contact me ([email protected])
or Bill Kirnan ([email protected]) to discuss this matter further. We do ask that
the Board consider this matter at its next meeting. The WLDC has an upcoming Grant
Application to New York State with a deadline of March 10, 2010.