SCHENECTADY COUNTY County to consider airport hangar deal BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter
The Schenectady County Legislature tonight will consider a measure that allows a developer to build the first privately owned hangar at the county airport. And this hangar will have its own PILOT — payment in lieu of taxes agreement — that county officials called a first at the airport. In addition, the Legislature will discuss a resolution authorizing home rule legislation to raise the Metroplex Development Authority’s bond cap and extend its life by five years. The deal is the result of a compromise between the Democrat-controlled county Legislature and Republicans in the state Legislature. Bruce Tanski, owner of a construction and development company in Saratoga County, is proposing to lease an acre of land at the county airport. He would pay all costs to build a 10,000-squarefoot hangar and install the necessary infrastructure, county officials said. The hangar would sit adjacent to the control tower. In return, the county would lease him the land for $5,000 annually, based on an appraisal of $50,000 per acre. The lease rate would increase 3 percent annually, or at the rate of the consumer price index, whichever is higher. The lease would be for five years with three five-year renewal options. Tanski would also have a PILOT with the town, local school district and the county. The agreement would generate 20 percent of the taxes based on the value of the building the first year, increasing by 20 percent each year. It would reach full value in year five years. Ray Gillen, county commissioner of Planning and Economic Development, said the deal with Tanski represents a new approach to developing land at the county airport. “Does the county want to get into the hangar business? Do we build them, pay for them and lease them? Then the hangars are publicly owned and don’t pay taxes. There is a much greater cost to county in the process,” Gillen said. County Legislator Joseph Suhrada, R-Rotterdam, said he opposes the deal with Tanski. “If they are going to lease land at airport for $5,000 per year for commercial land, that is a little low,” he said. “It should be done more through an open bidding process, to ensure the maximum for taxpayers.” Gillen said this type of project does not require a bid. “It is not how the process is done,” he said. “We are not building a county office building or a county hangar. We are inviting people to invest in our airport technology park.” Gillen said the county negotiated with Tanski to “get good value for the county and to get a building built at no cost to the county.” Richmor Aviation, one of the airport’s fixed base operators, rents 24 acres of county land, paying an average of $1,978 per acre, Gillen said. And, he added, the county does request bids for hangar projects, having completed a bid opening two weeks ago. Gillen said Tanski’s project is consistent with the airport’s master plan, as it enhances development of general aviation facilities .
Funny, Riichmor had to bid to be the Fixed Base Operator (FBO) at Schenectady, Saratoga, etc.
New hangers and service facilities were built at Albany International Airport by bids - which the county and airport received millions of dollars in compensation, and no PILOT - it immediately went on the tax rolls.
Funny, Riichmor had to bid to be the Fixed Base Operator (FBO) at Schenectady, Saratoga, etc.
New hangers and service facilities were built at Albany International Airport by bids - which the county and airport received millions of dollars in compensation, and no PILOT - it immediately went on the tax rolls.
Good info MT. And I still thought that the Metroplex was about 'job creation'. How many good paying 'jobs' does this venture bring in? Something the Metroplex has failed miserably at. No new good paying jobs. Just refurbished buildings at the taxpayers expense!! With no return on their investment.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
this is a big developer who is doing something else in Glenville and I wouldn't be surprised if he was donating some good campaign cash to the Democrats too. Maybe not, but only they and God know for sure. They said thgat Richmor only pays 2 grand an acre, huh? Well don't they have a lot of land with nothing on it like pavement only, plus I watched the meeting and they were told when Joe S asked the question, that Richmore leases out the hangars and pays like 80 grand a year in just rents to the county after they take a small cut. Sounds like monkey business. But Gillen spins like a spider. So this was never mentioned. 24 times 2 grand don't equal 80 grand
Bombers Burritos to purchase State Street building Wednesday, June 11, 2008 By Michael Lamendola (Contact) Gazette Reporter
SCHENECTADY — Bombers Burritos will relocate to a larger site on State Street, purchasing a three-story building for its business rather than renting space within Center City, the Metroplex Development Authority announced today.
Bombers’ owner Matthew Baumgartner will buy 447-451 State St. from Metroplex for $500,000. He will pay half the price at closing and the remainder over the next 15 years.
Baumgartner plans to convert the former James’ Boxing Gym into a restaurant on the first floor and banquet space on the third floor, using a $250,000 loan from Metroplex and $420,000 of his own money.
In addition, Metroplex will provide Baumgartner with a $40,000 grant to install sprinklers on the three floors and to fit-up the restaurant. It also will provide him with a $75,000 facade grant.
Metroplex Chairman Ray Gillen said the building’s 100-year-old facade requires a complete makeover. Baumgartner has told Metroplex the restaurant will employ 15 people by 2010. Metroplex renovated the 7,620-square-foot building with skylights and new windows in 2007.
Bombers was originally slated to go into the ground floor and basement of the Grant Building. The building, which was built in 1928, stands in front of the more modern Center City complex.
Metroplex gave Bombers a $20,000 facade restoration grant earlier this year for the Grant Building project.
The State Street building Baumgartner is purchasing was initially going to house LaSartoria, a men’s, women’s, young women’s and children’s apparel store. Vincent Montesanto was to purchase the building from Metroplex for $250,000 and Metroplex would have provided him with a $375,000 loan at 5 percent interest to pay for renovations. He planned to employ five people by 2010.
Montesanto will remain in downtown Schenectady and open his new shop several feet away from Bombers, Gillen said. Montesanto has been in business for some 20 years and has operated a shop on Broadway in Saratoga Springs since 1991.
That's a lot of money invested to reap 15 jobs by 2010.
Not sure what you mean...
do you mean the ability to purchase the building at 1/2 of market value? or the $250,000 loan from Metroplex? or the $40,000 grant for sprinklers? or the $75,000 grant for facades? or the extra $20,000 grant for facades? or the PURCHASE PRICE THAT METROPLEX PAID ($800,000) for the buildings?
Dontcha know, they're investing in the BUILDING not in the BUSINESS.
They (Metroplex) sure know how to sling the $hit, dont they??
I mean all the wasted money that Metroplex has pumped into that venture at 447 thru 451 State Street to gain a miserable 15 jobs by 2010. What's wrong with the County Council and Metroplex that they need so much money that they tax us to the point where this county is one of the highest taxed counties in the country and nobody can do anything to stop them.
It is like Gillen and gang are playing Monopoly with play money. Someone has to tell them that this is 'for real'. And just think...the reps gave them the green light for even more money and time to spend it! We can only hope that this increase never makes it to the floor for passage of this ridiculous increase.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
SCHENECTADY Bombers Burrito makes deal with Metroplex for city site BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter Reach Gazette reporter Michael Lamendola at 395-3114 or lamend@dailygazette.com.
Schenectady’s downtown gastronomic offerings should include burritos in the foreseeable future. Bombers Burrito Bar, currently a Lark Street operation in Albany, is closing a deal with the Metroplex Development Authority for a downtown building to house its second site. Bombers is purchasing a threestory building rather than its earlier plan of renting space within Center City, the Metroplex Development Authority announced Wednesday. Bombers’ owner, Matthew Baumgartner, will buy 447-451 State St. from Metroplex for $500,000. He will pay half the price at closing and the remainder over the next 15 years at 5 percent interest to Metroplex rather than to a bank. Baumgartner plans to convert the former James’ Boxing Gym site into a restaurant on the first floor and banquet space, using a $250,000 loan from Metroplex and $620,000 of his own money. In addition, Metroplex will provide Baumgartner with a $40,000 grant to install sprinklers on the three floors and to fit-up the restaurant. It also will provide him with a $75,000 facade grant. Metroplex Chairman Ray Gillen said the building’s 100-year-old facade requires a complete makeover. Baumgartner has told Metroplex the restaurant will employ 15 people by 2010. Metroplex renovated the 7,620-square-foot building with skylights and new windows in 2007. Bombers was originally slated to go into 3,000 square feet on the ground floor of the Grant Building. The building, which was built in 1928, stands adjacent to the more modern Center City complex. That space will likely become a new ground-floor entrance to Center City, Gillen said. The 447-451 State St. building Baumgartner is purchasing was initially going to house LaSartoria, an apparel store. Vincent Montesanto was to purchase the building from Metroplex for $250,000. He planned to employ five people by 2010. Montesanto will remain in downtown Schenectady and open his new shop several doors down from Bombers, Gillen said. He will lease rather than purchase. Montesanto has been in business for some 20 years and has operated a shop on Broadway in Saratoga Springs since 1991. “It worked out very well. Baumgartner is getting more space and we are getting twice the price for the building and 5 percent on the loan we are giving him,” Gillen said.
Logged
