New Hartford, NY According to town supervisor Paul Miscione, the town has closed on the former Gander Mountain Building at the Orchard Mall next to Kohl’s in The Orchard Shopping Plaza. This 50,496 s/f building will house all town offices, the police department, courts, a community meeting room and senior services center for the town.
Jeffrey D’Amore of Cushman & Wakefield|Pyramid Brokerage Co. (C&W|Pyramid) was the exclusive agent retained by the seller and was the sole broker in the transaction.
The town selected architect Edward Olley Jr. AIA and his design team from the firm of GYMO Architecture, Engineering, Environmental & Land Surveying DPC to assist with creating an adaptive-reuse program compatible with Town functions and to provide professional design services for the project.
This project was proposed by Miscione after extensive research in locating an area for the new offices that would not affect residential neighborhoods and have a central location with access to main streets and highways and determined that this location met those requirements.
Miscione said, “This will bring our town together in one building in the commercial shopping corridor rather than scattered all over town. The project will allow departments to coordinate business more efficiently and will also bring more business to the restaurants and department stores in the shopping center by creating a one stop shop for all residents. This project will not only consolidate town offices but will also consolidate New Hartford Town and Village Courts.”
The town supervisor also stated the project will be going out for public bid in July for renovation work, anticipating construction would start in August 2018. The build-out cost is estimated to come in at $2.5-2.6 million for renovations and the town has taken out a BAN from Adirondack Bank in town for a total of $4.5 million.
This location will draw heavy traffic from our senior communities that surround this area and will connect into our trail system, allowing the project to be walkable for many in the community. Miscione will also work to achieve Climate Smart Communities by using Green Infrastructure Systems for renovations of the building. The Town has also applied for a DEC Grant for EVSE Charging Stations at this location so the public can charge their electric cars full time while using town services or shopping at the mall.
The town is also the hub for commercial development in Oneida County and where many national brand stores have set record store sales. Miscione will keep promoting commercial development in town and will continue to welcome developers with the right vision and comprehensive planning in support of community needs.
The town continues to be the leader in the county of Oneida, with expanded growth in retail commerce and in housing. A dozen or more retail stores and two major hotels have opened here in the town. Plans for two new large housing projects have already been submitted to the town and are expected to begin construction in early 2018-2019.
The town is the dominant retail area in the county, generating over 60% of the sales tax collected. The concentration of retail establishments in the Town has created a desire for stores to locate here. As the premier retail area, the town has perpetuated future growth unlike any other in the county and upstate New York.
As the town’s retail sector continues to grow so too does it residential housing. Plans for multiple residential projects have already been submitted to the town for 2018. In 2018 the town will also be investing in its parks system and applying for grants like the Climate Smart Communities program. A contributing factor in the town’s residential growth is the quality of its schools. The New Hartford Central School District was once again ranked in the top 100 schools in the country. This recognition draws many new families to the town.
Along with the above, the town has maintained a solid financial foundation, which has grown stronger each year. Under the current management, the Town has reduced expenditures, increased services to its residents, and increased its General Fund balance. This suggests a bright and solid future for the town.
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