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Madison
Marketplace
Development
Explained,
Questioned
Marketplace
Development
Explained,
Questioned
About 120 people attended a
Town of Madison Planning Board
meeting Wednesday night to
discuss the $20 million proposed
shopping center development on
Rte. 12B north of the Village of
Hamilton at Airport Road. Many of
them expressed concerns about
the project's impact on:
+ the environment;
+ existing businesses;
+ traffic safety;
+ residents on English Avenue,
Airport Road, Rte 12B North and
Johnnycake Hill Road;
+ and shopping opportunities for
many of the village's senior citizens.
Hamilton Mayor Sue McVaugh was
one of the people who attended
the meeting Wednesday, and
voiced the concerns of many of
the people who spoke out at the
hearing.
"I am very concerned about the
people at Madison Lane (senior
citizen apartments) who walk to
Grand Union to shop," said the
mayor. "When I talk to people at
Madison Lane they tell me,
'Everything we need is here.'"
McVaugh and others believe that
the community is not big enough
to support three grocery stores:
Grand Union, Wayne's and a new
Price Chopper.
Hamilton Business Alliance
President Ben Eberhardt was at
the meeting and said that
organization believes businesses in
Madison Marketplace -- including
Price Chopper -- would have an
unfair advantage. He said the local
tax base is supported by local
businesses, and ought to be
preserved.
"Annexation is the key," said
Eberhardt.
Annexation was one of the hottest
topics to be discussed at the
meeting. Attorneys for Sphere and
the Village of Hamilton said they
were setting the record straight
when they spoke. Each said the
other's client didn't want the
project to be annexed.
Kathy Bennett, Sphere's land use
attorney from the Syracuse firm of
Bond Schoeneck and King, said her
client requested water and sewer
service twice but was turned down.
McVaugh said Hamilton cannot
supply water, sewer and municipal
electric service to a business or
residence outside the village. The
property would have to be
annexed.
The mayor said village has concerns
about the water supply under
ground at and near the project,
adding that she has "a great deal of
faith in the Town of Madison
Planning Board to execute the
SEQR (State Environmental
Quality Review) to the best of
their ability."
The next meeting of the planning
board is Feb. 6.
Posted 2008.1.10
Town of Madison Planning Board
meeting Wednesday night to
discuss the $20 million proposed
shopping center development on
Rte. 12B north of the Village of
Hamilton at Airport Road. Many of
them expressed concerns about
the project's impact on:
+ the environment;
+ existing businesses;
+ traffic safety;
+ residents on English Avenue,
Airport Road, Rte 12B North and
Johnnycake Hill Road;
+ and shopping opportunities for
many of the village's senior citizens.
Hamilton Mayor Sue McVaugh was
one of the people who attended
the meeting Wednesday, and
voiced the concerns of many of
the people who spoke out at the
hearing.
"I am very concerned about the
people at Madison Lane (senior
citizen apartments) who walk to
Grand Union to shop," said the
mayor. "When I talk to people at
Madison Lane they tell me,
'Everything we need is here.'"
McVaugh and others believe that
the community is not big enough
to support three grocery stores:
Grand Union, Wayne's and a new
Price Chopper.
Hamilton Business Alliance
President Ben Eberhardt was at
the meeting and said that
organization believes businesses in
Madison Marketplace -- including
Price Chopper -- would have an
unfair advantage. He said the local
tax base is supported by local
businesses, and ought to be
preserved.
"Annexation is the key," said
Eberhardt.
Annexation was one of the hottest
topics to be discussed at the
meeting. Attorneys for Sphere and
the Village of Hamilton said they
were setting the record straight
when they spoke. Each said the
other's client didn't want the
project to be annexed.
Kathy Bennett, Sphere's land use
attorney from the Syracuse firm of
Bond Schoeneck and King, said her
client requested water and sewer
service twice but was turned down.
McVaugh said Hamilton cannot
supply water, sewer and municipal
electric service to a business or
residence outside the village. The
property would have to be
annexed.
The mayor said village has concerns
about the water supply under
ground at and near the project,
adding that she has "a great deal of
faith in the Town of Madison
Planning Board to execute the
SEQR (State Environmental
Quality Review) to the best of
their ability."
The next meeting of the planning
board is Feb. 6.
Posted 2008.1.10
| Developer Lists Positives |
One of the partners in the Cazenovia company that
wants to develop the Madison Marketplace project,
explained to the Town of Madison Planning Board all of
the benefits the strip center development would bring to
the community.
Greg Widrick of Sphere Development said the mixed
use shopping center will, if approved:
wants to develop the Madison Marketplace project,
explained to the Town of Madison Planning Board all of
the benefits the strip center development would bring to
the community.
Greg Widrick of Sphere Development said the mixed
use shopping center will, if approved:
- Be one of 10 projects the company has in the
works, all in Central New York; - Create between 100 and 150 new jobs;
- Have two anchor stores, a 37,000-square-foot
Price Chopper grocery store and a Tractor Supply
store; - Spin off some $1.8 million in additional sales tax
revenue to Madison County. About $100,000
would go to the Town of Madison and the Town
of Hamilton would receive about $135,000; - Cost about $20 million to build;
- Begin construction as soon as the frost is out of
the ground in the spring; - Be open before Thanksgiving;
- Increase property tax revenues for the town of
Madison; - Drill two wells to supply water to the businesses
in the Marketplace; - And have its own large-scale septic system to
handle waste from the businesses, which he said
were national, publicly-trade corporations.
| Residents Voice Concern |
After Greg Widrick, of Sphere Development, and others
explained the Madison Marketplace project, citizens had
their say. Here is what they said:
+ Paul Lehman said that while development is "a good
thing", he was concerned that there was no discussion of
its impact on people living in the trailer park north of
Madison Marketplace or those, like himself, on Airport
Road.
+ Chris Ogden said she had just moved back to
Hamilton and fears the development will hurt existing
business in Hamilton. "We already have empty
storefronts in downtown, and this would create more."
+ Tim O'Keefe also expressed concern for existing
businesses. He suggested Sphere buy the Grand
Union/Wise Buys plaza and redevelop it.
+ Mark Upton, who lives on the corner of Johnnycake
Hill and Airport roads, suggested Madison Marketplace
would increase traffic, including tractor trailers making
deliveries, often at night.
+ Jerry Farr, manager of Paul Oil located on Airport
Road, raised questions about traffic safety on 12B.
+ Jim Bona made it clear he was speaking as a Hamilton
resident and not as a member of the village Board of
Trustees. He asked, "What if you lived on Airport Road
or English Avenue or Johnnycake Hill Road, would you
want this next to your home? Would you want your kids
riding their bikes down your street with this next to it?"
He suggested Sphere "walk a mile in the other guy's
shoes."
+ Elizabeth Joerger lives on English Avenue and said
she knows from personal experience that find potable
water in that area is not easy. She also she wants "to
make sure what you're doing doesn't blow out
everyone's wells."
And, then there was former Madison Supervisor George
Turner who said of Madison Marketplace, "It's time that
the town of Madison has something and I hope we get it."
Posted 2008.1.10
explained the Madison Marketplace project, citizens had
their say. Here is what they said:
+ Paul Lehman said that while development is "a good
thing", he was concerned that there was no discussion of
its impact on people living in the trailer park north of
Madison Marketplace or those, like himself, on Airport
Road.
+ Chris Ogden said she had just moved back to
Hamilton and fears the development will hurt existing
business in Hamilton. "We already have empty
storefronts in downtown, and this would create more."
+ Tim O'Keefe also expressed concern for existing
businesses. He suggested Sphere buy the Grand
Union/Wise Buys plaza and redevelop it.
+ Mark Upton, who lives on the corner of Johnnycake
Hill and Airport roads, suggested Madison Marketplace
would increase traffic, including tractor trailers making
deliveries, often at night.
+ Jerry Farr, manager of Paul Oil located on Airport
Road, raised questions about traffic safety on 12B.
+ Jim Bona made it clear he was speaking as a Hamilton
resident and not as a member of the village Board of
Trustees. He asked, "What if you lived on Airport Road
or English Avenue or Johnnycake Hill Road, would you
want this next to your home? Would you want your kids
riding their bikes down your street with this next to it?"
He suggested Sphere "walk a mile in the other guy's
shoes."
+ Elizabeth Joerger lives on English Avenue and said
she knows from personal experience that find potable
water in that area is not easy. She also she wants "to
make sure what you're doing doesn't blow out
everyone's wells."
And, then there was former Madison Supervisor George
Turner who said of Madison Marketplace, "It's time that
the town of Madison has something and I hope we get it."
Posted 2008.1.10