(thekirbster)
This time last year, many in Saugerties were looking forward to the opening of an indoor shooting range at the old candle factory on Kings Highway. But the plans appear to be in limbo, according to town officials. Calls and emails to building owner Art Green for this article were not returned.
Town planners in January 2014 okayed Green and partner Willis Williamson’s plan to convert about 35,000 square feet of the 100,000-square-foot building for use as a shooting range.
This past June, the two men gave Saugerties Times a tour of the building and described their plans for the facility, which included a shooting range with enough distance for sniper training, and a large open area that could be set up for different scenarios for police department training.
The two hoped the combination of a nine-lane firearms range and scenario settings would draw police departments from around the Hudson Valley, as well as possibly the FBI, Homeland Security and State Police.
Town officials said they have not heard from either man in a while, speculating that getting police departments to commit to using the facility for training has not gone as expected.
Planning Board secretary Juanita Wilsey said the project would need final site plan approval before it could be finished.