The Ulster County Legislature last week voted 18 to 5 to continue to maintain the property of Ulster County Enterprise West, formerly the Bank of America building at TechCity, for an additional $399,282.
The decision didn’t come without debate. Some legislators said they didn’t want to act like the landlords of this property. Others used the analogy that they would never shut their furnace off in the winter just to save money.
The legislature amended the 2020-2025 capital improvement program’s fund budget and authorized the preliminary reconstruction of the building, which will be paid through bonds.
“Are we setting safety standards to be able to show the building for future development or for occupancy?” asked legislator Lynn Archer. “I believe it’s the latter. I don’t believe government is the right body. It should be a landlord.”
Legislator Brian Cahill said that the investment in this property fit into a grander scheme of economic development for the county. “We’re undertaking some major projects in Ulster County in the coming year,” said Cahill. “It tells folks who are looking in this area that we are serious about improving things, economic development and helping the community move forward.”
Those in support of the maintenance said it was mandatory to ensure that prospects can safely look through it, while otherswho were opposed said that the building was safe enough as it is.
Legislator Peter Criswell was concerned the building would become a money pit for the county. Though, he said his concerns were alleviated by the confirmation “over and over again” that the county wouldn’t hold onto the building. He voted yes for the maintenance. Majority Leader Jonathan Heppner held the same position as Criswell and caste a yes as “a vote of faith.”
“My reason for supporting it was very simple,” said minority leader Kenneth Ronk afterwards. “It is a very important piece of land for the Town of Ulster and Ulster County that was widely underutilized in the past years.”
The building was put into the hands of the county after a foreclosure in November 2019. It was identified as a potential site for a surge hospital to help with Covid-19 from March to June. The county has invested $137,000 to separate the electric and gas lines to the building from the rest of TechCity.
“I think the county needs to protect the asset that it has acquired through the foreclosure of the property, and not to protect that asset would be the wrong thing to do,” said legislator Herb Litts. “This building is usable, and with a little help and money it is an asset to the county and it is an asset we should not let go by not taking care of it through the winter months.”
Legislator Eve Walter said that with the “very, very difficult, challenging financial time” she wouldn’t be able to vote yes, despite touring the building. She described the building as “quite stable,” having “no mold,” and that it was not deteriorating. Instead of a vote of faith, she would have favored a clear plan for the future of the building before investing money into it.
Tim Weidemann, the new economic development director for Ulster County, said his guidance was to bring the building up to a point where it was able to be shown and potentially sold.
“We’re really pleased that the legislature saw fit to approve the funding that was requested in the form of a capital project,” said Weidemann. “It’s our anticipated last major investment for the building at the time being.”
The next step for this project is for the legislature to approve another resolution in December that would begin the process of surplusing the property from the county to another entity.”
A public hearing will likely be scheduled as well about what the building. “This county is really not in the position to own a property like this or be a landlord,” said Weidemann. “We believe the first step in getting out of this situation of making us a landlord is to transfer it to another owner through the surplus process.”
Allegedly, a dozen companies have shown some level of interest in the property. The Farm Bridge, a present occupant on the east side of TechCity, has shown the most interest so far. It has proposed occupancy of 15 percent of the Ulster County Enterprise West building.
That possibility is being explored,. Weidemann said.
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