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Be aware of Congdon Hall property tax exemption

Posted 9/22/15

To the Editor: This past spring and summer I enjoyed reading Sandra Paige Sorell’s descriptions of Clarkson’s Riverside Apartments, or “Diaper Hill.” Many of her experiences mirrored my …

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Be aware of Congdon Hall property tax exemption

Posted

To the Editor:

This past spring and summer I enjoyed reading Sandra Paige Sorell’s descriptions of Clarkson’s Riverside Apartments, or “Diaper Hill.”

Many of her experiences mirrored my childhood memories of that same complex. In the early 1970’s, my best friend, Michelle Ein, lived in the same apartment (16) as Ms. Paige-Sorell. We spent many afternoons playing with Barbie’s, reading Archie, and watching Sid and Marty Krofft programs. Riding a bike on pavement there was fantastic. I lived on Sweeney Road, which was dirt at the time.

Her father Ron was a professor of English and one of the founders of the Potsdam Co-Op. We went downtown in his green VW Microbus, and got to eat fruit leather and carob from the store.

Michelle and I also attended Congdon Campus School (before it was sold to Clarkson for one dollar in the early 1980’s). My mother was a kindergarten teacher there, and her mother, a nurse, had an office near the gym. We knew every inch of that now dilapidated building. It’s sad that no families starting out will have the memories of these two special places.

You see, during the post-WW2 influx of families like the Paige’s, Clarkson won a State Supreme Court case declaring they would be exempt from taxation for housing these families. For a few decades this was a suitable and mildly profitable use for these apartments. Sometime in the late 70’s that changed. Someone figured if they turned these into student apartments, they could make 3-4 times the money, and still maintain their tax-free status.

These same 60 bedrooms at Riverside have generated more than $5,016,000 in the past decade. ($4,180 x2 semesters, times 60 bedrooms, x 10 years)

By subtracting 10 percent of this total per decade for inflation, this complex has taken in more than 17.2 million dollars since 1975. This number assumes no student shares a bedroom, (although in 1977 the Clarkson Integrator reported that 86 students live there). Clarkson owns 152 more apartments identical to those at “Diaper Hill”, still making a large profit, and still tax exempt.

Now that Congdon Hall is slated for remodeling, they state that 100 apartments will be created. Leaders of PCS, the Village and Town should pay close attention.

Clarkson’s Albany-based contractor, Omni Development, was awarded $1,185,000 for this project through the taxpayer funded North Country Regional Economic Development program.

It was announced that an additional $234, 000 was awarded by Northern Boarder Regional Commission for business space in Snell Hall. When the contractor, the IDA or Clarkson comes to ask for a PILOT or an outright exemption from property taxes, I hope everyone will remember “Diaper Hill”.

Peggy Brusso

Potsdam