X

Clarkson’s downtown Potsdam building to be converted to apartments this fall

Posted 7/4/15

By JIMMY LAWTON POTSDAM – A massive remodeling of downtown Clarkson University buildings into apartments will begin this fall, but plans for a business center, arts incubator and children’s …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Clarkson’s downtown Potsdam building to be converted to apartments this fall

Posted

By JIMMY LAWTON

POTSDAM – A massive remodeling of downtown Clarkson University buildings into apartments will begin this fall, but plans for a business center, arts incubator and children’s museum won’t begin until summer of 2016.

Renovations at Snell Hall are not expected to begin until the summer of 2016 on a major overhaul of Snell Hall, located across the street from the village offices, museum and library. Work to convert adjacent Congdon Hall into 72 apartments is slated to begin this fall.

Omni Development Corp. Chief Operating Officer Duncan Barrett said his organization has been working to obtain approval from the state Historic Preservation Office to move forward with the projects. But because both buildings are on the historic registry, there are certain requirements that must be met, which have implications on costs, he said.

“We are progressing things. We’ve got all of our paper work,” he said. “Because of the historical designation, we have to have approval of the scope and details of rehabilitation. Their review and conditions of approval have construction costs implications, but we have enough feed back from them to progress now.”

Barrett said Omni could not secure a site plan approval without a green light from the state preservation office, but will be meeting with the local planning board soon.

One-, Two-Bedroom Apartments

At Congdon, located to east behind Snell, approximately 72 apartments are scheduled for completed by summer or fall of 2016. Apartments will consist of one and two bedroom units and some will include some shared bathrooms and kitchens, according to Melissa Wagner Telford, a project manager for Clarkson who is assisting with the project. Other organizations involved with the Congdon-Snell project include Omni, Clarkson, the St. Lawrence County Arts Council and the North Country Children’s Museum.

Work at the Snell building is expected to begin as Congdon wraps up. Barrett said the project is much more complex as it will include a small businesses development center, an interactive learning museum, an arts council retail space and exhibition area, and apartments.

Barrett said funding for different areas of the Snell projects will be coming in from a variety of donations, grants and fundraising.

He said funding may play a role in the order each project is completed, but added that initial construction at Snell would begin with utilities. Congdon and Snell currently share a common boiler that needs to be replaced and modernized. Heating, cooling and electrical systems will be upgraded in Snell before work begins on specific floors, he said.

Business, Arts, Retail

While the Snell building is being leased from Clarkson, Barrett said Omni will be paying taxes on the property.

The first floor will be divided into a section for the St. Lawrence Arts Council and the North Country Children’s Museum. The museum will include a play space, innovation station, fun a fitness area, museum store and community room. The arts council section includes a large exhibit space and retail gallery.

On the second floor will be the business development center, which has been awarded a Start Up NY designation that allows startup businesses to forego taxes for up to 10 years as they grow.

Barrett said that designation would be a boon for the building and would likely attract more entrepreneurs.

Matt Draper, executive director at Clarkson’s Shipley Center, also praised the designation.

“There are 38 offices on the second floor that we plan to convert into an Arts Incubator working with the St. Lawrence County Arts Council,” he said. “The project will be the same as the Peyton Hall Incubator, where the Shipley Center for Innovation and Reh Center for Entrepreneurship will collaborate to provide services/resources to resident companies. In addition to Snell, we received 13,000 square feet of approved space in Peyton Hall and 5,000 square feet of approved space in Old Main."

The third floor of Snell will be used for high end apartments. Wagner said the goal is create “quality living unit with a more urban like feel.” She said they may be helpful when recruiting professionals from out of the area.

“We envision something that could transitional housing for doctors. Somewhere they can stay comfortably,” she said.

While the Snell project dates are more flexible than the Congdon plans, Barrett said he is hopeful construction will begin as planned in Summer of 2016.