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Ogdensburg approves home rule legislation allowing for two parcels at the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center to be sold

Posted 2/14/17

By JIMMY LAWTON OGDENSBURG – Ogdensburg City Council passed resolutions allowing the state to sell two unused parcels of land at St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center. The resolutions were made possible …

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Ogdensburg approves home rule legislation allowing for two parcels at the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center to be sold

Posted

By JIMMY LAWTON

OGDENSBURG – Ogdensburg City Council passed resolutions allowing the state to sell two unused parcels of land at St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center.

The resolutions were made possible though home rule legislation introduced by state Sen. Patty Ritchie, R-Heuvelton, and Assemblywoman Addie Jenne, D-Theresa.

The two parcels include parcel B and parcel D. Parcel B is a 50-acre  property on the river that is to be used for residential development.

The 25-acre property known as parcel D is bounded to the south by Entrance Ave., on the east by Cottage Drive, on the North by the Office Mental Health, on the west by several buildings owned by the psychiatric center.

That resolution for parcel D says that the sale would include the Co-generation Plan as well, however City Manager Sarah Purdy said this is a clerical error and that the plant’s ownership will be maintained by Alliance Energy.

The city has been working with state officials to acquire or allow the sale of several unused properties located at the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center. The council is hopeful a developer will be interested in purchasing the properties.

The city has expressed concern about parcel D as it houses the cogeneration plant that provides heat to the psychiatric center.

The energy company has operated the facility at a loss for several years in its effort to make good on the state contract to produce heat at the psychiatric center.

Until recently the company had owed the city $655,629 in back taxes and an additional $97,862 in interest.

In an agreement approved by city council in 2015 the interest was waived the interest fees in exchange for payment of the back taxes.

According to the public service commission, the facility began commercial operation in 1994 as a 79-megawatt cogeneration facility, selling electricity to the power company and steam to the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center.

The facility consisted of two gas turbine generating units, a steam turbine generating unit and two auxiliary boilers.

In 2007, the energy company removed the gas combustion turbines from service and, in 2010, put the steam turbine in protective lay-up. The company has maintained the equipment on site and performed maintenance activities to preserve the condition of the equipment and facility. The company now seeks to restart electric generation operation.

The sale of the property could play a role the energy company securing future operations of the plant.