By CRAIG FREILICH

POTSDAM -- The village Board of Trustees has officially endorsed a project proposed by a Missouri company to restructure and develop several buildings on Clarkson University’s old downtown campus, a move that was postponed at the last village board meting.

At a special meeting Tuesday afternoon, Mayor Ron Tischler and trustees Steve Warr, Abby Lee and Nick Sheehan approved a resolution designed to show support for a plan by Vecino Group of Springfield, Mo. To redesign, adapt and renovate Congden Hall and Old Snell Hall in order for applications for federal housing credits for the plan to go forward.

Vecino’s plan, called “The Quarry,” is for a mixed-use development in the old Clarkson buildings across from the museum, library and civic center, between Main and Elm streets. It would include 72 “affordable” apartments for lower- and middle-income tenants, some market value apartments, and leases of other space to the St. Lawrence County Arts Council and Clarkson’s Shipley Center for Innovation, in addition to operation of the sizeable theater in Snell.

The resolution says that the board “states its strong support for The Quarry Project” and supports “the Vecino Group’s proposal for an allocation of federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and state Historic Preservation Tax Credits,” and other grant applications.

At their Nov. 20 meeting, the village board tabled the same resolution they approved Tuesday, to await the return of Mayor Tischler so he would have a chance to give his input on the plan. There was no lengthy discussion of the resolution Tuesday.

The deadline for applications for the housing credits is approaching, and competition for the credits is very stiff, according to village Planning and Development Director Fred Hanss.

One way of boosting an application is by a community showing support for a project, such as the resolution approved Tuesday.

“This is not a blanket endorsement” of the project, Hanss said, but that “one of the criteria is how well a village supports” a plan, he said.

The resolution approved Tuesday meets that criterion.

“But there is no guarantee of success,” he said.

Hanss said announcements about these credits can be expected next May or June.

Beyond that, there are many hurdles to clear before a project gets the go-ahead, such as getting in place the remaining financing including more tax credits and grants, village and county planning board reviews, and a State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR), among other items.