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St. Lawrence County IDA endorses plan to get 160 acres of property back on Ogdensburg tax roll

Posted 2/28/14

OGDENSBURG – A plan that would return 160 acres of land at the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center to the city of Ogdensburg was endorsed by the St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency …

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St. Lawrence County IDA endorses plan to get 160 acres of property back on Ogdensburg tax roll

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OGDENSBURG – A plan that would return 160 acres of land at the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center to the city of Ogdensburg was endorsed by the St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency Thursday.

The St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center Task Force, the City of Ogdensburg and St. Lawrence County Legislators have also supported the plan, that would put four parcels of land at the facility back on city tax rolls.

The proposal was introduced by Sen. Patricia Ritchie and supported by Assemblyman Addie Russell as well as other state representatives of St. Lawrence County.

The parcels include a woodlot, a residential waterfront section, the cogeneration plant and an industrial section.

Ogdensburg has agreed to use the proceeds from the sale of the parcels to develop a revolving fund that would allow the community to redevelop other properties and buildings.

The resolution passed by the IDA says the Office of Mental Health, which owns the land, has no existing plan and calls for the land to be offered to the city.

“There is no publicly known or advocated plan by OMH to make productive use of any of the parcels referred to in the proposed legislation, nor is there any reasonable expectation that any of the parcels requested under the legislation would be needed to expand, or even maintain, the current levels of service provided thereat,” the resolution says. “St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency supports the proposed conveyance of 160 acres to the City of Ogdensburg, and strongly urges favorable consideration of the bill by the members of the New York State Senate and New York State Assembly, without delay.”The Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority has expressed interest in to small portions of parcels the city may acquire.

Ogdensburg Mayor William Nelson said he would be more than willing to meet with OBPA officials to discuss the plans, but would like to see the properties returned to the tax base even if the OBPA acquires them.