Developer To Donate Property To Town Of Syracuse
August 17, 2022 at 11:11 p.m.
Developer To Donate Property To Town Of Syracuse
By Denise Fedorow-
Myron Schwartz, one of the developers of Ridgestone Development, which is developing the old elementary school into apartments, was present at the meeting. He complimented the council saying they were “the best town we’ve worked with” and shared that they’d discussed in the past with the former chamber of commerce director and other officials that the two front lots of the property might be a good site for a splash pad and the other three lots would be good for a dog park.
He said, “We’d love to partner with you guys and do something that would be beneficial for the whole town.”
He said they plan to have a bunch of families with kids living in the apartment complex so they would benefit as well but whatever is developed there would be open to the public. Schwartz said they were open to donating four front lots if the town wanted to put something like a splash pad or dog park there.
“Wow, that’s huge,” Council member Larry Siegel said.
The Council asked if he was sure he wouldn’t need the lots for parking but he said they had parking covered. Schwartz said he’d also spoken to Chad Jonsson, park superintendent, about the possibility of also donating the basketball courts too, with the thought the town might want to add playground equipment if they did.
But for sure they were willing to donate the front lots and were “game to donating the basketball courts as well.”
He said their tenants would have exclusive access to the gym and the basketball courts there. They decided to maintain the gym instead of creating apartments there.
“It has a lot of local history and I think people will appreciate that we’ve maintained that,” he said.
Schwartz told the Council that they plan to add exercise equipment and indoor playground equipment to the gym for their future tenants.
Siegel said, “I make a motion we write it up before they change their minds!”
Council President Bill Musser said they probably need to obtain appraisals and get something in writing for tax credit for the donation. Schwartz said he thought they had appraisals and that the lots appraised at $30,000 each but he’d check.
Schwartz was asked about the progress and he said they had 62 apartments framed and plumbed. There will be studio and one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. He reported the three bedrooms will likely rent for $1,600 a month but that is all-inclusive, including all utilities and high-speed internet.
He said when they talked to Polywood representatives they were very excited about the nearby housing to come and said they could probably fill it with their employees.
Siegel acknowledged, “There are a lot of people driving an hour one way every day to work in Syracuse.”
The Council expressed gratitude to the developer and would accept the donation and move forward with the next steps.
Schwartz reiterated the donation is contingent upon the town doing something beneficial for the public with the property.
Requests To Purchase Land
Town Manager David Wilkinson brought two separate requests to the council of residents wanting to purchase town-owned land.
The first one is the lot at the corner of North Main and Polywood Way. Polywood bought the property and donated it to the town. There is no longer a house on the property and it is narrower because Polywood took some of it to make the road wider.
Siegel said, “I’m not interested in selling at all. As hard as it is to acquire property I have no interest in selling it.”
He said the town might need it for a lift station in the future and he didn’t think Polywood gave it to them so they could sell it.
Council member Cindy Kaiser asked how many properties like that the town owns. Siegel responded the town owns several alleys.
Council member Paul Stoelting said, “If we’re going to use it for a lift station it’d be foolish to sell it but if we’re not going to do anything with hit, I’d be interested in at least examining it.”
Without an official vote the larger consensus was not to sell the lot.
Wilkinson brought another offer to the Council — a plot of land between two homes by the new ball field. The town owns the lot as it was part of the property purchased for the new ball field. The neighbors on both sides have maintained it and offered to buy it from the town.
Wilkinson pointed out that a privacy fence is going up in front of the houses, including the lot, which means the park department will need a gate installed to be able to access the property to mow it if the neighbors don’t continue doing it.
Siegel said, “I don’t support selling it for the same reasons as before. We just don’t give that stuff away — it’s too hard to come by.”
Bill Musser agreed, “I don’t see a reason to sell it.”
Kern Road Annexation
A public hearing was held for ordinance 2022-11 for annexation of 64 acres on Kern Road. No one from the public spoke for or against the annexation.
The Council went on to approve a resolution for the fiscal plan for the annexation.
KEDCO Presentation
Alan Tio, CEO of the Kosciusko County Economic Development Corporation (KEDCO), was present to update the council on the organization’s progress. The focus initiatives remain the same with housing, entrepreneurship and talent — workers for local companies.
He said they added two new staff members at KEDCO this week — one full-time, one part-time. In the last 90 days, they launched MEDTECH accelerator studio, stating they started with medical technology and once they learn they’ll expand to agriculture technology.
They also started a downtown Warsaw incubator — small shared space for entrepreneurs and want to expand that to other areas in the county, they just have to have spaces ready to go. He reported they’re working on business development and partnered with Conexus to award manufacturing readiness grants. He said eight have been awarded in the county with three in Syracuse but they’ve not been publicly released yet.
Siegel wanted to talk about housing and asked if KEDCO would consider tiny houses as a housing option and look at current zoning so Kosciusko County would be friendly towards tiny housing.
“It’s a big wave — a different type of housing,” he also said there’s new technology in building materials KEDCO could also look at and work with county zoning to allow those things county wide.
Siegel said he’d be willing to sit on a committee if need be. “I think that’s a place KEDCO can make a real difference.”
Tio said he’d be glad to talk to Siegel about it. “The more options we have to bring proximity to employers the better.”
In other business:
• Polywood wanted speed bumps on Polywood Way but the council suggested pedestrian crossing flashing signs instead.
• Approved reappointing Tom Hoover to library board.
• Heard the Parks Department is sponsoring a family campout at Lakeside Park on Sept. 9. Tent camping, hot dog cookout, S’mores, movie and popcorn at a cost of $10. Families supply their own tent. Pre-register by Sept. 7 by calling 574-457-3440.
Myron Schwartz, one of the developers of Ridgestone Development, which is developing the old elementary school into apartments, was present at the meeting. He complimented the council saying they were “the best town we’ve worked with” and shared that they’d discussed in the past with the former chamber of commerce director and other officials that the two front lots of the property might be a good site for a splash pad and the other three lots would be good for a dog park.
He said, “We’d love to partner with you guys and do something that would be beneficial for the whole town.”
He said they plan to have a bunch of families with kids living in the apartment complex so they would benefit as well but whatever is developed there would be open to the public. Schwartz said they were open to donating four front lots if the town wanted to put something like a splash pad or dog park there.
“Wow, that’s huge,” Council member Larry Siegel said.
The Council asked if he was sure he wouldn’t need the lots for parking but he said they had parking covered. Schwartz said he’d also spoken to Chad Jonsson, park superintendent, about the possibility of also donating the basketball courts too, with the thought the town might want to add playground equipment if they did.
But for sure they were willing to donate the front lots and were “game to donating the basketball courts as well.”
He said their tenants would have exclusive access to the gym and the basketball courts there. They decided to maintain the gym instead of creating apartments there.
“It has a lot of local history and I think people will appreciate that we’ve maintained that,” he said.
Schwartz told the Council that they plan to add exercise equipment and indoor playground equipment to the gym for their future tenants.
Siegel said, “I make a motion we write it up before they change their minds!”
Council President Bill Musser said they probably need to obtain appraisals and get something in writing for tax credit for the donation. Schwartz said he thought they had appraisals and that the lots appraised at $30,000 each but he’d check.
Schwartz was asked about the progress and he said they had 62 apartments framed and plumbed. There will be studio and one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. He reported the three bedrooms will likely rent for $1,600 a month but that is all-inclusive, including all utilities and high-speed internet.
He said when they talked to Polywood representatives they were very excited about the nearby housing to come and said they could probably fill it with their employees.
Siegel acknowledged, “There are a lot of people driving an hour one way every day to work in Syracuse.”
The Council expressed gratitude to the developer and would accept the donation and move forward with the next steps.
Schwartz reiterated the donation is contingent upon the town doing something beneficial for the public with the property.
Requests To Purchase Land
Town Manager David Wilkinson brought two separate requests to the council of residents wanting to purchase town-owned land.
The first one is the lot at the corner of North Main and Polywood Way. Polywood bought the property and donated it to the town. There is no longer a house on the property and it is narrower because Polywood took some of it to make the road wider.
Siegel said, “I’m not interested in selling at all. As hard as it is to acquire property I have no interest in selling it.”
He said the town might need it for a lift station in the future and he didn’t think Polywood gave it to them so they could sell it.
Council member Cindy Kaiser asked how many properties like that the town owns. Siegel responded the town owns several alleys.
Council member Paul Stoelting said, “If we’re going to use it for a lift station it’d be foolish to sell it but if we’re not going to do anything with hit, I’d be interested in at least examining it.”
Without an official vote the larger consensus was not to sell the lot.
Wilkinson brought another offer to the Council — a plot of land between two homes by the new ball field. The town owns the lot as it was part of the property purchased for the new ball field. The neighbors on both sides have maintained it and offered to buy it from the town.
Wilkinson pointed out that a privacy fence is going up in front of the houses, including the lot, which means the park department will need a gate installed to be able to access the property to mow it if the neighbors don’t continue doing it.
Siegel said, “I don’t support selling it for the same reasons as before. We just don’t give that stuff away — it’s too hard to come by.”
Bill Musser agreed, “I don’t see a reason to sell it.”
Kern Road Annexation
A public hearing was held for ordinance 2022-11 for annexation of 64 acres on Kern Road. No one from the public spoke for or against the annexation.
The Council went on to approve a resolution for the fiscal plan for the annexation.
KEDCO Presentation
Alan Tio, CEO of the Kosciusko County Economic Development Corporation (KEDCO), was present to update the council on the organization’s progress. The focus initiatives remain the same with housing, entrepreneurship and talent — workers for local companies.
He said they added two new staff members at KEDCO this week — one full-time, one part-time. In the last 90 days, they launched MEDTECH accelerator studio, stating they started with medical technology and once they learn they’ll expand to agriculture technology.
They also started a downtown Warsaw incubator — small shared space for entrepreneurs and want to expand that to other areas in the county, they just have to have spaces ready to go. He reported they’re working on business development and partnered with Conexus to award manufacturing readiness grants. He said eight have been awarded in the county with three in Syracuse but they’ve not been publicly released yet.
Siegel wanted to talk about housing and asked if KEDCO would consider tiny houses as a housing option and look at current zoning so Kosciusko County would be friendly towards tiny housing.
“It’s a big wave — a different type of housing,” he also said there’s new technology in building materials KEDCO could also look at and work with county zoning to allow those things county wide.
Siegel said he’d be willing to sit on a committee if need be. “I think that’s a place KEDCO can make a real difference.”
Tio said he’d be glad to talk to Siegel about it. “The more options we have to bring proximity to employers the better.”
In other business:
• Polywood wanted speed bumps on Polywood Way but the council suggested pedestrian crossing flashing signs instead.
• Approved reappointing Tom Hoover to library board.
• Heard the Parks Department is sponsoring a family campout at Lakeside Park on Sept. 9. Tent camping, hot dog cookout, S’mores, movie and popcorn at a cost of $10. Families supply their own tent. Pre-register by Sept. 7 by calling 574-457-3440.
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