The economy may be in a rut, but that hasn’t stopped people in the Town of Marcellus from building.
At a July 12 Marcellus Town Board meeting, the board agreed to provide funding for the deputy code enforcement officer, Steve Rudolph, to work an additional 14 days between now and January. Town Code Enforcement Officer Bill Reagan cited unusually high building permits issued this year that have kept him busy while simultaneously bringing in revenue for the town.
“I’ve never issued 90 permits by the end of June,” Reagan told the Eagle Observer. That number does not include permits issued by the village.
“I’m so busy in the building department that I’m falling behind in other areas like fire inspections,” he said to the board.
Chris Cummings, project coordinator for McClurg Remodeling & Construction Services on Main Street, said this is a busy season for McClurg — with this year being no exception.
“All things considered, with the way the economy’s done, it’s been a good year for us,” Cummings said.
Cummings was surprised to hear, however, that building permits are higher than normal; as project coordinator he handles building permits, and he’s applied for about 20 this year.
With the downturn of the economy, people tend to come to McClurg looking for repairs rather than construction, “things that need to be done,” Cummings said.
“In general new home construction isn’t what it used to be,” he said. The permits issued by Reagan include high numbers for in-ground pools, additions, decks and garages.
“Maybe part of it is that people are staying in their homes rather than building a new one,” McClurg said.
David Movsovich is one of six homeowners in the Town of Marcellus to be issued a permit for an addition this year. He’s staying in his home, but not for financial reasons.
“I don’t think the economy had much to say in this particular instance,” he said.
It’s been a plan of Movsovich’s to have his parents move to Marcellus from New Jersey for a few years now. The addition, designed by Jennifer Gruenberg of Liverpool and being constructed by Mike Witaszed of Syracuse, is underway — with the small back room knocked down to make way for a bigger living space to house his parents.
“I decided that I just didn’t want to keep driving back and forth to South Jersey,” Movsovich said.
He considered other options like apartments or senior housing — “there’s some great senior housing in CNY” — but ultimately decided to share his property in Marcellus, of which he speaks proudly, with his parents.
Nineteen permits were for decks, porches or ramps. Eleven were for swimming pools.
Amy and Daniel Button got the go ahead to install a pool in mid-June. The liner is in; the rainy weather slowed the installation.
“I wanted to create an environment where [our kids] can have their friends over and have fun at the house,” Amy Button said.
Her kids are 8 and 10 years old, and they love to swim. Amy wanted to take advantage of their big back yard and give her kids a reason to get outside and enjoy the weather.
“They’re at the age where they’re wanting to go play video games at other kids’ houses,” she said.
Button admits she and her husband are fortunate to have their source of income intact. As a dairy animal nutritionist, Amy’s husband, Dan, formulates diets for dairy cows.
“Milk prices aren’t the greatest, but he still has a job,” she said.
Button feels that people in her position can — and should — have a positive affect on the economy.
“Consumer spending is what’s going to help charge the economy again,” Button said.
