Four large properties in the village of Fayetteville remain vacant, despite the mayor’s best efforts to interest developers in the areas.
The properties — the McIntyre paper plant, Syracuse Plastics plant, the old O’Brien and Gere manufacturing plant and the former Jay Chevrolet location — have remained empty, but Mayor Mark Olson hopes to see developers express interest in transforming the areas soon.
“The village board wants to see us develop these properties,” Olson said. “It should follow the character of the village, and go from a state of nothing to a state of something we can all be proud of.”
Developers have expressed interest in two of the properties in recent years, working to rezone the land in an effort to build housing. The plans for the McIntyre Paper Co. location, at the corner of Mill and Clinton streets in the village, have fallen through, Olson said.
A developer visioned putting in craftsman-style or bungalow-style homes in the area. The land was rezoned from industrial to planned residential development.
“We really want to see some type of residence there,” Olson said. “We think it would fit much better.”
The Syracuse Plastics location, on Clinton Street, was also rezoned for a residential development. The lot is contaminated and the current owner had applied for, and received, a Brownfield grant to clean up the property. That clean-up process hasn’t been completed and the land still remains contaminated.
If the current owners, who worked to get the locations rezoned, do not develop the properties, the zoning will revert to industrial.
“Industrial is very open,” Olson said. “There is a lot you can do in an ‘I,’ it could be an issue. We’d like to see things that fit into the village.”
The other two properties are across the street from each other — the old O’Brien and Gere manufacturing plant and the former Jay Chevrolet car dealership on Genesee Street.
“We’re hoping whatever one does will affect the other,” Olson said.
The O’Brien and Gere plant has been cleaned to become uncontaminated, but the area beneath the building remains contaminated, Olson said. The Jay Chevrolet property is also contaminated by petroleum.
“It’s a tricky site because of traffic,” Olson said.
The two properties are nestled at the opening of the commercial and business district in the village. Neighbors and residents of the village have expressed their concern for the area because of the already-crowded traffic pattern. Putting a traffic light up to deal with potential traffic is something Olson is willing to consider should the buildings be developed.
Leaving the properties vacant has been tough to watch, Olson said.
“Commercial activity is booming, but for some reason these four projects haven’t been able to get going,” he said.
The village’s comprehensive plan and design guidelines, penned in the mid-2000s, are available to help the village board and developers work to develop these vacant properties.
“We have a lot of strategic plans. We’ve got the start of a structure for whoever can come in and help us,” Olson said. “We are willing to listen, we’re open to new ideas and we want to see these properties developed.”
