Liverpool’s most successful publican, John Gormel, has purchased two strips of land abutting his Barking Gull tavern, at 116 S. Willow St., on the corner of Lake Drive.

The Gull is located on the Basin Block bounded by Lake Drive, First Street and South Willow Street adjacent to Onondaga Lake Park.

Gormel and his family own three of the village’s most popular eating-and-drinking establishments in the village — The Retreat, the Cobblestone and the Barking Gull.

Stalled developments 

For the past several years, various proposals for Basin Block development have been reviewed by the village planning board, which approved JGB Properties’ ambitious mixed-use project including 47 apartments and the late Val Lamont’s plan to pave a 49-space mid-block parking lot, That parking lot was designed for patrons of the Limp Lizard Barbecue and the White Water Pub, two restaurant/bars which do business on Lamont properties on First and South Willow streets, respectively.

After Lamont died in November 2015, the parking lot plan fizzled, and — for reasons unknown — the massive JGB project also stalled.

Meanwhile, Lamont’s heirs — mother-and-son Valerie and Dennis Kosdrosky — are offering to sell the White Water Pub property at 110 S. Willow St. Exactly a year ago, Gormel made a purchase offer and also reportedly offered to buy the pub business from tavernkeeper Mary Kay Manns. He withdrew the property purchase offer after realizing that there were easements attached to the property, and never closed the deal with Manns, who continues to operate the pub.

Sale price $60K

But this fall, the village put two strips of Basin Block land up for sale. Dennis Kosdrosky was interested in a 20-foot strip running between the White Water and the Barking Gull, but Gormel made a significantly more lucrative offer — $60,000 — for both that parcel and another 40-foot strip on the Gull’s west side.

At its Nov. 20 meeting, the village board of trustees approved the sale, according to Village Clerk Mary Ellen Sims.

The purchase expands the Barking Gull footprint on its two non-street sides. More importantly, however, the move increases Gormel’s already significant holdings on the Basin Block where he and his family also own several residential properties. And it puts him in a catbird seat from which to watch further Basin Block developments by those he considers competitors — Limp Lizard and White Water — as well as those he considers a friend, Jay Bernhardt, the top man at JGB Properties.

Because the Basin Block was the site of an old Oswego Canal side-cut basin, storm-water drainage remains a major consideration for all concerned, and Gormel’s new 40-foot strip had previously been identified as a potential site for stormwater disposal. Stay tuned…

Lights on Lake idea

Traffic overload remains one of the few drawbacks to village life. We’re proud to host the annual holiday Lights on the Lake display, but the traffic jams it creates on village streets and along Onondaga Lake Parkway are more than inconvenient. They’re downright dangerous as they impede emergency vehicles responding to calls.

A few years ago, First Street resident Tom LaValle, was trying to drive his injured son to an emergency room, but Lights on the Lake traffic nearly turned his trip into a tragedy.

Anyhow, Liverpool Mayor Gary White thinks he has the answer.

All they’d have to do is switch the entry and exit.

Right now, Lights on the Lake traffic enters at Onondaga Lake Parkway and exits at Long Branch Road. If the cars entered at Long Branch Road and exited onto Onondaga Lake Parkway, the traffic jams that paralyze the village would disappear. Better yet, Lights visitors would be able to cap off their holiday outing with a quick visit to Heid’s or Limp Lizard, the Rio Grande, the White Water, The Retreat or the Cobblestone.

More business and less traffic — ya gotta love it!

We can only hold our breath and hope that Onondaga County Parks and Recreation agrees.

Contact the columnist at [email protected].