The Saga of Fulton Aldi’s and Nestles Site

by Contributor | July 8, 2016 8:50 am

To The Editor:
On May 10, 2014, it was reported -“Fulton Mayor says ALDI project still a go.” “Ralph Stacy Jr. of the city’s planning commission addressed the mayor and the council during the public forum, saying that several people had approached him after hearing that Aldi’s proposal was ‘in jeopardy.’” “People have noticed that the demo activity has halted at the plant  and people are concerned and they want to know what’s going on” Stacy said” “Woodard said: “Although he’s (Palmer) not tearing buildings down now, there are people inside remediating the asbestos so they can take the buildings down.” Woodard said Aldi wants to break ground July 1.
On June 6, 2014: The proposed Aldi grocery store on the former Nestle site may not break ground as scheduled. “ It might be delayed a couple weeks. ”Palmer said. “We had an unusually harsh winter, so we couldn’t do the abatement over the winter.”

April 16, 2015: “City takes action to prevent another Nestlé’ cleanup situation.” Fulton adopted a new policy last week that officials say will help prevent the city from getting stuck with the cleanup bill after a building gets demolished.
“The Common Council approved an amendment to the city’s “Demolition” last week that requires anyone seeking a permit to demolish a structure to provide the city with a performance bond, provided the project is expected to cost $35,000 or more.”(Crushed brick cost $230, 000; Air quality testing so far is $60,000 – we agreed to perform this at our costs, sounds like a contract of more than $35,000 to me. Yet no performance bond issued. Oh well you get what you paid for).

October 24, 2015: “Macner” City got a Good Deal on the Nestle site cleanup” ”I think this is certainly a good deal for us. Rather than spend millions of dollars to get that building down, we’ve found someone who just wants to take the scrap. I think that’s great.” Macner said the building still has a lot of steel beams and rebar that could have a strong value in the salvage market. (read above costs).

February 20, 2016: “Mayor Nestle buildings likely to come down next month.” Asbestos is still being removed from the former Nestle’ site, but Mayor Ron Woodward expects the buildings to begin coming down sometime next month. Aldi, which purchased part of the site for $450,000 last year, is looking to begin construction as early as April 2016, but the sale contract between the city and Aldi stipulates that the site must be “build-ready” no later than July 1.

March 16, 2016: “Woodward: Nestle’ demolition still on schedule. Fulton officials recently met with Infinity Enterprises, the contractor charged with tearing down the former Nestle’ buildings, and learned the project is still on schedule and expected to be completed by June 1, according to Mayor Ron Woodward Sr. In response to worries that the contractor could decide to abandon the project, Woodward maintains that Fulton has nothing to lose under the current agreement. “We did a contract with a guy that we’re paying him nothing,” Woodward said. “Everything he’s taken out of there so far, as far as asbestos – is something we’re not saddled with anymore. It’s gone. If you can find bad in that, you can find bad in anything. The sale contract between the city and Aldi stipulates that the site must be build-ready no later than July 1.

June 1, 2016: “City plans to spend up to $300,000 to prepare former Nestle’ site for Aldi – City officials called a special meeting Friday in which the Common Council agree to spend up to $300,000 to get part of the former Nestle’ property build-ready for Aldi, with plans to level the site with crushed brick from  the demolished buildings. Woodward said he’s “pretty confident“ the site will still be ready for Aldi to move in by July 1.

June 4, 2016: “City officials address Nestle’ site neighbors on demolition status, noise. “In two weeks, a crusher will be brought in that will cause high noise levels, Woodward said.

The date of this writing is June 30, 2016.

Just some factually correct observations. Two weeks from June 4 is June 18. There has not been any loud noise from bricks being crushed. Tomorrow is July 1 and there is still 4 ¼ buildings left standing and the site is still below street level.

Now, I may be called a  neigh sayer,  but( I  would call myself a realist) I  just don’t think that 4 ¼ building are going to be raised and the site isn’t going to be brought up to street level in the next 4 hours.

But like Scarlett said in Gone With the Wind, “After all tomorrow is another day” or Little Orphan Annie sang “Tomorrow, tomorrow I love ya tomorrow your only a day a way.”

The same thing could be said about target dates for completion of the demolition of the Nestle site.

In 2014 it was July 1.

In 2016 first it was June 1 then it went to July 1. Who knows what tomorrow will bring.?

I do know one thing is that it won’t bring the starting of the Aldi store.

That will be another day and another story and another target date. Which will more than likely be out before my letter hits the stands.

Don’t worry Aldi’s is coming!

When is the $450K question!

Only Aldi’s knows the answer.

Frank Castiglia
Fulton NY

Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/the-saga-of-fulton-aldis-and-nestles-site/

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