Archive: News

Lansing officials are exploring the cost to invest in infrastructure for a town center to attract developers to build here.  The investment for roads and infrastructure may be high at first, but Lansing Supervisor Kathy Miller says that investing in infrastructure is the only way to be competitive when vying for developers.  She says that the sale of the land to developers will pay for the Town's investment and possibly yield a profit.

At this stage the Town has been sent two letters of intent from NRP Group, which plans an 80 unit affordable senior cottage apartment building, and Calamar, which wants to build a three story market-rate senior housing building.  These two projects would jump-start the Town Center, but they depend on the successful adoption of a sewer district and a main road and infrastructure.

The Lansing Town Center is planned for about 150 acres of land across Route 34B from the Town Hall and ballfields.  The Town is still in the final stages of paying New York State $294,800 to lift deed restrictions on the land that only allowed recreational use.  While waiting for the sale to complete the Lansing Pathways Committee has established a walking path that roughly traces the circumference of the property, and a dog park is planned in the south east portion.

Town officials have yet to decide whether they will pay an annual sewer fee on vacant town center lands.  If they do those costs will also be folded into the price of town center land.  Lansing Economic Development Committee (EDC) Chairman Andy Sciarabba said at their May meeting Wednesday that all these costs need to be nailed down soon because the developers of the two senior housing projects are about ready to negotiate to purchase the land.

The main road entering the Town Center will be approximately across 34B from the outlet of Woodsedge Drive.  Parking lots and roads in the developed areas will connect to the main road.  Pathways within the developments will connect to the existing walking path.  Sciarabba says the plan is to reserve about three acres for public park land.  A business and technology park is planned for the north section of the property.  Sciarabba says there is a need in the area for light manufacturing firms, which he hopes to attract to Lansing.


Land on the southwest of the property near Conlon Road will be used to build 45 to 50 affordable cottage-style homes, suitable as started homes for young families or as senior stand-alone homes.  Frontage along 34B is also being reserved for a retail and professional building area.  Sciarabba says that will most likely be the last piece, because the population density the housing development will bring is necessary to support businesses in the Town Center.

Officials say they hope tax revenue from new businesses in the business and technology park and retail area will help offset tax revenue losses from the reduced valuation of the AES Cayuga power plant in the northwest portion of Lansing.  That devaluation is the cause of 3% of a 4.% school tax rise this summer.

An initial estimate of costs to build the main roads is high, but officials hope that about a third of a grant that will also go to reduce the cost to build a $9.8 million sewer can be applied to the project.  Town officials expect to learn whether they are to be awarded the grant by November.  Sciarabba has asked a private contractor to prepare an estimate that he hopes will come in lower than the initial calculation.  He says he hopes using the Town Highway Department to put in the roads will also drive down the cost.

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