The-Leader_1990-08-02

              What if a-hurricane
hit here?
See page 10
Freeport •Baldwin
LEADE 56th Year, No. 31 Frccpon.N.Y. 11520 OfTicialnewspapcrof the Village of Frceport'Freeport and Baldwin School Districts Thursday. August 2, 1990 25t
Lydia Hall Media Conference
SOLD! Above is the interior of the Lydia E. Halt Hospital purchased recently
by the Village. At right, Mayor Dorothy Storrn, center, held a media
conference last Thursday outside the hospital, accompariied by bankruptcy
lawyer Ted Donovan, left, and Village attorney William F. Glacken. right.
phofof bv PtxJ Lauten
Citizens Committe,e will review proposals for use of Lydia Hall
A citizens committee will review
proposals for the use of the former
Lydia Hail Hospital, which was
purchased by ihe^-Village last week at a
bankruptcy auction for $310/XX).
Mayor Dorothy Storm announced
during a press auiference at the front
entrance of the building that she had.
appointed Dr. David Westring as
chairman of the committee. A longtime
Fieepon resident, he is director of
academic affairs at the Kassau County
• Meilical Center. His committee will
make recommendations to the Village
Board of Trustees regarding the future
use of the property.' After the
committee is formed in October, "We
anticipate that it will take at least six or
nine months before a conclusion is
reached," Mayor Storm said. She hopes
that the building can be in use within a
year and a half.
The Village will take title to the .
building and its property on August 22,
including any contents of the building
tmaining at that time.
Landscaping changes
Mayor Storm s^d that'after it takes
over the property," some landscaping
chaiiges will be made to present "a
better appearance for the ndghboihood.
.We will maintain it in a better fashion." '
Various options will be considered
. for the property, the Mayor s^d, noting
Uiat ber."phone has been ringing off the
hook" with such proposals since the
Vilbge purchased ths property.
"High on my list; and that of many
Freeporters, is its return to use as a
general hospital or at least some
medical use. I'm not sure at this time if
that is fcasiUe," she stressed.
"Whatever the future, this property
will have a use beneficial to the entire
village; and one which is compatible to
the neighborhood."
Other options include "municipal
purposes" or "transfer to our
Community Development Agency for
redevelopmeiu under an urban renewal
plaii," the Mayor noted. "Another
obvious choice is its resale to a private
party, with.the Village maintaining
control over itsuse Ify our zoning
powers."
The fonner 205-bed privately-owned
hospital was opened in the 1950s and
closed in 1985. The property, includeis
one square block of close to three acres.
The building has about 100,000 square
feet of space in two levels aboye
ground, aiKl in a basement area.
IVro inonths ago, the Village turned
down an offer from Chase Lincoln
Bank of Rochester to buy the property
for $4- million. On Friday, July 20, it
rejected assignmeiit of the mortgage for
$500,000. At a special emergeni-y
meeting of the Board of Trustees that
evening, the Board voted to authorize
up to $500,000 to be bid at the
bankruptcy auction on Monday, July
(continued on pa8» 2)
Conflict escalates over closing of the Jefferson
by Sue Morgan . .
, The Jefferson Indoor Marina was
ordered shut down last week after the'
Village of Freeport won'a preliminary
injunction from the Sute Apjpellate
Division instructing that boats and
equipment be removed from the
' controversial storage and repair facDity.
. ..Reacting angrily to the Court's
action, Djonald Van Holt, one of the
Marina's owners, issued a statement
saying be was ^'ready to counter^ic the
Village" and terming the.decisioii
"defective and unconstitutional." ' ' • . " .
"I've had it. -I'm disgusted," Mr. "^n
Holt told The Leader. "It's my turn to
go on the attack." ; '.
Following a ruling in early June by
Supreme C^un Judge Al&ed Robbins
that the Village was justified in
revoking permits, admittedly issued in
error,'because the Marina violated local
; zoning codes', .Mr. Van Holt told The
Leader he took down that jsan of the '
.: structure which the Court ruled in'
vicdalicn. '
"I'm in compliance. Now what's
their problem?'' be said. Adding that'
• hehas'coftimioed fo'pver$4million'''
for the project, he asked how.the
Village "can lead someone on until they '
make that kind of a commitinent, and
' thai dp a 180 degree turn un them." '
Mr.'Van Holt said he would seek .
damages for "loss of rental income,
increased building costs, attorneys'
. fees, interest on mortgage, and most
impratantly to me, irreparable damage
• and in jury to my repoiatibn.'* •
. Moreover, h? indicated that the
Marina .would continue in operation
and that- the decision would be
appealed. •
• -^'r Special Village'Counsel Harrison •
Edwards said officials would be -
watching the'Mariiia.tb ascertain
whether there was cooipliance with the
injunctioil.
^Tbe'building should beempty with
the-possiblc exception of a few .
brooms," Mr. Edwards said, aid Mayor
'Dorothy Storm issued a statemeiit
; decliaring. "If the 'owhers refuse to
'move all vessels and equipment as
ordered by the Stqxeme Oiuti, we will
swiftly seek ia.contempt order. The
.residents cannot be expected to co-exist.
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