FORT EDWARD, NY — After more than 90 minutes of sometimes intense discussions, Fourth District Supreme Court Justice Christine Clark looked at those involved in the Kingsbury drive-in property case and said what was clear to anyone who has been following the 19-year saga of the case.
“Obviously, I won’t have a decision today,” said Clark, who is at least the fourth judge involved in the convoluted case, on Thursday afternoon. “Obviously, there is a lot for me to review. I will issue a written decision at a future date.”
The question in front of Clark is whether to allow the town to sell the 15-acre property at 1177 Dix Ave. and 1189 Dix Ave. to Schermerhorn Residential Holdings, which has offered $575,000.
Owner Richard Schermerhorn, who has a 200-unit apartment complex next to the site and another 400 units in the town and the village of Hudson Falls, wants to build an apartment complex.
The town of Kingsbury purchased the land for $161,000 in 1994 for development as an industrial park and since then has spent $61,000 to clean it and more than $190,000 to maintain it.
Standing in the way of the sale is a previous court victory by a group of seven citizens who sued the town over what it saw as issues with the initial purchase in 1994.
If you’d like to discuss real estate matters, contact RLG founder Jordan Rose, jrose@roselawgroup.com