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Clay Residents Concerned Over Apartment and Retail Proposal Clay Residents Concerned Over Apartment and Retail Proposal

By Thomas Cook

Mark Swanson: THIS IS A VERY BUSY ROAD ALREADY. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT LATE IN THE
EVENING OR EARLY IN THE MORNING TO PULL OUT FROM OUR PARKING LOT.

Thomas Cook: MARK SWANSON IS THE PASTOR AT IMMANUEL LUTHERAN CHURCH JUST OVER A
MILE FROM THE PROPOSED SITE. HE SAYS HIS MEMBERS HAVE VOICED THEIR CONCERNS, WHILE ALSO REALIZING ADDING BUSINESS CAN ALWAYS BE GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY.

Swanson: WE LOOK FORWARD TO MORE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, ESPECIALLY DURING THIS TIME.

Cook: BUT THAT STILL LEAVES THE CHURCH MEMBERS WITH PLENTY OF QUESTIONS.

Swanson: WHAT ARE WE SEEING FROM ALL OF THIS? AND HOW WILL THIS BENEFIT THE
WHOLE COMMUNITY IN THE LONG RUN?

Cook: NCC NEWS REACHED OUT TO TOWN OFFICIALS INCLUDING SUPERVISORS AND
EVERY COUNCILOR. MEMBERS WERE EITHER NOT AVAILABLE OR DID NOT RESPOND TO OUR REQUEST.

Swanson: WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN HERE AND HOW ARE
GOING TO WORK FOR THE COMMON GOOD FOR ALL THE PEOPLE.

Cook: AS FOR THE SITE OF THE PROJECT IT IS ACTUALLY LOCATED RIGHT BEHIND. ITS
ALSO LOCATED RIGHT NEXT TO PINES PLAIN CEMETERY AND THEY SAY THEY COULD PEOPLE THEY CALL A SAFE PLACE WITH THE NEW PROJECT.

Bill Arnault: THE MORE THAT WALK THROUGH ACTUALLY THE BETTER OFF WE ARE. THE WALKERS AND STUFF LIKE THAT THEY ARE OUR EYES AND EARS.”)

Cook: BILL ARNAULT SAYS THE CEMETARY HOPES THE NEW BUSINESS COULD LEAD TO MORE LONG TERM RESIDENTS IN THE TOWN.

Arnault: PEOPLE WILL OBVIOUSLY SEE IT HERE AND THAT’S WHAT DRIVES THE
BUSINESS HERE IS THE FAMILY THE RETURN.

Clay, N.Y. (NCC News ) — Residents in the Town of Clay are concerned with a proposal of apartments and retail space because of traffic. The site is at the northeast corner of Route 31 and Henry Clay Blvd. The plan is to have about 100 apartments and three individual retail spaces. The project as currently proposed would be 30,000 square feet.

Sign of Apartment and Retail Project Proposal in Clay
Apartment and Retail Project Proposal Site in Clay
© 2021 Thomas Cook

Residents in the town are concerned the development would increase the traffic through the intersection. Mark Swanson is the Pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church which is located just over a mile from the project site.

“This is a very busy road already,” Swanson said. “It is very difficult later in the evening or early in the morning to pull out from our parking lot.”

Swanson also recognized that bringing new business is always beneficial for the town.

“We look forward to more economic opportunity, especially during this time,” Swanson said.

 

Project Proposal
Town of Clay Project Proposal Four Phase Plan
© 2021 Thomas Cook

NCC News reached out to town officials including Town Supervisor Damian Ulatowski and every town councilor.  Town officials were either not available or did not respond to our requests.

The business directly to the north of the site is Pine Planes Cemetary. Superintendent Bill Arnault said with more residents could bring more people to the cemetery.

“The more people that walk through actually the better off we are,” Arnault said. “The walkers are our eyes and ears.”

The next town councilor’s meeting is on Monday, December 6th. The next planning board meeting is on Wednesday, December 2th.

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