Plans to restore former Newberry's building announced

TICONDEROGA | There is something haunting and disturbing about a building that sits dead in the middle of a downtown, especially when it's a building that many residents harbor happy memories of when there was life inside. It becomes a black cancer, tainting its neighbors and creating a hollowness in the heart of the business district. But the tide has finally turned for the former J.J. Newberry's building, located at 108 Montcalm St. After enduring a vacancy for 15 years, there is now an official plan forward for the property. The Town of Ticonderoga, in partnership with the PRIDE, Ti-Alliance, and Essex County Land Bank, has announced the launch of their transformative development project, aptly and respectfully called "Newberry Commons," which will introduce two commercial units and four workforce housing units, all fully finished and move-in ready. With a name that pays homage to the past, the project will assist in propelling Ticonderoga toward the bright future many are working tirelessly to create. "This is a strategically significant project in our goal to remove blight and revitalize our community. Developing a mixed commercial and residential space enhances this structure's original purpose and provides the fundamental components necessary for our community's economic growth," said Town Supervisor Mark Wright. J. J. Newberry's was an American five-and-dime store chain in the 20th century. Founded in Stroudsburg, PA in 1911 by John Josiah Newberry. The Ticonderoga store opened in 1932, and on March 5, 1959, the store relocated to its brand new home at 108 Montcalm St., the building of today. Paul Salstead transferred from his post in Bellows Falls to become the new manager of the ultra-modern store. J.J. Newberry stores numbered at 475 nationally by 1954, and by 1961 565 populated towns all across America. Sadly, changes in shopping patterns and new forms of retailing in the 1970s and 1980s caused the virtual and almost demise of dime stores by the early 1990s. By the 1990s in Ticonderoga, Newberry's was limping along until its eventual sad end. Many locals may remember having milkshakes, lemon meringue pie, tuna and egg salad sandwiches, hamburgers, hot dogs, and soups at the counter that was a signature of many five and dimes of the time. "They had a beautiful upstairs material department for sewing," recalled a former Newberry's employee who enjoyed her time as a teenage cashier in the late 60s. "There were three registers up front going at all times when they first opened. The counter was always busy. They had a good selection of clothing, purses, and a shoe section in back. They even sold Hallmark cards. It was just a fantastic store for the middle class." These types of remembrances are shared by many in town of a certain demographic, which is why restoring the property (as opposed to a tear down), though an unimaginably immense undertaking, is so significant and poignant for Ticonderoga; the property is a part of the town's historical tapestry. PRIDE took ownership of the building after Newberry's closed in the 1990s and later transferred it to Hacker Boat Inc., who vacated in 2013. In 2016, the opportunity for the building to come back into PRIDE's possession was on the table, but due to the degree of asbestos and degradation and lack of available funding at the time to properly remediate those issues, the offer was turned down. Ti-Alliance acquired the property in the fall of 2022 with the intention of once and for all solving the 108 Montcalm mess. "A significant acknowledgment must be given to Ti-Alliance for its pivotal role in taking possession of the property, including the resolution of outstanding back taxes," said Nicole Justice Green, Executive Director of PRIDE and the Essex County Land Bank. "This crucial step was instrumental in clearing the path for this critical project. The initiative represents a decisive action towards correcting years of neglect and unlocking the potential of a critical location for the collective benefit of the community." With a total estimated cost of $3,360,450 to transform the property into its new incarnation, the hope is that it will be open in around 24-36 months. Phase One of the project is poised for completion using an anticipated $1.2 million from the 2023 Town of Ticonderoga Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) funds. Town officials are expecting an announcement from New York State this spring (which could be any day now) on which of the 13 submitted projects they deem worthy of the $10 million grant. The Local Planning Committee, composed of local and regional leaders, stakeholders, and community representatives, felt very strongly that once and for all restoring the decaying property was one of the most necessary and crucial steps in transforming Downtown Ticonderoga. "If we get the DRI grant, the environmental remediation of this building will probably take 12 months," revealed Green. "One of the biggest issues of the building is it is way more degraded environmentally than I think everyone initially understood. Environmental remediation is going to be very extensive. When my staff and I went in there we were gobsmacked at the deterioration. There are active leaks in the building." All 26,000 square feet of the building, which has long been feared that the roof will cave in, will require a complete gutting, almost like a full-in-place demolition, removing almost every bit of material in the building but not disturbing its structural integrity and rebuilding it in place. "A lot of that building material, asbestos mold, parts of the floor that were contaminated by chemicals when Hacker was there, all that has to be carted away and disposed of outside the Adirondack Park," Green said. The plan for Phase Two would be to fund it by a RESTORE NY grant in the amount of $1,700,000. "This includes comprehensive construction, aesthetic enhancements, and layout modifications to meet modern standards of living and business operations," noted Green. The facade of 108 Montcalm will also change drastically when it becomes Newberry Commons. Currently, it is a modern mid-20th-century design that has not been well-maintained. The vision for the facelift will align with the historic charm of the town and neighboring buildings. "As a town resident, I love driving through our downtown and I think what will bring me great joy about this project is having that space lively and occupied and giving back to the community and not being an eyesore," admitted Green. "I know from my work at Pride and Land Bank how many small business entrepreneurs come into town seeking to set up roots- while we have a lot of vacant space, it is not available space, there is a difference. Having two new commercial units available as well as four apartments will really give back to the community and I'm excited to see what businesses come in." Matt Courtright, Ticonderoga Area Chamber of Commerce (TACC) Executive Director (also an LPC member and ardent supporter of submitting the project to the DRI), believes 108 Montcalm St. will play an important role in the continued economic growth of Downtown Ticonderoga and the Ticonderoga Area. "The Town of Ticonderoga, PRIDE of Ticonderoga, and the ECIDA have always been strong economic development partners with TACC. We are honored to support them and other agencies in regards to their grant application and this project as a whole. We have been communicating regularly together and we will work closely with them to attract and support new or expanding businesses to fill this commercial opportunity when the project is complete." According to Green, the project also marks the beginning of a promising and evolving partnership between PRIDE and Ti-Alliance. As Ti-Alliance looks toward the retirement of its current Executive Director this August, the organizations and their leadership are planning a more permanent partnership to continue their impactful work in the community. Those involved said the strategic alliance will further enhance their ability to drive sustainable development and revitalization efforts in Ticonderoga and beyond, demonstrating a shared commitment to creating a bright future for the town and its residents. "The Ti Alliance thanks so many folks for helping us tee this project up for development - the Town of Ticonderoga, Essex County, the Board of County Supervisors, the DRI Committee, Pride of Ticonderoga and its Executive Director Nicole Justice Green, and our own Executive Director Donna Wotton," remarked Ti-Alliance Chairman Sanford Morhouse. "It has been a journey even to this point, but this project proves what can be accomplished when well-intentioned people work together for the betterment of Ticonderoga." For further information on Newberry Commons, please contact Nicole Justice Green at info@prideofticonderoga.org, Supervisor Mark Wright at supervisor@townofticonderoga.org, or Sanford Morhouse at Smorhouse@gmail.com.

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Plans to restore former Newberry's building announced

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