Plans in place to add public parking lot to Keeseville

KEESEVILLE | Plans are moving forward for a new public parking lot off Front Street, a project Town of Chesterfield leaders say is designed to support the community's continued growth. The Front Street Fellowship gifted the town its existing church parking lot, and since the current entrance/exit between the fellowship and the former Keeseville Pharmacy is too narrow, the town decided to purchase 93 Kent St., which was appraised at $22,800, to be the official parking lot entryway and exit. Currently, that site is being used as employee parking for NAPA Auto Parts and Chesterfield Cannabis Co. The plan is to create a connector road from there to the parking lot, while also keeping the current 10 or so spots for those workers; the dilapidated building that was once there has already been removed. Once complete, the parking lot will have 36 spaces, including a few handicap spots, and the current one-way entryway/exit will become a pedestrian-only walkway, easily connecting those using the parking lot to the main hub of Keeseville. The goal is to start working on the parking lot by the end of April and complete it by August. Town of Chesterfield Supervisor Clayton Barber estimates the overall project cost at around $200,000, and the town plans to use ROOST (Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism) funding to complete it. The town held a public hearing on Feb. 24 to hear comments and concerns about the proposed project, but several officials have expressed the need for a public parking lot in Keeseville. Currently, aside from street parking, there is no public parking lot in the main hub of town. Not only would this addition help accommodate visitors more easily, but it would also help Keeseville's current businesses and apartment dwellers within the heart of town. This new addition might also help with future development. "Our lack of public parking is a problem," said Barber, who has received several complaints over time, such as the lack of parking in front of the Keeseville Free Library, which currently has one handicap spot available in front. "We're also hoping for some improved housing in the community, and they could possibly use these parking spaces for housing." In March 2025, Keeseville was awarded a $4.5 million grant through NY Forward, a 2022 program launched to help transform downtowns throughout the state into vibrant hubs. Originally, this proposed parking lot was part of that plan, but it was not one of the six projects chosen to move forward. Those include making streetscape improvements along the main streets, creating a new scenic deck overlook at the site of the former Red Mill, transforming the Old Stone Mill into a multi-use facility that can accommodate community events, converting the vacant Masonic Lodge into apartments, and developing a branding strategy designed to enhance the visibility and appeal of Keeseville as a destination and distinct place in the region. Although the proposed public parking lot didn't make it into the final plan, the town still decided to move forward with it because it was such an important development matter for Keeseville. "Once it's complete, it will be great," Barber said. "And the town is really excited about completing this project." For more information or updates, visit chesterfieldny.gov.

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Plans in place to add public parking lot to Keeseville

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