Phila Street Historic Properties Saved from Demolition
The Design Review Commission voted unanimously to deny the application to demolish the historic building at 65 Phila Street. While the Preservation Foundation sees this as a positive outcome the Foundation hopes the owners will now be required to preserve the building or sell it to someone who will.
The application to demolish 69 Phila Street was withdrawn by the applicants as they have entered into a contract to sell the property to someone who is intending to preserve the building.
Planning Board Expresses Reservations On Proposed Stewarts Project
The Foothills Business Daily has been doing an excellent job covering local issues.
This is a link to a story from them about a proposal by Stewarts for a development near where Route 9 (Marion Avenue) meets Route 50. It includes an upgrade to their shop and construction of homes.
In order to get the variance they are seeking they need to provide a public benefit. Currently the benefits they are offering are sidewalks.
https://foothillsbusinessdaily.com/plan-for-marion-ave-no-more-mechanic/
Saratoga Springs Politics 
Seems like a bit too much oversight. For the average person, there is intense scrutiny, but for some “elite” developers, anything goes. Historic buildings on Phila St.? I think not. Let the owners submit their plans, and get rid of the blight.
Interesting that you coupled this blog post with a Stewart’s project. Others have tried to develop sections of Marion Ave. (Rt. 9) between Triangle Diner and Rt. 50, and the neighbors objected. The city said they didn’t want “the gateway to Saratoga Springs” to be commercially developed. But look at Marion Ave. Mobil, the Adirondack Trust kiosk, the old Farmer in the Dell. Across from the city’s waterworks, look what you have? Dense commercial development. Seems like “certain people” can get their way. I am open for a fair explanation/discussion, doubt I will get one.
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Samantha Bosshart had technical problems commenting so I am putting up.her comment:
I cannot speak to the project on Marion Avenue. However, I will say that the Design Review Commission, charged with preserving our City’s historic resources, denied the application to demolish 65 Phila Street in order to require the owners, who purchased the building in 2002, to repair the blight they created themselves.
The owners knew at the time of purchase that they were buying buildings located in a local historic district. If they did not want the oversight then they should have purchased elsewhere. The owners chose not repair the buildings at 65 & 69 Phila Street, but to spend money on attorneys, court fees, and vacant building registration fees (this past year $20,000) and our tax dollars by forcing the City of Saratoga Springs expend resources to force the owners to meet the minimum New York State Property Maintenance Code requirements. They are currently before the City Court for their violations of the NYS Property Maintenance Code for four buildings that they own, the two on Phila Street and 68 and 74 Caroline Street. For more than ten years multiple people have been interested in purchasing the buildings on Phila Street and the owners have been unreasonable and difficult to negotiate with up until recently when they accepted an offer for 69 Phila Street to someone that they have said plans to restore the building.
They should not be rewarded for their intentional neglect.
Samantha Bosshart
Executive Director
Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation
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