I noticed the old Army Depot was up for auction recently, anyone know who bought it and what will come of it?

I went by there today and the grass is in need of some attention. It is getting over grown.

I guess we are off the terrorist 'hit list'......the grass would scare them away......

The grass does need to be cut. Who ever the present owners are, (I think it's still the arsenal)they should be maintaining the grounds.

There the federal government can't even get the lawn cut so wait until they take over your health care!

Quoted from Salvatore

There the federal government can't even get the lawn cut so wait until they take over your health care!

Good point Sal!!!! But that lawn needs to be cut. Here ya got the brandee new Tops diner on the east side of the depot, and then ya have Roman Villa and the 'cleaned up' Rotterdam Industrial Park on the west side. That's one of the last things Rotterdam needs is unkept property. We're trying to clean this town up!!

Quoted from Salvatore

There the federal government can't even get the lawn cut so wait until they take over your health care!

nah, their waiting for 'the study'.....

The lawn is cut at the army depot and it looks nice. Thank you!!

I noticed big red signs tied to the fence in front of the Depot that says "Apartments For Rent" with a phone number that starts with area code 215 which is the Penn./Philadelphia area.  

I wonder how much the rents are and if they will accept section 8. I hope it doesn't turn into a 'yates village'!

Well , right now it looks like even terrorists wouldn't move in there......

block busting in the city leads to new block building throughout the county........

I called the phone number (215-399-8450) that was on the "Apartment For Rent" sign. Here is the information they gave me:

2 BR - $750.00/mo + utilities
3 BR - $950.00/mo + utilities

They all come with dishwashers and garbage disposals.
Garages are available for an additional $50.00/mo
The heat is gas hot water baseboard.
There are 6 buildings and one will be used for people with pets.
Play area for kids.
1 year lease w/ 1 month security deposit.

I did ask if they accepted Section 8 and he said that the rents are too high for Section 8 to accept them.

I talked to a gentleman by the name of John, who told me that if anyone was interested, to just call him and that he is on the premises and would be more than happy to show the apartments.

http://www.dailygazette.com

Quoted Text

ROTTERDAM
Owner of old Army housing told to stop renting units
BY JUSTIN MASON Gazette Reporter
Reach Gazette reporter Justin Mason at 395-3113 or jmason@dailygazette.net

    Sync Realty spent the summer and thousands of dollars renovating the former Rotterdam Housing Area in order to offer the revamped units to working class renters.
    The company installed new laminate flooring, updated many of the appliances and added energy-efficient windows to several of the six apartment buildings. They have plans to revamp the landscaping, repair the roadway through the complex and eventually rework the fence around the property.
    “It will integrate well with the rest of the residential area,” said Tong Cheng Zhang, an associate the Philadelphia-based property development company. “It’s going to be a nice property,”
    But after filling roughly twothirds of units, Sync has hit a snag. The 8-acre complex isn’t zoned for residential use.
    Last month, town officials ordered Sync to stop leasing apartments on the light-industrial zoned property until they formally change the classification of the land. In order to change the zoning, Sync would have to appear before the town’s Planning Commission, which would then make a recommendation to the Town Board for a formal change in zoning.
    “They have to go through the process before they [start renting], Supervisor Steve Tommasone said. “They can not start renting units there until they have it properly vetted through our Department of Public Works.”
    Representatives from Sync disagree. They argue the former military housing complex was constructed before the town implemented its zoning code and should therefore be allowed to continue using it for residential purposes, as the military did for more than five decades.
    “The former U.S. Army housing was constructed and occupied well before the enactment of the zoning law,” stated Sync attorney Dave Lenney in an August letter to the town’s building inspector. “The continued use of the property for the same long-standing residential use is in all respects proper and legal according to the express language of the statute.”
    The property was initially developed by the Federal Housing Authority in 1951, with apartments leased to military personnel and civilians working for the armed forces. Sync’s winning bid of $1.92 million for the property was among 31 received by the GSA before the auction ended in February.
    The housing area was never officially in compliance with the town’s zoning law because federal property is exempt from local ordinances. However, when the U.S. General Services Administration auctioned off the property in April, the parcel came under Rotterdam’s codes, town attorney Gerard Parisi explained.
    “Our position is that it’s not zoned for residential use,” he said.
    Adding to the issue is a sewer line that runs from the housing area to the adjacent Rotterdam Corporate Park, which is owned by the Galesi Group. Sync and Galesi are now arguing in state Supreme Court over whether the housing area has an easement for the sanitary sewer connection or if any agreement arranged by the federal government became null after the auction.
    Sync secured a restraining order against Galesi in late July, temporarily preventing them from discontinuing the connection. Town officials now fear the court battle could ultimately hurt renters.
    “What Is troublesome to me is that they’ve gone in and started renting units without having a property sewage agreement with Galesi,” Tommasone said. “They’re really potentially putting the people renting there at risk.”
    Galesi officials did not return calls.
    Lenney said the company plans to file for a waiver from Rotterdam’s Zoning Board of Appeals, which could rule the property’s residential use is permitted. Absent such a ruling, he said Sync might take legal action against the town.
    “The [town’s] zoning law specifi - cally allows the continuation of a pre-existing, non-conforming use,” he said.     

This place has been renting for at least 2 months. What took the town so long? And it goes back to having an updated comp plan in place. It seems like Rotterdam is always putting out fires and hence costing the taxpayers for legal expenses to put these fires out.  

Why wouldn't this have been checked before they gave the new owners a c/o (certificate of occupancy) ?