Road linking mall, Wal-Mart stalled

What is the value of a 60-by-923-foot strip that could be used to connect Salmon Run Mall to Wal-Mart? It depends on who does your appraisal.

P.J. Simao, the Alexandria Bay developer who owns the swath of land in question, said his appraiser told him last year that it was worth $743,000. But he said town of Watertown Supervisor Joel R. Bartlett told him last week that the town's appraiser said the land is worth about $63,657, or $50,000 per acre.

Mr. Bartlett disputed that claim Monday, saying he has not had the opportunity to read the document, which the town received Oct. 27.

If the strip is acquired by either the county or the town, a road could be built on the 1.27-acre parcel that would join the west side of the Salmon Run Mall parking lot, between Sears and Bon-Ton, to the east side of the Sam's Club parking lot. The road would run to the north side of Wal-Mart and connect with County Route 202, which is near completion.

The road always has been considered part of a three-phase plan to ease congestion and spur additional development on outer Arsenal and Coffeen streets. There's just one problem: No entity has taken ownership of the connector road phase.

Mr. Bartlett said the Town Council's decision to solicit an appraisal was "just for fact-finding" and "just for our own interest, if the town were going to consider any land acquisition."

The supervisor added that he believed the county was responsible for building the road, an opinion he never shared publicly until Monday. In fact, Mr. Bartlett told the Watertown Daily Times in March that he was spearheading an effort to bring all interested parties to the table.

"We haven't had any discussions with the county about cost sharing. It would be pure speculation to say that the town needs to pitch in more money," the supervisor said Monday. "Does the town feel the obligation to build the road at this point? I haven't gotten that opinion from any of my board members."

County leaders strongly disagreed with Mr. Bartlett's assessment, saying they dropped out of discussions about building an east-west connector road more than a year ago because they believed the town was handling it.

"I was involved in a conference call with Mr. Bartlett where it was clear to me that assurances were given to Mr. Simao that the town would not approve an expansion of the Salmon Run Mall without a connector road," said Paul J. Warneck, who represented the county during negotiations with Mr. Simao in the spring of 2007.

Mr. Warneck, the county's real property tax director, added: "Once that Mr. Simao believed he had a commitment from the town, it wasn't necessary for the county to be involved in that portion of the three-way project. So we focused on Griff's and 202."

The first and second phases of the project were the construction of County Route 202 through Mr. Simao's property and the realignment of the corporate park entrance at Route 12F and Fisher Road, which requires Mr. Simao to demolish the now-closed Griff's Citgo, which he owns.

Mr. Simao concurs with Mr. Warneck's version of events.

"Joel back then told us he had the Planning Board on board and there would be no further development over there," the developer said. "The county were great and they were true to their word and Joel wasn't. And now he's trying to blame his Planning Board."

The town Planning Board granted approval in May to Pyramid Cos., Syracuse, to expand Salmon Run Mall without a connector road agreement in place. Board members have said they had no right to demand that Pyramid build a road over Mr. Simao's property, although they wanted the company to help ease expansion-related congestion. So the Planning Board made Pyramid build a road to the western edge of its mall property as a requirement for expansion.

That stub road, however, is worthless if a connector isn't built over Mr. Simao's property. The expansion approval was the only leverage any municipal entity had to force Pyramid to come to the bargaining table on the connector road, and that is now lost.

So where does the east-west connector road project go now?

"I think it's probably at the same place it's been the last nine years that Joel's been talking about it," said Mr. Simao. "It's just talk."

Mr. Bartlett had little to say about finding common ground between the town's and Mr. Simao's appraisals.

"I'm not going to comment. That still needs to be negotiated," he said.

Legislature Chairman Kenneth D. Blankenbush, R-Black River, said it's appropriate for the county to reinsert itself into discussions because the road is an important component of improving traffic flow. The county has not dedicated funds to a connector road in any of its budgets, however.

Mr. Simao said he also believed the road is an important aspect of the plan and doesn't care which entity ultimately purchases his land and builds the connection. He said he thinks both the town and county should be involved in discussions.

As for County Route 202, County Highway Superintendent James L. Lawrence Jr. said the project is 95 percent complete. When the project resumes in April, Mr. Lawrence said, the new road will be paved and the landscape around it will be improved.

Wal-Mart has not started constructing its portion, which would join Route 3 to County Route 202. Mr. Lawrence said Monday that he heard the project had been out to bid, but he had not heard the results.

"Our expectations were that it would be under construction this fall, but that didn't happen," he said.

Wal-Mart's lack of action may delay the opening of County Route 202, he added.

"We didn't want to open the road where people would have to enter into a parking lot that was under construction with the Supercenter," said Mr. Lawrence, referring to the retailer's proposed expansion.

County highway crews are expected to start the realignment of the eastern entrance of the county's corporate park with Salmon Run Mall Road next year. To create the new County Route 196, the county needs Mr. Simao to demolish Griff's.

Mr. Simao said he has not razed the gas station because "the real estate transaction is not complete." Jan S. Kublick, Mr. Simao's attorney, said he is awaiting a survey from the county that is needed to complete the deal. He said the county already has paid Mr. Simao for demolition.

Mr. Warneck said the developer has acted in good faith with the county and added: "I have no concerns that Mr. Simao won't live up to the terms of his arrangement."

Times staff writer Robert Brauchle contributed to this report.