City mulling what role to play in development of Pearl Street

Two large riverfront parcels in the city of Watertown are becoming available for development. What role City Hall chooses to play in fostering that development is largely yet to be determined.

The 75,000-square-foot building at 301 Pearl St. has languished for almost a decade. Railstar Corp., Cape Vincent, is selling the building, along with the 14.8 acres it sits on.

"I'm sure there's all kinds of potential there," said Christopher D. Clark, a sales agent for Pyramid Brokerage Co. "There's room for a business park, office buildings or any other industrial type of buildings. It could be developed into apartments if a buyer saw fit."

A stone's throw down Pearl Street is Sewall's Island, a 22.5-acre lot that splits the Black River. The city is in the process of cleaning contaminated areas on the site and plans to promote the land to developers.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation is overseeing the cleanup that began last year.

"As for what it could be used for in the future, it depends on the cleanup level that is achieved," said Stephen W. Litwhiler, DEC spokesman. "If everything goes as planned, it would be able to be developed with industrial and restricted residential uses."

Mr. Litwhiler said a few more administrative steps need to take place before further cleanup work can begin. He was unsure of a cleanup timeline.

"A couple of important steps still need to take place before anything can happen," he said.

Councilman Jeffrey M. Smith has pushed fellow lawmakers to develop vacant riverside sites and offer them for business use.

"There is a perfect opportunity there for the city and economic agencies to utilize that abandoned dam to provide low-cost or free power to businesses," Mr. Smith said. "Using that as an incentive to attract high-paying tech jobs or manufacturing jobs or good middle-income jobs makes all the sense in the world."

The city owns an unused dam in the Black River at the abandoned foundry site on Sewall's Island.

"I think what the city should do is develop a plan for utilizing the property with the local economic development agencies," Mr. Smith said. "The dam's foundation still exists; I'm sure it will need to be upgraded and the canals need to be dredged, but that is a site for potential long-term development for the city."

Kenneth A. Mix, city planning and community development coordinator, is in the process of drafting new zoning for portions of the city, a move that is expected to ease restrictions on property owners with plans to build homes and small businesses while limiting industrial growth. The city has not taken such a widespread look at zoning since 1959.

Sewall's Island and the Railstar property both are in heavy-industry zones. Mr. Mix is drafting a proposal that consolidates some zoning districts and creates others, one of which would allow businesses, industry and residential development that either is dependent on or enhanced by the Black River, he said.

Any proposed zoning changes need to be approved by the City Council. Those changes would include Sewall's Island and the property at 301 Pearl St.

Mr. Clark said he is negotiating with a potential buyer for the Railstar property.

"The building looks a little rough, but it's in pretty decent shape," he said. "That property is within close proximity to downtown" and Fort Drum. "You know, buildings that size in this city are few and far between," he said.