Ogdensburg plaza demolition will start soon

OGDENSBURG — It appears that the demolition of the former Park Plaza shopping center in Ogdensburg will begin by the end of this month.

Gregg A. Mallette, the city's code enforcement officer, said Thursday that his regular conversations with the contractor who has been hired to do the job indicate he will be on site before Dec. 1.

Mr. Mallette's office has yet to issue a demolition permit, but he said the contractor is preparing the application and that he expects it "in the very near future."

Earlier this month, an agreement between the city and Park Plaza's owner, Toped Development LLC, Alexandria Bay, was approved in City Court to demolish the deteriorating 200,000-square-foot former strip mall that faces Route 37 between Park and Paterson streets by Dec. 31.

The court order stipulates that the foundation be left intact. Mr. Mallette said that was probably made a condition because the foundation could be suitable as a base for future development.

The eastern side of Park Plaza is already slated for development once the demolition is finished. A 19,097-square-foot Tractor Supply Co. store will be built.

Toped Development has been under a court order to demolish Park Plaza since 2008. The demolition also includes asbestos removal for which a separate contractor has been hired.