Lyons Falls mill development efforts aided by state funding

LYONS FALLS — Lewis County Development Corp. officials plan to move forward with preliminary work on redevelopment of the old paper mill here using $350,000 in state funding.

“We’re plugging along,” said Lawrence L. Dolhof, president of the development corporation. “We’ll figure out how to use the money the best and try to keep the project moving forward.” The former Lyons Falls Pulp & Paper plant shut down in January 2001, idling 186 employees. The Lewis County Development Corp. in January formed a subsidiary, Black Moose Development LLC, through which it purchased 10 acres of the former mill property off Center Street with the intent to redevelop it.

The corporation is moving forward with an asbestos survey of the old mill buildings in cooperation with Northbrook Lyons Falls, which owns an adjacent six-megawatt dam and connecting buildings, Mr. Dolhof said.

The $350,000 Empire State Development grant, included in last Thursday’s announcement of regional economic development awards, should help cover costs of developing a demolition plan to determine which buildings, if any, are worth saving, said Eric J. Virkler, Lewis County’s economic development director and a development corporation board member.

The redevelopment project will likely cost $4 million to $5 million, including about $500,000 for engineering, Mr. Dolhof said. Corporation officials hope to recoup about $1 million from the sale of scrap metal collected during demolition, he said.

Development corporation officials had hoped for more initial state funding, but progress made during the upcoming year should demonstrate to state officials that the project is worthy of further funding, Mr. Virkler said.

“We wish it was more, but we’re happy with the money we got,” said county Legislator Richard C. Lucas, R-Barnes Corners, also a development corporation board member. “We’ll be looking for funding in the future to do more.”

The corporation is working with SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse on redevelopment ideas for the site. College officials hope to use it as a model for redeveloping former paper mills into facilities that would use wood products for other purposes, including renewable energy generation.

Tentative plans for the Lyons Falls site include a one-acre hydroponic greenhouse, a 40,000-square-foot manufacturing center and an academic building where college classes and research could take place. ESF has a non-exclusive patent on some conversion technology and is attempting to partner with private companies for eventual commercial production.

“While we don’t know what the long term is, I think there is definite potential,” Mr. Virkler said.

The village is also in the midst of a study of redevelopment possibilities for several polluted and vacant sites, including the former paper mill, that is being primarily funded through a $148,637 state Brownfield Opportunity Area Grant.

The study, being conducted by Elan Planning, Design, & Landscape Architecture of Saratoga Springs, is to be completed in the spring.

It is being directed by a local steering committee that meets monthly, Mr. Virkler said. Two public informational sessions have already been held to gather community input, and another session is to be held after Elan officials release a draft report in mid- to late-January, he said.

Completion of the brownfield study would allow the village to apply for further funding to assist with specific action items in the report, Mr. Virkler said.