Massena prepares to sell off buildings near airport

MASSENA — For sale: two-story house, shed, garage and children’s playhouse sitting on 2.7 acres of land on North Raquette River Road.

Buy one, several, or all to move at your own risk; owner will demolish buildings if they are not sold. For more information, contact the town of Massena.

The Massena Town Council voted unanimously Wednesday night to issue a request for proposals to sell the four structures at 367 N. Raquette River Road adjacent to the Massena International Airport. Until recently, the property was a private residence owned by Stephen M. Trautmann.

The parcel is within the Federal Aviation Administration’s “runway protection zone” and must be cleared to meet requirements, according to Jon P. Donahue, department manager with C&S Engineers, which provides services at the airport. The FAA prohibits buildings within that area in order to create a buffer zone for planes near the airport.

The house has been in the zone for the 28 years it has been standing, but the FAA noticed it in a study several years ago, Mr. Donahue previously said. Its removal has nothing to do with the often-discussed airport expansion and is only to ensure the safety of the existing airspace.

The Trautmanns lived in the house until recently when the town bought the property. A $240,000 portion of a $1.3 million FAA grant for Massena airport improvements funded that purchase. Included in that portion is a local contribution of about $15,000.

There is no deadline to clear the property, according to Supervisor Joseph D. Gray. In order to defray or eliminate the cost of demolition for Massena taxpayers, town officials are seeking potential buyers before the buildings have to come down. Should someone buy the buildings, any moving or removal costs would fall on the new owner and not the town.

“It has to go and that will cost us money,” Councilman Charles A. Raiti said. “We’re trying not to cost the town any more money than need be.”

“There’s got to be somebody out there that wants to take that thing,” he added.

The town is issuing separate requests for proposals for each of the four structures on the property, should someone want a playhouse and not a shed, or a garage and not a house.

“We may not get any bids on the house, but we may get separate bids on the others,” Councilman John F. Macaulay said.

The buyer could either spend money to move the structures somewhere else or demolish them to salvage their materials, Mr. Gray said.

“We expect this will take care of itself,” Mr. Gray said.

Relocating the house intact could pose logistical problems, he said.

“Because it’s so tall, there is just a host of challenges, and they’re very expensive challenges, to move the thing,” Mr. Gray said.