Sharon Springs wants its Imperial Baths back in business and it's willing to turn over a $1 million Restore NY grant it's had since 2009 to make that happen.
Nothing has been done with the 1927 baths, which at one time provided as many as 5,000 "treatments" a day, since they and another half-dozen historic and decaying hotels and mineral spas were purchased by a group of Korean investors in 2005.
As Sharon Springs Inc., the group has been mired in internal disputes and lawsuits and has faced losing the buildings to back taxes.
Plans to rehabilitate the baths, along with the Adler Hotel, into a modern day spa have changed and changed again, and now the Village of Sharon Springs hopes to find someone else to restore and reopen them before they deteriorate any further.
Mayor Omer Cousineau and trustees discussed their options with attorney Michelle Kennedy Thursday; she suggested seeking a RFP-request for proposals-to restore and reopen them and create local jobs and revenue.
Ms. Kennedy explained the project would be a public-private partnership with the village contributing the Restore NY grant.
Te move would also preserve the grant.
"Certainly, if Sharon Springs Inc.'s plans move ahead, there may be no need to do this," Ms. Kennedy said.
But no one at the table expects that to happen; since 2005 "there's been more talk than action," on the project, pointed out trustee Margi Neary.
The village is also considering legal action against SSI's other buildings, several of which have deteriorated beyond repair, but is putting those discussions on hold-for now-so that step doesn't jeopardize the in-limbo Restore NY grant.
Ms. Kennedy said there's also the possibility of pursuing eminent domain on the baths or other buildings, but if the RFP's successful, there will be no need.
Specifically, she said, the RFP will require a capital investment for both the acquisition and reconstruction of the Imperial Baths-something the village can't afford to do. The village's contribution will be the $1 million grant.
This route came at Restore NY's suggestion, she said, prompting Trustee Doug Plummer to add, "They have no faith in Sharon Springs Inc. It's a farce..."
Sharon Springs isn't the only municipality awarded Restore NY monies that aren't being used, Mr. Plummer said, and another suggestion has been that they band together and lobby Empire State Development for the go-ahead to use their grants on other viable projects.
When the village threw its support behind SSI's proposal in seeking the grant in '09, there were at least three other projects in the mix, including one to turn Klinkhart Hall into a 199-seat theater and another to create a meeting center, café, and corporate retreat on Pavilion Avenue.
But in the end, those developers stepped down in hopes it would give the Imperial Baths and Adler projects a better shot at the money.
"We have to make the baths viable again before we'll see any other real growth," Mayor Cousineau said.
And in fact, even though Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell have brought considerable fame to the village, first on reality TV as the Fabulous Beekman Boys and in December, as $1 million winners of the Amazing Race, trustees said there are too many for-sale signs downtown.
"Much longer, and there will be no going back," Mayor Cousineau said. "These buildings will be gone."