Plans for a new Stewart's store in Middleburgh are dead, at least for the foreseeable future.
A few days after a movement was announced to save the former dentist building on Main Street, Stewart's officials said that they could not proceed with the project to build a new shop across the street from the current location.
"We've abandoned our application for development of the dentist, NBT Bank, and chiropractor properties," announced Stewart's real estate representative Chuck Marshall Thursday morning.
Stewart's, he explained, needs all three properties in order for the project to go forward.
At the town and village planning board meeting on March 8, developer Carver Laraway, offered a different proposal in an effort to save the dentist building.
He is proposing that the new Stewart's be built on the lot that currently houses the former chiropractor's office and NBT Bank. A new bank would be built on the current vacant lot at the corner of Main Street and Banker Avenue.
Mr. Laraway also threatened legal action in order to save to the former dentist building.
There is not a satisfactory amount of space without all three properties, Mr. Marshall said.
Truck access to the lot is very important, he noted.
The former dentist building, which was damaged in the August 2011 flood, is close to the street. If the dentist office is not cleared, it would eliminate about 30 feet of turning radius.
Stewart's needed to apply for a demolition permit for the three buildings, and once an alternative use was identified for the dentist office, that threw that permit into question, according to the town and village zoning law, according to Mr. Marshall.
Middleburgh zoning board members explained that if a building is in the historic district and was built before 1910 (the former dentist building fits on both counts), a public hearing has to be held and there could be other options that need to be considered.
At the March 8 meeting, before Mr. Laraway made his proposal, Mr. Marshall sounded very positive about the future of the project.
Stewart's, he said at that time, had contracts on the three properties and there he hoped to close on them by the end of May.
Mr. Marshall told planning board members that he felt his proposal was complete and is also "in concert" with the comprehensive plan.
Once Mr. Laraway announced his alternative plan, Mr. Marshall's tone changed.
Stewart's, he told about 30 residents at the meeting, was not interested in relinquishing any of those contracts "right now."
Though the project has been halted, there is a chance it can be revived, but those chances are remote.
"There has to be a number of things that have to change," he said.
Planning board member Denise Lloyd, on Friday, said she did not have knowledge about any future negotiations, but added, "I'd be very, very surprised if Stewart's did not come back in the negotiations. That would be foolish."
It is very unlikely that another location will be found in the village, Mr. Marshall noted.
"The village doesn't have a large inventory of properties."
Stewart's he added, has not identified another project to pursue.
He added, that he "did not see this coming."
Shawn and Kim Smith, the owners of the chiropractic building, both expressed disappointment in the change of plans.
"We are disappointed that Stewart's decided to withdraw their application, however we are not surprised and we understand their decision," Mr. Smith said.
"We are cautiously optimistic that all of the parties involved can come together and come up with a solution."
Ms. Smith added, "We were warned from the very beginning that Stewart's didn't like to get involved with controversy and that, if there was too much resistance, it could kill the project. That is exactly what happened in this case."