זיגי בראך פלאנט א שאפינג סענטער און מאנרא

Developer Zigmond Brach, along with Monroe Real Estate Properties LLC, is proposing to build a mixed use, retail shopping center on the 3.2 acre site that will be shared with the Sunoco gas station.

The weed overgrowth and bowling alley foundation remnants remaining on the vacant lot have been an eyesore since the former bowling alley was razed to the ground by a fire a number of years ago. For a time, the old, cracked blacktop on the abandoned lot became a makeshift parking area for the sale of used cars and trucks, forcing the planning board to threaten to stop negotiations on the new project if the problem was not resolved.

Another requirement for the site is replacement of the old timber retaining wall spanning the backend of the property.

The design of the new 30,000-square-foot facility will be a single two-story building with 120 parking spaces on the site. Possibilities for tenants at the new shopping center include both professional offices and upscale retail stores.

The only business that is presently committed to the location is the M&T Bank branch, currently located in the 791 Route 17M shopping center just north on Route 17M. It will feature drive-thru window service.

Joseph Critelli, assistant vice president of construction for M&T Bank, addressed the village board at this week's meeting and requested approval for a temporary ground lease for a customized movable bank facility at the commuter parking lot on Mill Pond Parkway opposite the old Ross Lumber yard. The movable bank facility will be a trailer with a drive-thru window and would be in place until their new shopping center location on 17M is available.

Critelli said the movable bank concept is a backup plan if negotiations for an open-ended extension of its existing lease at the current location on Route 17M are not successful. He said the temporary bank at the commuter lot, if required, would be in use from January 2007 until the summer when the new shopping center facility is expected to be completed.

Village Trustee Charles Lesser commented that a requirement of the lease will be for the bank to maintain Saturday hours.

The board granted Mayor John Karl III the authority to negotiate with M&T for a temporary lease. Karl noted that Critelli will be required to also appear before the planning board.

http://www.strausnews.com/articles/2006/10/06/photo_news/news/1.prt