Slavin Foreclosure A Go County To Hand Over Properties To Massena For Nothing

CANTON - St. Lawrence County lawmakers agreed Monday to foreclose on the former Slavin Furniture properties in Massena and hand them over to the village for nothing.

Village trustees agreed last year to pay the county $50,000 in exchange for foreclosing on the properties at 2-4, 10-12 and 14-18 Water St., but asked legislators Monday to waive the fee.

Village officials estimate a $300,000 to $500,000 cost to demolish the buildings, which they believe contain asbestos, and have said the $50,000 should go toward that cost.

Some legislators said they fear village officials will change their minds about taking ownership of the properties after foreclosure, leaving the county holding the bag for remediating the lots.

County Treasurer Robert O. McNeil said taxes on the parcels have been delinquent for 10 years, and the county has made the town, village and Massena school district whole for about $168,000 in unpaid taxes over that time.

The roof of one of the buildings recently collapsed, prompting the village to close Water Street for safety reasons. Despite their condition, the total assessment on the properties is $316,000.

"Why didn't the assessor change the value to what should clearly be close to nothing?" Legislator Alexander A. MacKinnon, R-Fowler, asked Mr. McNeil and Massena officials present Monday.

"Now you're saying you want us to give up another $50,000 to help out Massena? When do we say stop? I think we should take the village of Massena to court."

Mr. McNeil said the county has tried to foreclose on the property several times.

"You don't want me to take the deed to this property so we'd be responsible for the remediation," Mr. McNeil said. "I'd like to pass it off to the village of Massena. They're going to spend a lot of money to demolish this building."

Mayor Randy G. DeLosh said the village wants to take responsibility to clean up a rapidly deteriorating downtown eyesore.

"Times are getting tight everywhere," Mr. DeLosh said. "I'm not making excuses. I'm trying to get ownership of the property, demolish it and do what's right for Massena."

Mr. DeLosh said village trustees will meet Wednesday to discuss the properties' fate.

"I don't want to burden St. Lawrence County any further," said Legislator Sallie A. Brothers, D-Norfolk. "If the village does not accept this property, there will be a lot of unhappy people."

Michael D. Slavin, vice president of Slavin Furniture & Jewelry Ltd., part-owner of the properties, said although the buildings have been condemned, he has reports from structural engineers that structures at 2-4 Water St. are still sound. He said his family fell upon hard financial times and could no longer afford the property taxes.

"Why should the village get that property for nothing?" he said. "I'd like to see someone or our corporation revitalize that building into apartments and leave the lower half for retail. Once the footprints are gone, you're never going to be able to develop that property. It'll be turned into green space."