ROMULUS — Deer Haven Park, LLC announced it has tapped Keith G. Tidball, Ph.D. to help owner Earl Martin in developing a wildlife-conservation plan for the former Seneca Army Depot property.

In June, Martin, owner of Seneca Iron Works — parent company of Deer Haven, was selected by the Seneca County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) as the winning bidder for about 7,000 acres of land at the former military-weapons storage area located in the towns of Romulus and Varick. He will reportedly pay $900,000 for the property and plans to expand Seneca Iron Works there, while also preserving the property’s wildlife including its rare white deer. Seneca Iron Works, based near Seneca Falls, is a manufacturer of dairy farm equipment such as stalls, gates, and rails.

Tidball has nearly 20 years of experience in natural-resources management, land-use planning, and social-ecological research, according to a Deer Haven news release.

“We’re in the early stages of developing a master plan for the preservation and maintenance of the Depot’s plant and animal life,” said Martin, owner of Deer Haven Park and Seneca Iron Works. “Dr. Tidball’s expertise is critically important as we seek to protect the white deer and other wildlife throughout the property.”

Tidball’s background is in agricultural and ecological anthropology, with a specialty in agriculture and natural-resources management in stability, security, transition, and reconstruction. He holds a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the University of Kentucky, a master’s degree in international development studies from George Washington University, and earned his Ph.D. in natural resources from Cornell University.

“I’m excited to partner with Earl, his team and the Seneca County IDA on this project,” Tidball said. “This is a rare opportunity to engage a unique social-ecological system, right here in my neighborhood that, though once intensely managed, has been relatively untouched for two decades. Our planning and management efforts will work to support the white deer, but will also support other wildlife and plant life living and growing throughout the Depot, including pollinators and the plants they prefer, wetland species, and scrubland birds.”

Tidball is a U.S. Army National Guard veteran and active member of the New York State Guard. In a separate role, he serves as chairman of the planning board for the Town of Fayette in Seneca County. He and his family operate Canoga Creek Farm, which incorporates sustainable farming and wildlife conservation.

Martin’s initial plans for the Seneca Army Depot property include clearing overgrown brush and invasive species and assessing the perimeter fencing to identify where improvements need to be made, according to the release. He has already purchased new machinery and equipment for the effort. In addition to the ecologist, Martin said he has recently contracted with a full-time maintenance manager to oversee mowing and other grounds-keeping responsibilities.

Seneca County IDA Executive Director Bob Aronson said in the release that the agency expects to close on the sale of the property to Martin “later this year.”

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Sections of Binghamton and Ogdensburg are among 12 new brownfield-opportunity areas in communities across New York.

The designation helps participants develop strategies to revitalize neighborhoods affected by “dormant and blighted” properties, Cuomo’s office said in an Aug. 22 news release.

New York will give projects in these areas “priority status” for grants and the project developers may access additional Brownfield Cleanup Program tax-credit incentives.

“The designation of Brownfield Opportunity Areas facilitates the restoration and development of devastated communities across the state,” Cuomo said. “Each of these sites possesses tremendous potential for economic development and job creation, and these designations will equip local partners with the resources they need to implement their vision for community revitalization.”

The New York Department of State administers the brownfield-opportunity areas program.

These 12 new designations bring the total number of designated brownfield-opportunity areas in New York to 38.

To facilitate the work required to achieve a designation, each of these sponsoring communities received funding through the program to complete a nomination containing revitalization strategies specifically developed to promote “sound” redevelopment and “enhanced” environmental quality within the affected areas.

The type of neighborhoods and areas where communities are applying resources include industrial or manufacturing, commercial corridors, mixed-use downtowns and waterfronts.

New York provides a tax-credit incentive to encourage private-sector cleanup of brownfield sites that are located within a designated brownfield-opportunity area, “when a brownfield-opportunity area site is enrolled in the brownfield-cleanup program and its redevelopment is consistent with the community’s vision for the revitalization as set forth in its nomination or plan,” Cuomo’s office said.

The incentive is up to 5 percent of eligible redevelopment costs through the brownfield redevelopment tax credit. It’s available to eligible taxpayers with projects on program-enrolled, brownfield-opportunity area sites that New York Secretary of State Rossana Rosado determines are in “conformance with the goals and priorities established in the nomination or plan that was approved by the Secretary for the area.”

Binghamton
The new brownfield-opportunity areas include the city of Binghamton’s First Ward. The approximately 506 acre site has 41 “potential” brownfield sites.

The area is located north of Binghamton’s downtown area, between the Chenango River and the Interstate 86 corridor.

The community-revitalization objectives include a build-out of the Charles Street Business Park; providing “marketable” opportunities for private investment; housing stabilization and redevelopment; mixed-use infill and commercial revitalization; and public improvements such as “enhanced” gateways and streetscapes, pedestrian/bicycle connections, and flood protection and mitigation, according to the news release.

A grant of $347,000 from the Brownfield Opportunity Area Program financed planning activities for the area.

The state also designated the North Chenango River corridor in Binghamton. This brownfield-opportunity area includes about 407 acres in the city’s north-central section, with boundaries including Henry Street to the south, Brandywine Highway to the east, Bevier St. to the north, and the Chenango River to the west.

The area has more than 28 potential brownfield sites, Cuomo’s office said.

Community-revitalization objectives include new development that addresses community needs.

The development includes housing and a grocery store; revitalization of vacant, “deteriorating and derelict” commercial and residential properties; mixed-use infill development; redevelopment of the Binghamton Plaza; and public improvements such as enhanced access and riverfront/gateway improvements.

A grant of $147,570 from the Brownfield Opportunity Area Program financed planning activities for the area.

The First Ward and North Chenango River corridor brownfield-opportunity areas have “incredible potential” for economic development, Binghamton Mayor Richard David contended in Cuomo’s news release.

“The brownfield-opportunity area planning process has complemented the ongoing efforts of the City to evaluate and plan for redevelopment in these key areas. The brownfield-opportunity area designations will unlock new partnerships and resources to build on our ongoing efforts to combat blight, foster neighborhood business districts, and support community revitalization,” said David.

Ogdensburg
The new brownfield-opportunity areas also include the downtown waterfront core in the city of Ogdensburg in St. Lawrence County.

It includes about 330 acres located along the St. Lawrence and Oswegatchie Rivers in Ogdensburg with 158 brownfield and vacant sites.

The community-revitalization objective is to return brownfields and underutilized prime waterfront sites to productive economic use.

The recommendations focus on projects within four redevelopment districts, including: the Diamond/Shade Roller district; the marina district; the Fort de La Presentation district; and the Augsbury district.

“Strategic” public investment will help leverage new privately funded development and “build momentum” for the transformation of Ogdensburg’s entire waterfront.

A $355,500 grant from the Brownfield Opportunity Area Program financed planning activities for the area.

The designation is an “exciting achievement, and critical next step in revitalizing” the city’s waterfront, Ogdensburg Mayor Wayne Ashley contended in Cuomo’s news release.

“The Brownfield Opportunity Area initiative is a tool that will help our community realize the potential of our waterfront brownfields as vibrant assets once again. It is a momentous occasion for our community and the North Country region,” said Ashley.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com