Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Volo Looking to Spur Downtown Redevelopment

From the June 9, 2010 Daily Herald:
By Lee Filas - Daily Herald Staff

Volo officials hope new sewer and water lines on Route 12 could lead to future redevelopment of the village's downtown area.

Mayor Burnell Russell said Volo will borrow $2 million bond to be used to extend water and sewer lines to the corner of Old Volo Village Road and Route 12. The area is now served by well and septic systems.

Construction to bring water and sewer lines to the area would begin after the bond is officially in hand Thursday morning, Russell said.

"For me, it's real exciting," Russell said. "We are slowly putting bits and pieces of our master plan together and watching as these areas develop into commercial and residential properties."

A closed gas station, tavern, a closed bait shop and the old Volo village hall are currently in the area the sewers will serve.

With the addition of sewers, a proposed Thornton's Gas Station could begin construction at that intersection, Russell said. Village board members hope other smaller businesses will open shop there.

Russell said it's unclear how much potential sales tax revenue could be added to the annual operating budget as a result of the sewer installation.

"Redevelopment has been slowed recently due to the economy, but we are starting to see it pick up a little," he said. "With these sewer and water lines being put in place, it could lead to big things on Route 12 down the road."

Volo has been working for the past decade to attract more businesses to town through the use of sewers along Route 12.

Unfortunately, Russell said most developments that were planned for the 7 miles of Route 12 in Volo have either fallen through or been put on hold because of the economy.

Previously, sewers were extended on the east side of Route 12 to most residential developments. This is the first expansion of sewers to the west side of Route 12.

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