New Windsor Supervisor Stephen Bedetti and the town board discussed during their March 4 work session what can be done about several vacant lots located at the Five Corners intersection.

At the corner of Route 300 and Route 32 in Vails Gate, there was once a Hess gas station next to a few buildings that had a former salon and where Domino’s once operated. The gas station and salon have both left and the Domino’s moved to a new location in the area. Along Route 32 near McDonald’s, another building which was once a former restaurant has remained vacant as well.

“As everybody knows, this has been kind of a thorn in our side. When you come in to New Windsor on either Five Corners or 94 it’s the first thing you see and it’s frustrating,” said Bedetti. “I reached out to the property owner of the Five Corners, the old Hess station. I asked him if he’d be willing to take the building down. He’s in the planning board stages now trying to get approval to put a building there.”

A proposed project has been presented to the town planning board that would see the Hess station and other buildings demolished. A new building would be constructed that would feature several retail spaces on the ground floor with a beer garden on top. Bedetti shared he had a chance to review the renderings of the project and supported the design.

The project appeared on the planning board’s February 14 agenda where it was requested from the applicant to the board to take down the building but not lose setback rights. The planning board saw no issue with the request with the condition that the site be left in a reasonable condition. The matter would then be handled through the building department.

A demolition permit has since been acquired by the applicant according to Bedetti. An asbestos abatement report and other information would also be required. “I’m kind of hoping in the next month or two that comes down,” said Bedetti.

The Town of Hyde Park defines a setback as “the distance from a curb, property line, or structure within which building is prohibited. Setbacks are building restrictions imposed on property owners. Local governments create setbacks through ordinances and Building Codes, usually for reasons of public policy such as safety, privacy, and environmental protection.”

The project site sits near state roads at a heavily traveled intersection in the town. According to Bedetti, the applicant is currently working with the New York State Department of Transportation to address what they may need.

With the lot adjacent to the McDonald’s storefront, Bedetti said there would hopefully be a discussion on what to do with it. Overall, he is hopeful that there can be some cleanup and change to that area of town.