Ulster County legislator Mike Madsen reports from a recent presentation by local developer Dean Gitter on the ever-changing plans for the Belleayre Resort.
After 11 years and 100 alterations to the project, you'd think the latest version would be a slam-dunk. Well not exactly.
Let's do this thing already, says Madsen.
Senior members informed the public and us freshmen that the current plan is quite different from what was introduced 11 years ago and the process for which developers contend with provides a better product when all is said and done.
Anyone aware of the Hudson Landing project in Kingston knows that their final proposal is so much better due to the public and official engagement that pushed the developer to think outside the box. I'm glad to have been on the Council when we had the opportunity to vote in favor. Now it looks I may have the chance to repeat that performance, but on a larger scale.
Madsen also snapped some pictures of the 3D model of the site.
At the meeting, Gitter had nasty words for the two holdouts on the legislature, Donald Gregorius and Brian Shapiro. From the Daily Freeman:
“You don’t represent Shandaken,” snapped Gitter [to Shapiro]. “You’re supposed to, but you represent Woodstock.” Shapiro is a Woodstock resident.
(Implied subtext: Shandaken is more "local" than Woodstock, all Shandaken residents agree that the resort should be built, Gitter has the best interests of the property's neighbors at heart.)
