Transfer station to be used as car storage lot

Town Board members have approved letting Lia Honda store new vehicles at the town transfer station.

TOWN OF ULSTER, N.Y. » Town Board members have approved letting Lia Honda store up to 300 new vehicles at the town transfer station for waste disposal while the dealer constructs a new showroom on U.S. Route 9W/East Chester Street Bypass.

At a meeting Thursday, town Supervisor James Quigley said the town will be paid $2,000 per month for use of the Miron Lane facility beginning Sept. 1.

“They couldn’t tell how long they were going to be there,” he said. “So I said a minimum of six months or $12,000. So they could leave in four, but they still owe us $12,000.”

Under a site plan approved by the town Planning Board, the dealer eventually will occupy a 36,000-squarefoot building on the former Mac Fitness site, which is immediately across the road from the current Lia Honda dealership.

Mac Fitness has consolidated its operation at Kingston Plaza, in Kingston. That facility is being expanded.

“Their new car inventory is stored on the old tennis courts adjacent to the Mac Fitness club,” Quigley said.

“They purchased the entire Mac Fitness club and they’re going to combine it with the tennis courts to construct their new Honda dealership,” he said. “They need a place to relocate the new car inventory to until they’re finished with construction.”

Quigley said the town was approached for space after Lia Honda could not reach agreements with owners of other large parcels.

“They went to TechCity and couldn’t get a deal,” he said. “They went to 901 Grant Avenue and couldn’t get a deal. So the guy was saying ‘I need a place to park the cars.’”

Quigley said the transfer station was suggested by Highway Superintendent Frank Petramale.

“There’s 9.5 acres up there,” Quigley said. “(Lia) is probably only using ... three or four acres.”

Quigley said the agreement provides revenue to the town while helping a local business.

“There’s money on the table and I’m going to take it to my side of the table for the benefit of the taxpayers of the town of Ulster,” he said. “How many times does this come around? You don’t have this kind of need all the time.”

Quigley added that the “town is renting out its property all the time. We rent out the pavilions at the park, we rent out the softball fields for tournaments on the weekends, we’re actually renting out the boat launch and charging $8 per boat launch and a $50 annual fee for a season pass.”