Water main break forces hotel to close
But Roosevelt Baths & Spa are open
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » The Gideon Putnam hotel will be closed for a minimum of four weeks after a major water main break Monday morning that resulted in flooding in the basement, according to a spokesperson.
A spokesperson, Glen White, said the hotel is continuing to assess the damage to equipment and other essential items that were stored in the basement. The flooding has affected the hotel’s utility infrastructure, leaving the hotel without gas service and working boilers, electric service, water service and telephone service.
There were no injuries other than a minor one suffered by an employee responding the water main break.
The Roosevelt Baths & Spa were not affected by the water main break, but were closed Monday due to the low water pressure.
However, the baths and spa reopened Tuesday and are open for business as usual.
The hotel will remain closed until at least Feb. 15 as the Gideon Putnam works to restore services.
“We are contacting guests scheduled to arrive during that period to cancel or move their reservations and are referring them to the Saratoga Casino Hotel,” said White. “We are implementing a temporary layoff of our employees and will work with the state to arrange for unemployment benefits for them during the period we are closed.”
A spokesperson at Saratoga Casino Hotel said the hotel is going to try and accommodate as many guests as they can.
During Tuesday night’s City Council meeting, Deputy Commissioner of Public Works Joseph O’Neill III explained how the Saratoga Spa State Park water main ruptured due to the cold weather Monday morning. The city’s utilities department was able to identify four water main valves that were promptly closed in order to isolate the
break at Gideon Putnam.
O’Neill said employees then went back to the public works garage and loaded up two pumps, which they then delivered and set up to help with pumping out the flooded basement.
O’Neill said all telephone calls answered Monday dealing with a loss of water pressure can be attributed to the state park water main break.
Gideon Putnam will continue to consult with the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation on the cleanup and restoration process going forward.
Opera Saratoga, also in Spa State Park, lost power over the weekend. Since they were closed, Operate Saratoga extended their Early Bird Subscription Deadline until this Friday, Jan. 19, to accommodate patrons who were unable to complete their subscription orders.