Syracuse, NY - There was no major progress Tuesday in a dispute between Syracuse officials and the developers who plan to rent the city school district temporary classrooms at the former Syracuse Developmental Center. The city had threatened to consider abandoning the lease deal if back taxes totaling more than $1.3 million were not paid by 5 p.m. Tuesday. The...
Syracuse, NY - There was no major progress Tuesday in a dispute between Syracuse officials and the developers who plan to rent the city school district temporary classrooms at the former Syracuse Developmental Center.
The city had threatened to consider abandoning the lease deal if back taxes totaling more than $1.3 million were not paid by 5 p.m. Tuesday. The taxes were not paid, but the developers said Tuesday they are nearly ready to close, and taxes would be paid at closing, said Corporation Counsel Juanita Perez Williams.
The city argued Tuesday was the deadline for the closing on the property and payment of the delinquent taxes and that all parties had agreed to that date.
But the buyers, Health Consortium-USA disagreed, saying they still have two months to close the deal. The partnership based in Houston and Miami has a contract to buy the sprawling South Wilbur Avenue campus from a Long Island outfit that never paid taxes and has sued the city over its assessment.
The city Tuesday requested a written guarantee of a closing date, Perez Williams said. She hoped to receive it by the end of the day Tuesday, but had not, she said.
“We think we may be just a matter of days off,” Perez Williams said. “We’re not throwing in the towel yet, but they know time is of the essence.”
Health Consortium-USA managing member Chris Davis said his partners are working hard to close as soon as possible. Health Consortium-USA plans to pay upfront for $13 million in renovations to three buildings at the SDC site. The SDC buildings would house Dr. Weeks Elementary and H.W. Smith K-8 schools beginning in early 2011, when major renovations at those schools would begin.
The Common Council approved a $28-million, 15-year lease in April, and reaffirmed the decision in July after reviewing state aid figures. The state has agreed to pay 94 percent of the lease and renovation cost for the site.
Contact Meghan Rubado at mrubado@syracuse.com or 470-3260.