DeWitt (WSYR-TV) - The demolition of the old Carrier buildings is evident to people driving down Thompson Road, but the Town of DeWitt Supervisor sees much more.
According to Ed Michalenko, the county is providing DeWitt with $50,000 to pave an entrance to the now-public park off of Kinney Street.
He said that within a few years, the park that donated to the town will be available to local schools for field use and valuable green space for the public.
While the memories of the once booming site are all that remain at the former Carrier campus site, Michalenko said the end of the era is bittersweet.
"Anyone that remembers Carrier in its heyday, sweetness is in the future – it opens the doors for redevelopment," Michalenko said.
He says he's been working with Carrier to plan smart growth for the future.
"How do we make the best use of this land in the short term prior to long term redevelopment process…possibility of a solar farm," Michalenko said.
Michalenko said money generated by selling the energy could help offset the loss in tax revenue from Carrier.
In 2009, the property was assessed at $17.6 million with the buildings standing tall. Two years later, it's worth more than $3 million less, which means thousands of dollars less in tax revenue for the town, the school district, and the county.
He said money generated by energy sales could help offset the loss in tax revenue from Carrier.
All plans are still in conceptual stages, but Michalenko says talks with Carrier are optimistic.
Michalenko also said he is encouraging Carrier to reinvest in the 600 engineers that still work at the Syracuse site. All new plans will have to be approved by the town board, as well as Carrier corporation, but he says talks have been very optimistic.
