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Plattsburgh mayor leads tour of beleaguered Crete Memorial Civic Center

The Crete Memorial Civic Center is the only venue in the Plattsburgh area for winter youth soccer teams. Organizers, parents and youth were among those who participated in a public tour of the facility Tuesday evening as Plattsburgh’s mayor explained why he thinks the building should be demolished.

Last Wednesday Plattsburgh Mayor Chris Rosenquest issued a nine-page memo detailing health and safety issues that he says justify closing and demolishing the building. His memo also says there would be “significant expenditures” if the building was instead brought to “minimal working order.”

This week the first-term Democrat is leading public tours of the Crete to explain the building’s drawbacks.

More than 50 parents and kids gathered and signed liability waivers to enter the building, which currently has no power.

"So if you signed a waiver and you’ve got a mask you can come inside to the entryway here."

Once inside the building Mayor Rosenquest led the tour, pointing out problems such as broken bathroom fixtures, masonry cracks and mold.

“In May there was a catastrophical fire," Rosenquest described, "that started on the outside, burnt its way into the building, caused an explosive fire in the transformer outside, burnt the electrical conduit coming into the building and then caused severe arcing inside of the building. As far as we know there is additional damage that had been caused throughout the electrical systems. But according to the insurance adjustor that was going to cost about 45-to-60-thousand dollars in initial repair and then in subsequent issues following that was unknown. That’s part of the insurance coverage. But then also there is some environmental issues. Hence the reason why you need to wear your mask in here. There’s no less than 12 leaks in the roof, also not covered by insurance. And then there’s a number of other safety concerns that were put out in the building inspector’s office regarding just the ability to exit the building quickly and safely as well as the habitability of the building itself.”

Flashlights in hand, the mayor led the group into the darkened main electrical room and Director of Community Development Matt Miller explained the extent of damage to the building’s electrical service.

“The actual electrical fire started on the exterior of the building in the cabinets that sit in the middle of the lawn." Miller continued, "But that fire fried all the distribution cables that ran from those panels underground and connected here in the building. You’ll see some of the electrical arcing and burn marks from that current as it traveled. In order to determine the level of damage to the interior electrical system to the building we would have to first reenergize the building which would run about $25,000 just to begin with. So once we reenergize the building we would then have to pay a specialist to come in here and circuit-by-circuit test the system inside to determine what other damage. Then we would have to contract with another contractor to fix all of the issues that were found.”

With no power at the Crete Center, youth soccer teams must find another venue for the winter and parents and teams are not happy. Following the tour Rosenquest was confronted with a crowd from the Plattsburgh Football Club, a group of soccer families, seeking options.

“It’s not lost on me," began Mayor Rosenquest, "that you all don’t have a place to play anymore. I get it. But at the end of the day there has to be a decision that’s made. Do we continue to put more city finances into a building that’s going to be torn down or do we say okay, we’ve got to turn the page, find a new home? Maybe not this November, December, but maybe some time in the spring or after the New Year. I don’t have an answer.”

“Well," interjected a member of the crowd, "let us use it ‘til then.”

“If you want to come up with all the monies and all the financials and all the work to get this building open," countered the Mayor, "please do it.”

“So what money do we need to come up with," asked another parent, "to make this building safe?”

“We made an estimate," replied Rosenquest, "about $250,000 to get all of that remediated outside of the $100,000 deductible.”

“So," noted a member of the crowd, "$350,000?”

Rosenquest's answer was concise, “Yup.”

“Give us 6 months.” stated another person.

Mayor Rosenquest appeared perplexed: “Six months for what?”

“To raise the money,' someone shouted, "to keep the building open.”

“Go, go for it," remarked the mayor. "We’re not going to tear the building down tomorrow.”

“Fine," counters ReneCastine, "then we’ll be in here November 1st.”

City Councilor Mike Kelly was drawn into the conversation when Football Club Registrar Rene Castine asked what would happen if they tried to raise money to keep the center open.

“Mr. Rosenquest saying go ahead, you find the money, it’s yours. There you go. But we need that agreement with the city before I go begging people for money.”

“My vision for what we will have for sports in the future is not this," declared Kelly. "This is the past. Why can’t we have a dome with two fields inside?”

“Here’s the problem," retorted Castine. "Right now we’re at a point where, okay, you have a beautiful home. You want to move somewhere new. You’d like a new home. These kids would like a new place to play. Are you going to move out of your home before you have a new place to go?”

“Well...” Kelly started as Castine continued, “No you’re not. Why should we do that here?”

“That doesn’t really apply to this argument,” Kelly answered.

“No," Castine declared. "It does!”

The city says it has received estimates of about $1 million to demolish or about $3 million to completely renovate the building.

There will be another public tour of Plattsburgh’s Crete Memorial Civic Center Thursday at 5 p.m. Anyone who enters the building must wear a mask and sign a liability waiver.