Middleburgh to get Asbestos Costs for Abandoned Chalet

MIDDLEBURGH - Middleburgh officials are continuing their fight to have the abandoned "chalet" on Railroad Avenue demolished.

Once gone, the plans village officials plan to use the lot for additional parking.

Mayor Tim Knight told village board members at their meeting Monday that he had been contacted by two firms with quotes on demolishing the two-story wooden building that has been abandoned for several years. The quotes for demolition were $35,000 and $57,500. One firm assumed there was asbestos in the building, the other did not. There was no indication that the quotes would expire any time soon.

The next step is to gather quotes for an asbestos survey and the removal of the asbestos, Mayor Knight said.

The removal of the asbestos and eventual demolition of the building will, of course, have to wait until the village gains ownership of 111 Railroad Avenue.

The village is ready for that eventuality.

"I have money included in next year's budget to begin the legal process to gain ownership of the building," the Mayor said Tuesday. "Four to six months is the general timeline" on taking ownership.

Board members agreed to continue getting costs to take the building down by getting an environmental survey regarding the asbestos.

"The sooner we get the ball rolling, the better," said Trustee Kevin Young. 

At their August meeting, the board agreed to obtain estimates on how much demolition would cost.

The village is trying to take ownership of the building through eminent domain. Village officials have tried, and failed, to contact the owners of the building.

The building has been abandoned and been owned by absentee landlords for years. It is now home to pigeons, other animals, and human intruders. The building, which was a dry goods and mercantile store 100 years ago, was the subject of a Mountain Eagle Forgotten Schoharie County feature earlier this summer.

Earlier this summer, Village code enforcement officer Rick Fink told board members that he has issued violations, to no avail.

Trustee Young noted that the property is sometimes listed in Zillow for sale and is quickly sold to someone (or some business) outside the area. 

The companies that own the building may not "exist," officials said, and letters come back unanswered.

The building is currently owned by a dry cleaning company out of Patchogue, Long Island. The corporation, Full Moon Dry Cleaners LLC, located on 25 East Patchogue-Yaphank Road in Patchogue, Long Island, has owned it since January 2022. The deed was filed in April 2022 with a purchase price of $60,000, according to the Schoharie County Real Property Tax office. The office "red-flagged" the sale because of the purchase price. Attempts to contact the company have been fruitless.

In addition to the Mountain Eagle's attempts to contact Full Moon Dry Cleaners, the Village of Middleburgh has sent the owners tax bills and other letters for over two years. All have gone unanswered. The county Real Property Tax Office has reported that the 2023 town and county and 2022 school tax bills are delinquent. Water and sewer bills also are not being paid.

It is time to take legal action, Mr. Fink said. He has no legal right to enter the building and has only written violations based on the exterior. The building was condemned 10 to 12 years ago, according to officials.

Grants could be available to help pay for removal, the Mayor said.

The wooden two-story building (with an attic), which has been nicknamed "the chalet" by some local residents because of its trim and siding, has had several owners over the past 20 years.

Before being purchased by the Full Moon Dry Cleaners (no phone number listed), which filed the deed in April 2022, it was owned by DTH Roe Inc. of Austin, Texas. DTH Roe bought the building from Deutsche Bank National Trust Company of West Palm Beach Florida  (and a post office box in Texas) in February 2017. Deutsche Bank bought it from Gerald Morales in April 2016, according to the county Real Property Tax Office. Mr. Morales purchased it from Snyder Proper LLC, which was incorporated in October 1998. The oldest deed for the building is listed as Albert Bliss in the early 1900s from Carr Sheldon for the lot off of Sheldon Avenue. Members of the Bliss family said the property was deeded to Frank Bliss in 1895 and was in the Snyder family until 2005.

The building served as a dry goods and mercantile store for many years, selling Pillsbury Flour among other items on a dirt street.