Monticello, NY – Plans to redevelop the long-dormant Apollo Plaza on Monticello’s eastern edge could nudge forward next Friday, when responses to an initial call for interested developers and designers are due.
But the idea of turning the cracked and crumbling strip mall and the surrounding county landfill into a retail and recreation complex is called “pie in the sky” by Thompson Supervisor Anthony Cellini, who instead supports a truck stop and motel.
“Who the heck is going to build on a dump?” Cellini said.
Sullivan County officials say other cities have done just that.
During a PowerPoint presentation Tuesday, Planning Commissioner Luiz Aragon showed projects such as Staten Island’s Freshkills Park and Virginia Beach, Va.’s Mount Trashmore Park, both built on former landfills.
A truck stop and motel could take advantage of the redevelopment of Exit 106 as part of the Interstate 86 project, Cellini said, adding that he knows local developers ready to finance the construction.
“We’ve got to get down to reality here,” he said. “We’ve been playing around with casinos for 15 years.”
Read More: Times Herald Record
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3 Responses
A Pilot or a Petro would be great there. There are hardly any places for John Q Traveler to get off after Middletown for a decent cup of coffee etc for about 100 or so miles!
Medina Dibal Metzra they should let the mobile station develope a rest area there.
With all due respect to Mr. Cellini, Palisade Center Mall in rockland Co was built on top of the old Rockland Co landfill. So yes, people will build on a “dump” and make lots of money.