IDA approves controversial Vestal luxury housing PILOT
TOWN OF DICKINSON, NY (WIVT/WBGH) – The Broome County IDA voted on, and passed a PILOT program today, to transform the Quality Inn Suites on the Vestal Parkway into luxury housing.
The estimated $70 million housing project on the parkway would create around 200 units of high-end apartments with rent starting at $1,800.
The IDA has received push back from Vestal town officials and residents, on the PILOT program's tax exemption policy.
The PILOT program would freeze the developer's taxes for two years, and then gradually raise them over the next twenty years.
Town supervisor Maria Sexton says the Vestal town board initially approved the project before the PILOT program was ever mentioned.
She says the town has never had to offer tax breaks for businesses to locate on the Parkway as it's the most desirable real estate in the area.
'All of our other businesses pay their taxes. They pay their fair share of taxes. It's not fair to them, it's not fair to our residents who pay their taxes. And, any new development, if it brings more revenue in, helps our residents, helps our other businesses, and when they get this huge tax abatement from outside parties, then we don't get that benefit,' says Sexton.
The developer for the project is Aptitude Acquisition of New Jersey.
Sexton says they plan to break ground this summer, and construction should be completed in 2027.
The executive director of The Agency, Stacey Duncan, says the tax abatement will lead to more revenue down the line, including over $1 million to the Town of Vestal, $3 million to the county, and close to $11 million to the Vestal School District.
But I know they are at a higher value. Which is proven. We have a number of units, 50 Front Street in the City of Binghamton, Victory Lofts in The Village of Johnson City, that are comparable rents that are at full occupancy. And I know some have waiting lists. We think that its going to continue to provide inventory, which we need,' says Duncan.
Duncan says the apartments will primarily be single bedrooms, but some will have two, three, or even four bedrooms.
She expects crews to break ground sometime in June.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Restaurant Road Trip: Joan + Joe Coffee
MORGANTOWN, (WBOY) — Joan + Joe Coffee has made its way from the eastern panhandle of Charles Town to the heart of West Virginia—Morgantown, to share its homemade coffee, sandwiches, and baked goods with everyone in the region. Owners Veron and Duncan Ennis created the establishment out of their own love of cold brew, sharing their first few test runs with friends and members of their church before realizing what a miracle they had on their hands. From there, Joan + Joe Coffee came to fruition and expanded into creating unique specialty drinks that your taste buds wouldn't believe. 12 News spoke with both Veron and Duncan about what they believe to be the staple of their restaurant. 'It all comes back, I think, to our cold brew. We sell it by the gallon, half gallon, we even serve it hot. So cold brew served hot is something we really kind of specialize in,' Duncan said. 'All you have to do is heat it up, and it doesn't increase the acidity because it's already pulled off the grounds. So, for a really quick, easy cup of smooth coffee, you could heat it however you want. There's no mess and it's delicious,' Veron said. Restaurant Road Trip: Heather's Original Philly Cheesesteaks 'It's organic, it's very smooth, very drinkable. Many of our customers even say it's the only coffee they can drink without adding cream or sugar to it, it's just that good,' Duncan said. To go with your coffee is an assortment of goods, including a bacon jam sandwich with turkey and mayo, a turkey sausage egg and cheese on a croissant bun, and of course, a variety of different sweets like a crème brulé donut, berry tarts and chocolate croissants. But it isn't just the food that makes the restaurant so special. 12 News also spoke with Duncan and Veron on what sets Joan + Joe Coffee apart from other establishments. 'We want to be this place that people can come in and they kind of breathe and say, 'this is nice, I want to be here. I want to spend time here,' and then when you combine that with as friendly as we can be with our drinks and our staff, I think that's really what makes it work,' Duncan said. 'This business allows us to show love to many people, not just the people that walk in the door, but also our staff. The most important thing in this business is that we treat every person that walks through the door like they're the most important person in the world, you know, and if everyone did that, it would be wonderful, right? You never know what kind of day someone is having, and we can make it different, even if it is by a little bit,' Vernon said. Joan + Joe Coffee is open on Monday through Wednesday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. It's closed on Sundays. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
New artifacts at the Titanic Museum expected to sell for $1 million
PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (WATE) — Two new artifacts have come to the Titanic Museum Attraction in Pigeon Forge. They are scheduled to go to auction where they are expected to sell for over $1 million, according to a press release. The artifacts are from the passengers Isador and Ida Straus. One is a pocket watch recovered with Isador's body, and the other is a letter that Ida wrote aboard the Titanic. Department of Justice comments on Zakai Zeigler lawsuit As the Titanic sank, Ida reportedly gave up her place on a lifeboat to remain with her husband saying, 'As we have lived, so will we die, together.' The artifacts will be at the museum until December 5, according to the museum's website. They are scheduled to go to auction in the United Kingdom and are expected to sell for more than $1 million. Locals, tourists recall major Gatlinburg crash that injured seven 'We are profoundly moved to share these incredibly personal items belonging to Isador and Ida Straus,' said Paul Burns, Curator at Titanic Museum Attraction. 'To see the pocket watch Isador carried and the letter written by Ida on the Titanic offers an emotional and powerful link to their love story and the human cost of this tragedy. This exhibit will allow our visitors to witness firsthand the depth of their commitment and the profound impact of their choices.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Associated Press
Comscore and ShowSeeker Partner to Bring Person-Level Data to Pilot® Platform, Advancing Local TV Campaign Precision
RESTON, Va., June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Comscore (NASDAQ: SCOR), a global leader in measuring and analyzing consumer behavior, today announced an expanded partnership with ShowSeeker, the ad tech company behind Pilot®, a cloud-based campaign and order management platform. This collaboration brings Comscore's person-level local live and DVR data into the Pilot system, enabling media buyers and sellers to evaluate and transact on audiences with unprecedented granularity. Pilot has integrated person-level insights with local time-shifted viewing data, marking a significant advancement in local market measurement and campaign execution. This enhancement provides mutual clients with the ability to assess not just household-level impressions, but also the individual-level demographics, such as age and gender. 'The industry has long sought actionable, person-level insights to power more accurate and effective transactions, particularly at the local level,' said Steve Bagdasarian, Chief Commercial Officer, Comscore. 'This expansion of our partnership with ShowSeeker enables the real-world application of Comscore's person-level audience data, bringing a new level of measurement fidelity to the campaign planning and selling process.' The integration allows Pilot users to seamlessly surface Comscore's local live and DVR data at the person level within their workflows, enhancing the ability to build proposals, evaluate schedules, and measure campaign performance, all within a platform built specifically for the needs of media buyers and sellers. 'This update gives Pilot users a new layer of precision,' said Nick Anaclerio, Senior Vice President of Product Strategy at ShowSeeker. 'By integrating person-level data, we're aligning Comscore insights with the tools teams use to evaluate audiences, build proposals, and measure performance, pushing the product in exactly the way our users expect.' 'As a researcher, I longed for the day Comscore TV would have person-level data for our buying and selling community. I know many others have shared that aspiration,' said Kevin Dang, Director of Research and Insights at ShowSeeker. 'Combining the industry's most advanced audience data set with an everyman's take on viewership makes planning not just more robust but also more relatable. I couldn't be more proud of our respective Product and Development teams. This breakthrough represents a collaboration of not only technology, but of shared minds that wanted nothing more than to make measurement make sense.' The Comscore and ShowSeeker teams have worked in close coordination over the past year to ensure tight API integration and a frictionless user experience. As this update rolls out, mutual clients can expect a significant step forward in targeting precision, proposal automation, and post-campaign analysis. About Comscore Comscore is a global, trusted partner for planning, transacting and evaluating media across platforms. With a data footprint that combines digital, linear TV, over-the-top and theatrical viewership intelligence with advanced audience insights, Comscore empowers media buyers and sellers to quantify their multiscreen behavior and make meaningful business decisions with confidence. A proven leader in measuring digital and TV audiences and advertising at scale, Comscore is the industry's emerging third-party source for reliable and comprehensive cross-platform measurement. About ShowSeeker Founded in 2003, ShowSeeker provides cloud-based campaign management, planning, and workflow solutions for the media industry. Its flagship platform, Pilot, streamlines the advertising sales lifecycle—from proposal creation through campaign reporting—while offering clients powerful, integrated audience insights to maximize ROI and operational efficiency. Press Contacts: Comscore, Inc. Marie Scoutas [email protected] ShowSeeker [email protected]
