HURLEY'S ARRESTED DEVELOPMENTS
West Hurley Elementary School Today
Hurley has a problem with business development.
On one side are three developers, each engaged in litigation with the town for what they claim are unfair and opaque decisions to stymie their projects: A market-rate housing complex at the old West Hurley Elementary School, a glamping resort at the old Twin Lakes site, and a Dunkin’ store at the intersection of Rts. 28 and 375.
On the other side are a group of residents and town officials whose collection of grievances stand in opposition to these projects moving forward: Traffic fears, a preference for smaller mom-and-pop businesses, worries about noise and strain on utilities, and a general attitude towards preserving open space and prioritizing quality-of-life issues.
Caught in the middle are roughly six thousand Hurley residents with little to no history of civic participation or awareness of these issues. Who could blame them? With busy lives and only a handful of news articles to go on, it’s hard to comprehend the complex issues at play when choosing to develop or not develop these large projects.
Meanwhile, as the future of Hurley hangs in the balance – mired in lawsuits and disagreement – the town continues to move forward with its Comprehensive Plan process, though only a small fraction of its residents have participated.
Hurley residents who wish to have a say in their town’s future must ask some important questions: How and why are each of these projects being opposed? Are they being opposed for legitimate issues specific to each project, or is there a more coordinated effort to prevent certain types of projects from being developed in general? What are the benefits and drawbacks of each project? How do Hurley officials plan on preserving quality of life with the pressure of an ongoing housing crisis, lack of jobs and dearth of business opportunities? What will be the impact of these ongoing lawsuits on taxpayers, and who is to blame for those costs?
Hurley residents deserve to have the necessary facts and context to make an informed decision.
WEST HURLEY SCHOOL HOUSING
In 2017, the former West Hurley Elementary School was sold for $800,000 to Kerry Danenberg, a developer known for owning many millions of dollars worth of mixed-use and residential buildings in Brooklyn……..