State report says prospects for Camp Pharsalia re-use are grim
PHARSALIA – No end is in sight for the bill state taxpayers keep paying to keep round-the-clock maintenance on the buildings and 52 acres at Camp Pharsalia, and no plans for reusing the facility appear likely.
As promised, the New York State Department Of Correctional Services released a plan on Oct. 1 for the possible reuse of the camp and two other minimum security prisons closed by the state on July 1. But, as predicted, it wasn’t able to come up with an alternative.
DOCS has occupied Camp Pharsalia under the terms of a permit issued by the Department of Environmental Conservation since the mid 1960s. However, a state law enacted afterward requires the land upon which the camp is located to be a public park or reservation under the control of DEC.
According to the report, neither the sale nor the transfer of the camp buildings to a state or other government or private entity would be possible unless the DEC decides to lease it. The statute says the DEC may lease it, but the lease must be consistent with the reasonable use of the premises by the public.
Responding to the report, Commerce Chenango President Maureen Carpenter said she maintained hope and would encourage the parties involved “to evaluate all possibilities before we allow this asset to be discarded.”
“The plan states it will be difficult to identify an appropriate party for reutilization. I believe that it will be difficult, but not impossible,” she said. Commerce Chenango is working with a consultant on both Camp Pharsalia and the New York State Veterans’ Home in Oxford, in hopes of coming up with recommendations.
“We will work cooperatively with our legislators as well as the necessary NYS Departments, until we have a successful project or until all possibilities have been eliminated,” she said.
A grassroots effort supported by Commerce Chenango and government leaders who hope to save Camp Pharsalia (and the Oxford Veterans’ Home) brought the region’s representatives to the Eaton Center in late July. Some ideas for reuse included creating a national leadership development center for promoting community service or a forestry improvement educational center.
One of three state representatives present portended that DOCS wouldn’t be able to come up with an alternative use by the October deadline.
“I think the camp is a viable and valuable piece of real estate that can be put to good use,” said New York State Senator Thomas Libous, R-Binghamton. “The legislature said the state has to come up with an alternative use by October. Don’t bet on it. They’ll say it’s too old, too much money to invest in it.”
The prison provided well-paid jobs to Chenango County community, in addition to multiple volunteer hours for the public and not-for-profit sectors. Commerce Chenango estimated that Camp Pharsalia had an annual economic impact of more than $11 million. The state hoped to save $29 million by closing the three prisons.
The state DOCS is also contracting with an environmental firm to take soil samples and ground radar of old tank sites to identify areas that need to be included in a decommissioning plan. The DOCS is required to decommission the physical plant – turn off water, heat and other services – but states that to do so would enable moisture and molds to build up and deteriorate the buildings over time. Heat is currently being continued, which requires electricity, fire suppression/detection and wastewater treatment.
“... Those are precisely the services the decommissioning plan recommends be terminated because of the lack of resources available to the state,” the document states.
The decommissioning plans are under review by the DEC.
As promised, the New York State Department Of Correctional Services released a plan on Oct. 1 for the possible reuse of the camp and two other minimum security prisons closed by the state on July 1. But, as predicted, it wasn’t able to come up with an alternative.
DOCS has occupied Camp Pharsalia under the terms of a permit issued by the Department of Environmental Conservation since the mid 1960s. However, a state law enacted afterward requires the land upon which the camp is located to be a public park or reservation under the control of DEC.
According to the report, neither the sale nor the transfer of the camp buildings to a state or other government or private entity would be possible unless the DEC decides to lease it. The statute says the DEC may lease it, but the lease must be consistent with the reasonable use of the premises by the public.
Responding to the report, Commerce Chenango President Maureen Carpenter said she maintained hope and would encourage the parties involved “to evaluate all possibilities before we allow this asset to be discarded.”
“The plan states it will be difficult to identify an appropriate party for reutilization. I believe that it will be difficult, but not impossible,” she said. Commerce Chenango is working with a consultant on both Camp Pharsalia and the New York State Veterans’ Home in Oxford, in hopes of coming up with recommendations.
“We will work cooperatively with our legislators as well as the necessary NYS Departments, until we have a successful project or until all possibilities have been eliminated,” she said.
A grassroots effort supported by Commerce Chenango and government leaders who hope to save Camp Pharsalia (and the Oxford Veterans’ Home) brought the region’s representatives to the Eaton Center in late July. Some ideas for reuse included creating a national leadership development center for promoting community service or a forestry improvement educational center.
One of three state representatives present portended that DOCS wouldn’t be able to come up with an alternative use by the October deadline.
“I think the camp is a viable and valuable piece of real estate that can be put to good use,” said New York State Senator Thomas Libous, R-Binghamton. “The legislature said the state has to come up with an alternative use by October. Don’t bet on it. They’ll say it’s too old, too much money to invest in it.”
The prison provided well-paid jobs to Chenango County community, in addition to multiple volunteer hours for the public and not-for-profit sectors. Commerce Chenango estimated that Camp Pharsalia had an annual economic impact of more than $11 million. The state hoped to save $29 million by closing the three prisons.
The state DOCS is also contracting with an environmental firm to take soil samples and ground radar of old tank sites to identify areas that need to be included in a decommissioning plan. The DOCS is required to decommission the physical plant – turn off water, heat and other services – but states that to do so would enable moisture and molds to build up and deteriorate the buildings over time. Heat is currently being continued, which requires electricity, fire suppression/detection and wastewater treatment.
“... Those are precisely the services the decommissioning plan recommends be terminated because of the lack of resources available to the state,” the document states.
The decommissioning plans are under review by the DEC.
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