TRR photo by David Hulse (Click for larger image)

Sullivan to auction former Concord property

MONTICELLO — Legislator Chris Cunningham (DC-1), center, and Deputy County Attorney Cheryl McCausland, left, listened as Rodney Gaebel (RC-5) spoke during a June 14 Executive Committee discussion on auctioning several remaining pieces of property the county still retains from the 1997 Concord bankruptcy.

Something over 70 acres of property, from a subsidiary Concord corporation NaLou, remains. One small parcel off the intersection of Concord Road and Route 42 has been the subject of litigation by prospective purchaser Marc Schulman.

The largest portion of the property lies behind the new Shoprite store on Route 42, where other new commercial development has been rumored.

	TRR photo by David Hulse A map of the Concord property. (Click for larger image)

Schulman made a $10,000 offer on the property several months after the county acquired it, but his offer was declined after the new Concord management expressed an interest. Schulman sued when his offer was declined, but a recent Supreme Court decision upheld most of the county’s arguments. Schulman reportedly has since upped his bid to $50,000.

Noting Sullivan County had taken a deposit from him, Cathy LaBuda (D-2) argued against an auction and for Schulman’s right to the land. LaBuda said it would not be fair to force him into an auction against millionaire Concord developer Louis Capelli.

Gaebel said the county had asked both interested parties for business plans to detail proposed uses of the properties and neither complied. “We didn’t have a deal with anybody,” he said.

Chairman Rusty Pomeroy (D-3) said he felt the only fair way to dispose of the property at this point was by way of an auction.