A boutique distillery at Apollo Plaza?

Fate of derelict mall discussed

By FRITZ MAYER

MONTICELLO, NY — The empty Apollo Plaza mall has provided a bleak backdrop to the gateway to the county seat since the last tenant moved out in 2003. The county has waged a lengthy legal battle with former owner Sam Backer over back taxes, and the county took possession of the mall in 2007. The last appeal in the case is expected to be decided in the next few weeks, and absent of any other legal moves, the county may then begin to think about a future for the prominent site.

Tim McCausland, CEO of the Sullivan County Partnership for Economic Development, asked the Sullivan County Legislature if, instead of auctioning off the property when the times come, the county would consider letting the partnership market it to interested parties. He told lawmakers at a meeting on January 8 that he has had several inquiries about the site. He said the callers were interested in a wide range of projects from a short-track car-racing facility to a farm-distillery operation.

Regarding the distillery, McCausland explained that in 2007, New York State passed a law that would allow for small-scale distilling, as long as the ingredients are grown in New York State. Since the passage of the bill, at least four small distilleries have opened in New York, offering such products as vodka produced from 100 percent honey and apple-flavored vodka. The distilleries are sometimes attached to an existing winery.

McCausland said he has also had inquiries about the site from companies that produce alternative fuels.

His question sparked a wide ranging discussion of the property.

County attorney Sam Yasgur said that the legal wrangling over the property might be prolonged if, for instance, Backer pursues an appeal in federal court. But, he said, the county would vigorously fight any attempt by Backer to regain title or repurchase the property.

In a reference to the protracted legal battle, lawmaker Leni Binder said that the owner had paid more in legal fees than he would have if he had simply paid the taxes to begin with.

Lawmaker Alan Sorensen, whose district includes the site, said once the legal battle is concluded, the county should invite proposals about how to develop the property, adding that the Village of Monticello and the Town of Thompson should also be consulted. The property is adjacent to the Sullivan County Landfill. Sorensen said, “I would welcome just about any development there, except the expansion of the landfill.”

The mall, which opened in 1983, has had a stormy history. In the late 1990s, business people who rented retail space from the mall complained that services and maintanence were lacking, and shopkeepers gradually moved away. The Wal-Mart super center opened nearby in 1999, providing serious competition to the stores in the mall.

In 2002, during the height of casino speculation in the county, when five Native American-owned casinos were seriously under consideration by state and county officials, the Unkechaug Indian Nation of Long Island announced a plan to operate a high-stakes bingo parlor at the mall. Thompson officials supported the idea, but county officials opposed it, in part because high stakes bingo is illegal in the state. Additionally, the tribe was recognized by the state government, but not by the federal government, which meant they would not have been eligible to apply for an off-reservation gambling facility. The plan was abandoned within months.