Good news on Sterling Forest

[Papa Bear]

There was a big item in today's New York Times about the purchase by the state of the last piece in Sterling Forest which was slated for development. A lot of work by a lot of good folks went into this.

Here's the link: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/28/nyregion/28land.html

Anyone from the area know any interesting inside information? Looks like a real win to me. Say what you will, but I think Pataki was a good guy here. (Please no politics in replies).

 

[Jay H]

Cool, the folks in Tuxedo (and Tuxedo Park) are very well to do, you should see some of the multimillion dollar mansions there. I've biked through it as it's a good way to avoid Rt 17 and on a bike, I can get through the south gate which is unmanned. I would think that the Tuxedo Park money would help in preserving the tract, or at least influencing the government in NY to do so. Regarding the mines that are referenced in the article, an interesting side trip (or side hike, it's not far away by trail) is to hike/go down to Long Pond Ironworks in Ringwood, NJ where they have the remnents of an 18th century mining town with blast furnace and ironworks. It's a neat place to hike through that is only a few miles from the NY/NJ border of NJ and Sterling Forest in NY. The Highlands trails goes through LP Ironworks, FYI. before hitting the border in NY/NJ a few miles north.

Jay

 

[MattC]

Pass the Doughnuts!

Excellent news, PB-thanks for posting it. Here's another piece from the local paper, by way of the Trail Conference: http://www.nynjtc.org/externalnews/2006/sfdonut1.html

I did my first trip to Sterling Forest just a couple weeks ago and really enjoyed it. The next order of Trail Conference business down there should probably be some trail work! There are serious flooding problems in many lowland areas there. Not a major problem for rugged folks like us , but I think Sterling will develop into an important outdoor resource for many, many other less experienced folks, just as is Harriman. I would love to help with trailwork there if and when it happens.

Matt

 

[charlos]

wonderful, wonderful, wonderful...the only developement i like in sterling forest is the "forest of fear"

 

[RoySwkr]

>>Ms. Harvey said the value of the land in the deal, $23,478 per acre, “is in
>>keeping with the market value in the area.”

They paid $78,200,000 for 20,400 acres or about $3,833 per acre for the land they own already. This purchase seems to be part of a disturbing trend in which the developer gets an unusually high price because the parcel is surrounded by protected land as compared to the price he might have gotten if sold with the original purchase when his mini-estates might have been surrounded by tract homes.

I believe in land protection but feel the government should get fair value for what it spends.

 

[Jay H]

Roy, unfortunately, with the real estate boom dying off, many of these real estate developers will turn their development plans into "Open Space" and sell out to organizations dedicated to the preservation of open space. I don't see any alternative, and frankly, in the end, once a parcel of land is lost to development, it is lost for good. Yes, land is expensive down in lower NYS, but I still rather see exhorbitant money on actual land than $100k port o johns.

Ideally, they should of just told the rich folks in Tuxedo Park to spot the money, they can afford that...

Jay