LOCAL

Newly proposed Maguire location has obstacles

City of Ithaca proposed the Southwest Park location to Maguire after Carpenter Business Park plan rejected

Matt Weinstein
mweinstein@ithacajournal.com | @SteinTime44

The Maguire Family of Dealerships is considering a new site to build three outlets following discussions with city of Ithaca officials, but plenty of issues need to be resolved before any plans can be solidified.

Three months after its proposal to build three dealerships at Carpenter Business Park on the waterfront was rejected by Common Council, Maguire is now looking at Southwest Park – an open-area behind Walmart and Lowe's near Elmira Road that was used in the past as a landfill and includes existing wetlands and poor soil for building.

The proposed site for the new Maguire outlets at Southwest Park is close to the current Maguire dealerships along Elmira Road.

“Because of its numerous site challenges … successful development of the site for commercial use will necessitate the flexibility and active support of the city,” representatives of Maguire said in statement.

Poor soil and a high water table usually means extra construction costs and thorough planning to be done before breaking ground. Numerous wet lands are also scattered throughout the property and, if removed, must be replaced with new wet lands that meet the standards of the New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation. The wetlands in Southwest Park are marked as “Significant Natural Communities” on the DEC’s online environmental resource mapper and includes freshwater emergent wetland and freshwater forested/shrub wetland.

Maguire had proposed constructing a 50,000-square-foot Ford Lincoln Nissan dealership that would include three new showrooms, a cafe/restaurant and outdoor merchandise display at the Carpenter Business Park. Though the proposal was LEED Gold-compliant, opponents argued the dealership does not fit with the city's Comprehensive Plan.

According to the plan, any development built there should be mixed-use and compatible with the adjacent waterfront uses. The proposal, which Maguire said would cost a total of $18 million, was rejected by Common Council in November.

In the statement from Maguire, the dealership said it intends to comply with all state and federal guidelines in making site alterations at Southwest Park. Maguire’s tentative plan is to develop the site as a campus with three buildings housing five auto manufacturers, a collision center, display and customer parking. The revised proposal is also LEED certified and features rooftop solar panels and “extensive green features.”

Southwest Park behind Walmart and Lowe's is the proposed site for the new Maguire outlets.

Construction will be phased in over a number of years. According to Maguire, Tompkins County Area Development estimated the original Carpenter Business Park project would have contributed an additional $106,343 in property and $419,338 in sales taxes to the city annually. The statement says a Southwest Park expansion will have a greater economic benefit to the surrounding community.

“We appreciate the city continuing to work with us to find an appropriate site and a proposal that will be mutually beneficial for both the city of Ithaca and Maguire,” owner and President Phil Maguire said. “We are committed to expanding in the city and making this work for everyone.”

Maguire's Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram dealership on Elmira Road.

The city bought Southwest Park in 1999, and the park’s future plans were a major issue in the 1999 mayoral race between Democrat challenger Daniel Hoffman and Independent Mayor Alan Cohen, who was the eventual winner. In 2003, there were plans for it to be turned into a mixed-income neighborhood development and it’s also served as Department of Public Works' cleanfill and storage area.

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