http://www.recordonline.com/article/20150128/NEWS/150129290/101019
Newburgh seeks new hotel zoning definitions
Response to nonprofit's housing for volunteer workers
- By Leonard Sparks
Times Herald-Record
By Leonard Sparks
Times Herald-Record
Posted Jan. 28, 2015 @ 8:55 pm
Updated Jan 29, 2015 at 12:18 AM
- Last year, the Watchtower Tract and Bible Society purchased the Hampton Inn on Route 300 in the Town of Newburgh. The organization bought the facility to house volunteers working short-term on the construction of its world headquarters in Warwick. File photo» Social News
Newburgh seeks new hotel zoning definitions
By Leonard Sparks
Times Herald-Record
Posted Jan. 28, 2015 @ 8:55 pm
Updated Jan 29, 2015 at 12:18 AM
TOWN OF NEWBURGH – Officials in the Town of Newburgh are planning to change the zoning definitions for motels and hotels in reaction to the nonprofit Watchtower Tract and Bible Society’s purchase of a hotel on Route 300 and its interest in a hotel off Route 17K.
In March 2014, Watchtower finalized its purchase of the Hampton Inn. The organization, whose members are Jehovah’s Witnesses, bought the facility to house volunteers working short-term on the construction of its world headquarters in Warwick.
Watchtower, which did not respond to a request for comment, also said months ago it planned to buy the now-closed Hilton Garden Inn next to Orange County Choppers, according to Newburgh Supervisor Gil Piaquadio.
Under the proposed changes, the town would add to the definition of hotels and motels language specifying that they be open only to the public on a fee basis for transient stays of 30 days or less.
“It’s tough to run a town when you’re taking prime real estate off the tax rolls,” Supervisor Gil Piaquadio said.
Hundreds of volunteers have been working on the construction of Watchtower’s new headquarters, which was undertaken after the organization decided to relocate from Brooklyn to be closer to a farm and printing plant in Shawangunk.
Construction began in July 2013, and Watchtower is hoping to complete the project by late 2016. Eight major structures are planned on 41 of the 253 acres at the Warwick property.
Watchtower’s purchase price for the Hampton Inn was not disclosed, but county records listed the 5-acre hotel property’s market value at $6,438,800 for 2014.
Last year, the property was billed nearly $182,400 in school taxes, $24,461.75 in county taxes and $21,632.31 in town taxes.
“To run this town, you do need income,” Piaquadio said. “You can’t just keep raising taxes.”
The Hilton’s title was once held by the Orange County Industrial Development Agency under a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement with Greenwood Gardens LLC, the property’s owner. But the IDA returned title to Greenwood last month.
The proposed zoning change is being reviewed by the county, Piaquadio said. Its approval by the town will not affect existing hotel and motel properties, he said.
“From this point forward it’s got to be open to the public with a fee charge,” Piaquadio said.
lsparks@th-record.com