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According to a year 2000
report by the National Governors Association: "'Rail trails'... are one of
the most successful recreational reuses of brownfields. Abandoned railroad
corridors, when redevleoped, create multi-purpose public paths. There are
over 10,000 miles of public rail trails across the nation that were used more
than 100 million times in 1999. These rail trails provide an outlet for
biking, running, walking, horseback riding, and cross-country skiing. They
often link neighborhoods to workplaces, providing alternative ways to get to
work. Rail trails have also provided economic benefits for sttate and
local economies. The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy estimates that trail
users have generated as much as $1.25 million annually for towns through which a
trail passes."
These photos were taken (3/30/02) on the Vestal
"Rail-Trail", located on a former Conrail railroad embankment and donated to the
Town of Vestal by Newman Development Group (NDG). The Trail runs behind The
Shoppes at Vestal shopping center project (visible in the distance to the right)
developed by NDG on the site of the former Chef D'Italia Meatball Factory.
Former Chef D'Italia Meatball Factory:
Upper photo is looking south (toward Vestal Parkway). African Road is
visible along left hand side (east) of photo. Lower photo is looking
southwest toward loading dock area of former factory.
After construction of The Shoppes at Vestal.
From left to right: (top row) Vestal Rail Trail shortly after opening of The
Shoppes (looking east and slightly south); view of The Shoppes from African Road
side (looking north and west)--from approximately the same location as the top
Meatball Factory photo; beginning of the Rail-Trail (looking west); view of The
Shoppes from approximately the same location as the bottom Meatball Factory
photo; Shoppes entrance monument sign; (bottom row) looking north from just
inside of the African Road entrance; view of The Shoppes (looking
west-northwest); view of Rail-Trail (looking west) prior to application of first
layer of asphalt); and view of The Shoppes (looking north) from the vicinity of
Vestal Parkway.
This Target store, located in the Parkway Plaza
shopping center in Vestal, NY, was developed by NDG on the site of the former
IBM Ozalid Factory.
The Town Square Mall shopping center, NDG's
flagship project in New York's Southern Tier, was constructed on industrially
and commercially zoned land that contained among others an asphalt plant,
several warehouses, and a pool chemical supplier.
Vestal, NY Lowe's Home
Improvement Warehouse. Developed by NDG on the site of a former petroleum
tank farm. (Note other large petroleum tanks visible in the distance in
the upper right.)
Binghamton, NY Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse
(located in the Town of Chenango). Built by NDG (for FGR Realty) on the
site of the former Chenango Plaza Shopping Center. A succession of dry
cleaners contaminated subsurface soils beneath and behind the
present Lowe's store with dry cleaning solvents, notably tetrachloroethene or
PERC. Castle Creek can be seen in the foreground of the two photos on the
left..
Views of the former Chenango Plaza shopping
center--including the dry cleaning store and former septic leach field that
contributed to PERC contamination of subsurface soils. Although there are
several homes located on a hill to the northwest of the shopping center
building, the gradient of groundwater flow is to the south-southeast (toward the
confluence of the Chenango River and Castle Creek.
Former Ozalid factory site south of Vestal
Parkway. Rear property line (along apartment complex) is located to the
south. Town Square Mall is visible in the background. This site was
redeveloped as a successful Target- and Kohls-anchored shopping center, Parkway
Plaza.
View of Parkway Plaza shopping center. Vestal Parkway is in the
foreground. Top of photo is south.
Close up of former Ozalid Factory prior to its
demolition and redevelopment of the site as Parkway Plaza shopping center.
Target store at Parkway Plaza shopping center in Vestal, NY. Located
behind (south of) the former location of the Ozalid Factory.
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