IRONDEQUOIT, N.Y. — It's been about nine years since the closure of The Medley Centre in Irondequoit, and now the town is examining how to bring life back to what is currently Skyview on the Ridge, with part of the building already serving as a Conduent Inc. call center.
"So it really was a good opportunity to provide an amenity for our residents, while also hopefully playing a role in the revitalization of the mall," said Irondequoit Town Supervisor Dave Seeley (D).
Last November, the town enlisted the services of LaBella Associates to help design a new community center. About 1,300 people took part in an online poll and the town discovered the top three biggest priorities for residents at the former mall were a wellness center, a swimming pool and an indoor track. Residents also turned up Wednesday evening for a public forum at Bishop Kearney High School.
"There's this whole notion of a community center, whether its recreation, athletics, a place to meet or come together," said Seeley. "I think there's really a unifying element to this, and I think people are excited about that."
Among the questions that residents had Wednesday included the potential cost to taxpayers, which is still an unknown for the town. There also isn't a clear timeline yet on when renovations to Skyview on the Ridge might begin, or what the final product will look like.
"I was very concerned about this community center, having our taxes go up," said Irondequoit resident Michael Valente. "Because right now as everybody knows we are in an assessment, and predominantly most of us have had a higher assessment. But it is a wonderful town to live in, wonderful people, and we seem to have a town supervisor and board that gives a darn, which is very important to me."
The final report for the potential community center is set to be reviewed at the March 20th Irondequoit Town Board Meeting.