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Council asks town administrator to meet owner about tower site and surrounding structures; buildings likely to be removed
Summary
Councilors asked the town administrator to meet the property owner of the former tower plaza and return in August with options after the owner said he is prepared to discuss the site's future. Councilors and residents urged demolition of deteriorated buildings behind the tower and raised preservation, liability and drainage concerns tied to the
The Lake Placid Town Council directed the town administrator to meet with the owner of the tower property and to invite him to the council's August meeting to discuss options for the site and the deteriorated buildings behind the tower.
Town staff said the property owner, identified in discussion as Mr. Chuck (Spirk), has been in intermittent talks with the town about the site since 2009. Staff reported the buildings adjacent to the tower have code and condition issues and residents and councilors repeatedly urged that the structures be removed. Councilors said they want the owner to describe his plans and any timeline for demolition, sale or transfer of the tower and surrounding property.
Preservation, liability and drainage
Council members acknowledged the tower's historic and sentimental importance to many residents but said the town could be unlikely to accept ownership if it would inherit significant liability and maintenance obligations — most notably an obsolete elevator system. Staff noted that assuming ownership could require major capital investment and higher insurance exposure. Councilors suggested several paths: encourage the owner to demolish unsalvageable buildings; explore marketing the property with and without the tower to potential private buyers; engage Highlands County and the Tourist Development Council to assess interest and funding options; and ask the owner whether he would donate the tower while retaining or selling the rest of the parcel.
Residents highlighted additional constraints. Several speakers reminded council that a vegetated swale and drainage elements on the property were installed to protect Lake Clay from runoff and that responsibility for those drainage features must be preserved when the site changes hands.
Action taken
Council voted to authorize the town administrator to meet with the owner and to request that he appear at the August council meeting prepared to discuss options and next steps. The motion passed unanimously.
Next steps
Staff will meet with the owner and report back to council; the owner has been invited to attend the August meeting. Staff and councilors suggested the town coordinate with county economic development and the Tourist Development Council on potential preservation or redevelopment partners.
Ending
Councilors emphasized that the first practical step is to have a substantive, in-person discussion with the owner in August and to press for demolition of the unsafe buildings in the near term if the owner will not proceed with repairs or sale.
