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Town approves train-station leases, launches RFI as low bid leaves funding gap
Summary
The Tupper Lake Town Board approved leases and licenses for several tenants at the railroad depot, adopted an RFI to solicit partners for station programming, and learned the low construction bid of roughly $360,000 exceeds current available construction funding by about $99,000.
The Town of Tupper Lake on July 13 approved multiple occupancy agreements for the Tupper Lake Railroad Depot and signed off on a request for information seeking partners to program and staff the facility.
Council members voted unanimously to lease space to the Adirondack Railroad Preservation Society (ARPS) and High Peaks Cyclery, and to license promotional use to the Adirondack Rail Trail Association (ARTA) and ROOST. The ARPS lease sets monthly rent at $1,500 and assigns maintenance, insurance, and scheduling responsibilities between the Town and tenants. Councilman Adam Boudreau described the agreements as a step toward creating “a welcoming, informative, seamless visitor experience” at the junction of the rail and rail-trail corridors.
The board also approved an RFI intended to gather proposals for staffing, visitor services, and shared-hour logistics inside the depot. The RFI asks prospective partners to describe staffing, schedules, contributions to facility maintenance and financing, and whether they would operate year-round or seasonally.
Separately, council members were informed that eight bids were received for the Train Station site work; the lowest bid is about $360,000 while the Town currently has roughly $261,000 available for construction after engineering and related expenses, leaving an approximate $99,000 shortfall. Councilman Boudreau said the board will consider trimming scope or using fund balance to close the gap while preserving grant compliance and core elements of the project.
The board voted 5–0 to approve the leases, licenses, and the RFI. Next steps include coordinating tenant schedules on a town-maintained master calendar and pursuing options to address the construction funding gap.
