To the Editor:

I am the majority shareholder/owner of the properties from 2298-2314 Western Ave., the Charles Bohl Inc. land. The Guilderland Town Board will soon be voting on the density request for the Foundry Square development proposed by the Markstone Group.

This vote will determine if the project will move forward to planning and next steps. The buyer has made it clear that this density is required to make the project feasible and has submitted financial projections as such.

If the density ask is not met, the buyer will not further invest in the property or conduct the brownfield remediation. Their determination is that they require 260 units to make this project financially feasible. As most of you are well aware, this site has many challenges and it will be a major undertaking to accomplish what is required.

For my part, this is the final time we attempt to remediate and sell the site. I have solely managed and paid the taxes on this for 13 years, trying to protect my family’s legacy. This is my last hurrah.

Here are the implications:

If approved and developed, these are the results:

— Remediation of a brownfield site, paid for by private funds;

— Turn lane on Route 20/Foundry Road, which has been needed for years;

— Redevelopment of a blighted site on main corridor of Guilderland;

— Possibility of workforce housing units if the Guilderland Industrial Development Agency approves financial relief.

If not approved, these are the results:

— Abandoned site for at least 10 years as courts process bankruptcy;

— $600,000 in lost tax revenue (I currently pay $56,ooo per year);

— Estimated $2.5 million in remediation (probably more if the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation does it) in 10 years’ time paid by taxpayers;

— Brownfield left as is for 10-plus years;

— Continued accidents on Route 20/Foundry with no turn lane.

It has been suggested that potential government funding might be pursued to mitigate costs; however, these funding programs can take years to pursue, we don’t have that time.

I can’t continue to pay taxes and wait; I’ve paid the taxes all these years to no avail, so waiting for potential government funding in a few years is not an option. We are already running out of time.

Looking at the development in Guilderland over the past 8-plus years, I do not understand why this project is being given such a hard time. It is the one most needed.

As for the “look” of the proposed buildings versus the rest of the character of that part of Guilderland, I ask you to look at what exists on that strip of Route 20 from Route 155 to Route 146. Besides the Schoolcraft House and the historic “Dr. Lee” property, really, what is in that “character” that you are trying to preserve?

If we are preserving historic zones, the Rapp Road historic district had five stories of apartments approved and they are not “blending” into a very important historic district. So, I’m really not comprehending the pushback on our property plan.

Maybe It’s time to modernize. And be fair.

So it is up to you, board members. These are the implications and the facts. This will be your legacy.

Theresa Bohl

Guilderland