KOHL'S STORE NOT OFF THE TABLE YET

Mike McCagg

ccSCOOP News

05-15-10 - 3:10 p.m. - A month after losing out on its second bid for a tax abatement for a Greenport store, the Kohl’s Department Store has still not pulled its building permit or sought a return of its $10,000. The status of the store—proposed for Greenport Commons—is apparently in limbo with the developer saying no deal has been reached with Kohl's and yet a building permit—and the fee—remaining active. Town and county officials confirmed for ccSCOOP that Kohl’s representatives have not withdrawn the building permit and $10,000 fee it paid for the permit. "I have not heard from them since the IDA meeting," said Ken Flood. When asked if he believes the project will move forward, the economic developer said "that's what I suspect."

As to Widewaters officials, a corporate representative said the deal fell through, though she couldn’t explain why the application and fee have not been pulled from the town. "We couldn't make the deal work," said Widewaters Tracy Lauer. "I don't know what their plans are with the building permit. You'd have to ask them."

Kohl’s officials remained vague when contacted by ccSCOOP. “We’ve not announced any plans to open a new store in your community. Kohl’s has an ongoing real estate assessment process. At any given time, Kohl’s is reviewing sites in communities nationwide,” Elizabeth Deluca, a spokeswoman for the Milwaukee-based Kohl's, said in a written response to a phone call.

The Columbia County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) voted in April to reject a fifteen-year payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) agreement with the mega-retailer, saying it didn’t want to set a precedent in granting retailers tax abatements. The PILOT application included an initial annual payment of $34,000 from Widewaters to the IDA which would increase two percent annually. A previous application included a request from the IDA for a jobs provision, making the PILOT contingent on a quota of full-time jobs, but that provision was dropped before the public hearing on the application on March 31.

The IDA, under intense public pressure, had likewise rejected a previous twenty-year PILOT payment agreement. While residents, the Chamber of Commerce, and other local businesses expressed opposition to the plan, and Board of Supervisors had voted in favor of the PILOT.

Widewaters officials had stated that absent a PILOT agreement, there would be no Kohl's store at Greenport Commons.