Dear friends of PB,
You are receiving this exciting news ahead of the press release scheduled to go out tomorrow.
Why?
Because without YOU, and your generous support of programs and projects and your encouragement to keep developing the dreams for revitalization in Philmont, it just wouldn't have happened! So once again dear friends,
"Thank You!"
Okay - now the news! Stewart's Shops Corp, after months and months of good discussions made the very generous decision to donate the116 Main St. property (the old Stewart's) to PB Inc. Now we can move forward to transform yet another building with community support, input, and loads of creativity - of which there is an abundance in Philmont as you well know!
Below you will see the press release, but we wanted to give you a little of the inside track for this exciting project. Apart from talks with Stewart's over this past year, we have also been talking to Dennis Wedlick Architect of the now famous "Hudson Passive Project" designed and built in Claverack last year. The Wedlick design has swept the boards for architecture and interior design awards and stands as a beacon of achievement in Columbia County.
What is a passive house?
The passive house (PassivHaus) standard embodies today's highest benchmark for energy efficiency and conservation. A cutting-edge approach to design and construction, the passive house standard drastically reduces the amount of energy required to operate a building (for instance, it results in a 90% reduction in energy required for heating). Originally developed in Germany, the passive house energy standard is being implemented with ever-greater frequency in the United States.
Immediate ReleaseDate: 02/24/12
ANNOUNCEMENT: STEWART'S DONATES PROPERTY TO PB INC.
The Board of Directors of Philmont Beautification, Inc., the grass-roots community development organization, is pleased to announce the acquisition of 116 Main St. in Philmont through a generous donation of the former convenience store by Stewart's Shops Corp.
Sally Baker, Executive Director of Philmont Beautification, Inc., said "The donation has provided a head start for renovating the building and site and taking the next steps of Main St. development in Philmont. Discussions are on-going with the Philmont Market and Café Cooperative to determine how renovations for the building can meet the needs of the start-up cooperative. There is the potential to significantly lower the operating overhead of the Cooperative by including green energy-efficient solutions to reduce energy costs."
She added, "Stewart's has continued to see the development of the property as closely aligned with the on-going revitalization of Philmont's downtown. This donation, once again, clearly illustrates their generous philanthropic support of local efforts to improve the quality of life in small communities in Upstate New York."
The Stewart's Shops real-property donation comes with "no strings attached" and PB Inc views it as a gift to the community. The site will be developed with input from residents and business owners so it may function now and in the future as a business incubator. The property will assist start-ups like the Philmont Market & Café Cooperative and other initiatives suggested by residents dedicated to Philmont's downtown revitalization.
A community presentation will be held on Tuesday March 6th at 7pm in the Village Hall in Philmont for those interested in discussing the future of the 116 Main St. site, the intended renovations, and how the donation of the property can best serve the needs of the community.
The donation consists of the 2100 sq ft building located on a 1.1 acre site with substantial Main St. frontage.
Contact:
Sally Baker
Philmont Beautification, Inc.
PO Box 1072
Philmont, NY 12565
Tel: 518 672 7556
Email: info@pbinc.org
URL: www.pbinc.org
