https://cnycentral.com/news/local/for-sale-7000-acre-abandoned-army-depot-in-the-finger-lakes
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For Sale: 7,000 acre abandoned army depot in the Finger Lakes
by Alex DunbarWednesday, November 4th 2015
Behind the barbed wire and locked gates of the Seneca Army Depot, the Cold War era lives on. Spread over the Finger Lakes towns of Romulus and Varick, the depot covers 7,000 acres. Spread over the site are 519 bunkers built during World War 2 for storage of weapons and explosive ordnance. It has been 15 years since the Army moved out and 20 years since environmental remediation began. Over the next few months, the Seneca County Industrial Development Agency will put the entire site up for sale.
"Now it has a chance to come back on the tax rolls and be an asset for Seneca County," said Seneca County IDA Executive Director Bob Aronson.
The site's unique challenges start with the 519 bunkers used for storage of explosive material.
"Our estimates are that it will cost $20,000 to $25,000 each to tear them down," said Aronson.
The military has never confirmed that nuclear weapons were storedin the bunkersbut the EPA says some material removed from the depot in 1987 was sent to a radioactive waste site. The EPA also says classified "metallic parts" were buried by the Army during the 1950's and 60's. The EPA says documentation related to that material that still remains classified today. Even with those challenges Seneca County's IDA believes there are buyers interested in the entire site.
"We've had unsolicited interest from large farm groups. They are interested in doing multiple types of agricultural activity out here," said Aronson.
The Seneca County IDA is hosting a public meeting at 10:00 this Saturday morning at the Romulus Fire Hall. Aronson says the agency wants to make sure a sale benefits Seneca County. No sale price has been set, the IDA will accept bids.
"If they will be adding capital investment or job creating opportunities - it won't be just a matter of the best price," said Aronson.
There is another tentative informational meeting set for December 15th for buyers prepared to bid on the site.