CRHP Announces Subordinate Funding Awards

Watertown, NY – October 5, 2011 – The Development Authority of the North Country and the Fort Drum Regional Liaison Organization today jointly announced the selection of two housing projects in the region through the Community Rental Housing Program.

Beaver Meadows is a 305 unit project to be developed by COR Development, a Syracuse based company.  The project will be located in the Town of Watertown behind the Target store off outer Arsenal Street.  The developer has been awarded $3,000,000 in subordinate financing.

Morgan Townhouses is a 394 unit project to be developed by Morgan Management, a Rochester based company.  The project will be located in the Town of Watertown on County Route 202.  The developer has been awarded $3,740,000 in subordinate financing. 
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2011 GAR Housing Study Validates Housing Need

Press Release
Click for 2011 GAR Report

Fort Drum 2009 Personnel Survey

Niehaus Survey done for Fort Drum

June 2008

Housing Task Force Summary presentation (June25, 2008)

Fort Drum Personnel Survey Final Report:  Niehaus Survey April 15, 2008

Updated Housing Analysis for Fort Drum and Watertown, NY Market GAR Report

October 18, 2006

FDRLO Releases GAR Associates Inc. Updated Housing Market Analysis
Click here to download pdf file

FDRLO Fort Drum Area Housing Strategy Update -Oct 2006
Click here to download pdf file

January 26, 2006

FDRLO in partnership with the Fort Drum Installation present
A Housing Forum: Let's put the pieces together

Morning presentations (PDF):
• Fort Drum: An enduring strategic asset, presented by MG Freakley
• Drum Stationing: The Way ahead. presented by LTG David Barno

Afternoon presentation (PDF):
• Community Approach to Meeting the Housing Demand
presented by Bob Juravich, Kevin Jordan, Mary Corriveau and Jim Fayle

Housing Studies Document Housing Needs 
in Northern New York-Fort Drum Region

GAR Report: 
Fort Drum Housing Study, Market Analysis, Jefferson County, NY March 2005

HQ, US Army:
2004 Housing Market Analysis, December 2004 Final Report

2005 Housing Requirements Update 1 December 2005

More from the Housing Forum

Federal and State Agency Panel Contact Information

The following agencies were represented on the Housing Forum's late morning panel moderated by Congressman McHugh. We invite you to visit their website (just click on agency name) for more information about their programs.

FDRLO-DANC Release RFP for Large Scale Multi-Family Project

Governor Announces $9M to Support Housing Initiatives

For more on these headlines click here.

3rd Brigade Impact on Housing
The announcement of the stationing of the 10th Mountain Division's 3rd Brigade Combat Team/Unit of Action (BCT/UA) at Fort Drum brings with it an increase of  nearly 6000 soldiers, 41.5% with families, to the North Country. 

The FDMCH project underway on Fort Drum will not meet the housing needs of our growing community. 

The FDRLO Housing Task Force continues to work with Fort Drum and the surrounding communities to provide information and support for those interested in developing additional housing to accommodate this influx of military to the region.

A copy of the 2005 FDRLO-sponsored GAR Associates Housing Needs study is available by contacting the FDRLO office via email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The RCI Community Presentation materials available below were originally developed in the spring of 2003 as an introductory presentation for developers who participated in the RCI qualification process for partnering with the Army for Fort Drum's Housing. The community information and site details remain valid and should provide any interested parties with a good overview of the area. 

Additional questions may be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Jefferson County Housing Construction Indicators

2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006 & 2005 Cumulative Results (Q1-Q4) through December 31st
2012 1st Quarter (Jan-Mar)

A. Post-Construction Phase - Certificates of Occupancy Issued                    

Housing Units

Represents only those units added to the housing stock and certified for occupancy, 
as reported by Jefferson County and local building code enforcement officials. 
Accuracy is limited by the percentage of surveys returned by local officials each quarter.

B. Pre-Construction Phase - Building Permits Issued (by Jefferson County Code Office only)             

Represents permits issued by Jefferson County Code Enforcement Office only (covers 29 of 43 municipalities in the County).  
Permits will not necessarily result in a completed unit and a Certificate of Occupancy.

 C. Early Planning Phase - Local Subdivision Approvals (more than 10 units each)  

Information is derived from surveys returned by local Planning Board Chairs in those communities that have subdivision approval authority.         Accuracy is limited by the percentage of surveys returned by local officials each quarter

General Notes: 
1. All information is exclusive of any housing construction activity on Fort Drum.
2. Most data is collected on a quarterly basis, however, subdivision data is only collected semi-annually.
3. Data may have been adjusted from earlier reports as necessary to reflect clarifications\adjustments from local officials.
4. 2008, 2009, and 2010 New Multi-family Certificates of Occupancy includes units at Eagle Ridge in LeRay (T) and Summit Wood in Watertown (T & C).

 Compiled by the Jefferson County Planning Dept. (315) 785-3144. 2/1/2012

Release

LOCAL COMMUNITY JOINS FORCES WITH ACTUS/FORT DRUM PARTNERSHIP IN UNIQUE TAX DEAL TO IMPROVE SOLDIER HOUSING

Fort Drum, NY (May 2, 2005) --- On its first regular business day of operation, Fort Drum Mountain Community Homes, LLC (FDMCH), the partnership between Actus Lend Lease LLC (Actus) and the Department of the Army, is pleased to announce it completed a unique, long-term agreement with the Jefferson County Industrial Development Agency (JCIDA) and five local taxing jurisdictions that will exempt the Fort Drum RCI project from real estate taxes for fifty years. In a show of support for Fort Drum , Jefferson County , Town of LeRay , Indian River Central School District , Carthage Central School District and Village of Black River have all entered into the agreement. Instrumental to the deal, the Fort Drum Regional Liaison Organization (FDRLO) brokered the initial concept between the local parties and Actus Lend Lease who represented the partnership with the Army.

 “The Industrial Development Agency is proud to have been involved in participating in creating a structure whereby both Fort Drum and the local community interests are met,” said Executive Director of the JCIDA, James P. Fayle. “The long term viability of Fort Drum is absolutely essential to the surrounding communities. This agreement ensures that the development of privatized housing, supporting further expansion of the post, is not burdened by real estate taxes.”

Under the terms of the Community Development Agreement, the project is exempt from all real estate taxes – taxes that normally pay for municipal services (i.e. police, fire, refuse, road maintenance , etc.) and schools. Fort Drum provides its own municipal services and the cost for educating military students in local schools is offset by payments made directly to the school districts from the Department of Education in the form of Federal Impact Aid on a per child basis.

In addition, the agreement exempts sales and mortgage recording taxes for the five year initial development period. FDMCH, the owner and developer of the project, agrees in exchange for the exemptions to make seven annual installment payments to the JCIDA totaling approximately $5.1 million and a one time payment to the Town of LeRay for approximately $1.45 million. These payments are significantly more than the local communities would have typically received from sales tax proceeds and mortgage recording taxes due from the project.

"All who worked so hard to achieve this historic ’win-win’ for Fort Drum's Soldiers and family members and the greater North Country deserve our congratulations,” said Chairman for FDRLO, John Deans. “The agreement demonstrates yet again the exceptional partnership that exists between our military and civilian communities." 

The Fort Drum privatization project represents more than $302 million in initial development expected to be complete in less than five years and more than $1.3 billion over the fifty-year partnership. Actus Lend Lease will construct 845 new homes and renovate 2,270 existing homes for the new partnership.

“We never had any doubt that we would reach a solution acceptable for all stakeholders,” said Actus Lend Lease Senior Vice President of Development, Chris Sherwood. “Since the very first visit we made to Fort Drum more than two years ago, it has been very evident that this community rallies around Fort Drum and adopts the Soldiers and families stationed there as their own. Now, they have backed it up with this unique tax exemption that will help protect the future of the post.”

Follow this link to the Fort Drum Mountain Community Homes web site.
http://www.fortdrummch.com

Attention all interested contractors and developers: RCI Community Presentation and Site Proposals is now online here.

A Unique Partnership –The North Country & Its Military Neighbors

Fort Drum, the most modern military installation in the world, is located on 107,000 acres of varied terrain in the greater Watertown area of Upstate New York-- New York’s North Country. The home of the 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum delivers critical joint service all-weather training. Currently home to more than 11,138 troops and 8,882 family members, Fort Drum is the largest military installation in the Northeast.

The North Country and our military have had a long and close relationship. The North Country was home to soldiers and sailors defending the nation’s northern frontier during the War of 1812. An Army installation was established at Madison Barracks, Sackets Harbor, at the close of the war. In 1908, National Guard soldiers began training on 10,000 acres known as Pine Camp.

The latest chapter in the North Country-military partnership began in 1984 when the 10th Mountain Division was re-activated and stationed at Fort Drum. Since then, our community has embraced Fort Drum and developed a mutually beneficial relationship.

The Fort Drum Regional Liaison Organization has served as the primary point of coordination between the military and civilian communities of the Fort Drum region. The unique manner in which Fort Drum was constructed has created common interests. No schools nor hospitals were built on-post and 2000 housing units were leased from private developers off-post through the 801 housing program. 

The distinctive qualities of Fort Drum’s development have created a special bond between the community and the military. So much so that in 2002, one of every five Fort Drum retirees choose to stay in the area.

The FDRLO values this unique partnership and looks forward to preserving this relationship through the Residential Communities Initiatives.

A Community Approach

The FDRLO, through its Housing Task Force, has developed a Community Approach for consideration by prospective RCI Developers. The approach  includes a comprehensive database of available off-post sites, including existing Section 801 Army Community Housing locations that are "shovel-ready" for RCI development. 
The Community Presentation, linked above, contains extensive information regarding the important relationship between Fort Drum and the surrounding Community. A variety of incentives assembled by all levels of government are included. These incentives will help insure that the community can play an important partnership role in the RCI solution for Fort Drum. 

The proposal is now available online. See the link at the top of this page. 

Section 801 Army Community Housing Units

Between 1986 and 1990, two thousand Section 801 Army Community Housing units were constructed on thirteen sites in nine communities. These sites vary in size, number of units, building style and bedroom count. All sites have water and sewer capabilities and most have a number of amenities including playgrounds, basketball courts, ball fields and community centers.

The FDRLO Housing Task Force is working with the existing 801 communities and their developer/owners with the goal of integrating 801 units into an overall housing solution.

New Sites Approach

Municipalities surrounding Fort Drum were invited to submit sites to the Housing Task Force for consideration as potential locations for RCI development. The information gathered for the community approach includes complete physical site data relating to size, location, available infrastructure and other relevant data points. 

It also presents information concerning site amenities and proximity to community centers and schools. Property owner contact information is also supplied. The sites enjoy the endorsement of local government, a first step in what will be an expedited development approval process.

Development Process

The FDRLO Housing Task Force stands ready to assist the RCI developer in packaging sites, incentives, approvals and project financing.

Contact

For more information on RCI, contact
FDRLO
PO Box 775
Watertown, NY 13601 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

(315) 836-1531

Also see:
The Official U.S. Army RCI website - http://www.rci.army.mil/