Letter: Attend Thursday's meeting in Le Roy on the future of the Wiss Hotel
Submitted by Lisa M. Compton:
Most people in Le Roy have some opinion on what should be done with the Wiss Hotel. It sits in a dilapidated state on a highly visible corner of Main Street, and is one of the most prominent buildings people see as they are coming and going about their business. It is an embarrassment, an eyesore and a vivid reminder of the problems that have plagued Main Street over the years.
Like just about everyone I talked to, I want something to be done, but what should that something be? I always liked the building, and after hearing so much conflicting information about its condition, I really wondered how bad things really were and if the building was indeed a lost cause.
Inspired by a “Main Street” talk given at a village meeting by architect Rick Hauser, several of us gathered together a small group of like-minded curious people and hired Mr. Hauser’s firm, In.Site:Architecture, to do an assessment of the building as well as a feasibility study that would show whether any efforts to fix the building up were worth it from a financial perspective.
The study shows the building has high potential to be a viable business entity consisting of five apartments on the second and third floors, and several commercial establishments on the first floor. There is a detailed financial plan with ideas for securing funding.
One goal is to form a community Limited Liability Company (LLC) over the next few months to raise the $400,000 needed to get the project off the ground. We think that a LLC is a good way for local investors who may have either services or finances to invest, to participate in a project like the Wiss, and it also keeps profits within the community.
We will be holding a meeting on Thursday, November 29 at 7 p.m. in the Le Roy Village Hall where Mr. Hauser will be giving the talk “Main Street LLC, Community Entrepreneurism and the Case for Private Sector Rehab." It is open to everyone interested in finding out more about the Le Roy New York LLC and the Wiss project.
I am excited about the potential for transforming the Wiss into an attractive part of our community’s busiest intersection, and for doing it in a way that creates a return for local investors and maintains the character of our downtown.