More Wiss talk at Village of Le Roy meeting

The Wiss Hotel building was once again a topic of discussion at the Village of Le Roy Trustees meeting last night. I was unable to attend because of all the trash talk at the Batavia City Council meeting, so I called Mayor Greg Rogers and LLC proponent Bob Fussell for their take on the meeting.

The meeting started with a presentation by Town of Batavia Code Enforcement Officer Dan Lang (who is mentoring new Town of Le Roy Code Enforcement Officer Jeff Steinbrenner). Lang recommended going through the process of declaring the building an unsafe structure.

Former mayor Jim DeLooz gave about a 10-minute presentation on the Wiss and the likelihood it could be restored. DeLooz is against saving the building. The presentation was well documented and well prepared, Rogers said.

Jerry McCullough, a local contractor, also spoke. He favors saving the Wiss building and believes it can be restored. Fussell said McCullough has experience with building restoration and has said he's taken on projects in much rougher shape than the Wiss.

Joe Condidorio, from contractor Whitney East, also spoke in favor of saving the Wiss and expressed concern that once the Wiss comes down, other buildings will come with it, damaging the character of the village.

"I think it was very important that Joe Condidorio and Jerry McCullough spoke and spoke in support of the idea that restoration is very doable," Fussell said. "They are very well respected in the community."

Bill Farmer, who has his own restoration project in progress at the Creekside Inn, also spoke in favor of saving the Wiss, saying it was important to preserve the character of the village, Rogers said. Fussell said Farmer was very critical of the destruction of the buildings that were removed to build the Walgreens. 

Farmer did not address the status of his own project.

There were also other speakers in favor of saving the Wiss.

Fussell described the trustees as interested and engaged in the conversation.

"It was a very comfortable meeting," Fussell said. "It was non-confrontational and very relaxed."

He said the LLC supporters there came away feeling it was the most positive meeting to date about the Wiss.

There is an RFP in place for contractors to bid on taking down the Wiss building. Contractors are scheduled to tour the building tomorrow, Rogers said, and that's the last time there will be people allowed inside the building until this issue is resolved.

Bids are scheduled to be opened at 3 p.m., March 8, at the Le Roy Village Hall.