Is Saranac Lake dying?
First a big red-letter disclosure: This post involves Saranac Lake, my home village, where my wife Susan is a candidate for village office.
But Saranac Lake is also my community, so I waded into the fray this week with a guest commentary for the Adirondack Daily Enterprise.
The question I asked: Is Saranac Lake dying? That's the argument being made by some locals, including Harrietstown supervisor Larry Miller.
When Republicans running for village office in Saranac Lake laid out their campaign platform last month, they argued that our community is "on the verge of failure." In a letter to the editor of the Adirondack Daily Enterprise, Harrietstown Supervisor Larry Miller echoed this claim, writing, "If the village continues down the current path it is destined for failure."
That sounds terrifying. Fortunately, this gloomy portrait of Saranac Lake is factually, provably wrong. As a journalist, I have visited, researched and written about small towns for 25 years. Compared with most of rural America - not just in the Adirondacks or upstate New York - our village is thriving.
The discussion is drawing a lot of attention at the Enteprise's website and I thought readers of the In Box might be interested in checking it out.
You can also get a lot more information about the health of Adirondack communities, here where the Adirondack Association of Towns and Villages has compiled a fascinating report.
posted by Brian Mann @ 3/11/2010 06:37:00 AM
85 Comments
85 Comments:
A couple of years ago I accused(lightheartedly) a friend of 'being a milliionaire and living up in Lake Placid with his millionaire friends' He corrected me admitting that he was indeed worth a million dollars, however he did not live in Lake Placid(that he said is for billionaires) but rather with his millionaire friends in Saranac Lake.
The point; I am concerned that property taxes will force us commoners out of an area that many of us have always called home.
Then why don't you commoners work on grandfathering in property tax rates to protect the elderly and long-time residents and families?
That way, you can welcome millionaires and sensible development to your towns.
I do not believe Saranac Lake is dying. I am a 20-something who moved back to the area 5 years ago. My husband and I have many friends here in our 20s and 30s who are carving finding career paths, making alternative career paths, or biding our time in tourism jobs until we find the right career path. We are here because we love the lifestyle, outdoors, and community feel. We are not rich and we are not trust-funders. We are working hard to make sure that Saranac Lake is a place where we can be excited to raise children in the future, and a place that remains unique.
It frightens me that an elected Town Supervisor, of a town that overlaps the Village of Saranac Lake, has the viewpoint that Saranac Lake is dying. What is he doing to enact positive change for our community if he thinks it is dying? How about working with the Village?
SLResident
Brian,
Compared to some small New York villages, Saranac Lake looks good. Compared to others, it does not. But so what? That can be said for any place not on the extreme of good or bad. The relevant comparison is with itself -- has Saranac Lake grown and developed over the past 30 or 40 years, or has it been stagnant, with essentially the same population, about the same number of businesses, about the same level of prosperity, about the same number of local kids deciding to stay when they graduate from high school or college, about the same number of public institutions? I moved to Saranac Lake in the summer of 1971, when I was 10, and have either lived there or visited often ever since. My personal observation is that the village is stagnant. It has changed very little. When I was a kid, we had a movie theater in the village -- the Pontiac. It burned down. Over the years, a couple of attempts have been made to open a movie theater, but they've failed. The village has about the same population as it did in 1970 (perhaps it's a little lower now). It has about the same level of prosperity, the same number of businesses. It has, as it had 40 years ago (and, even more so, 80 years ago), a number of artistic, creative and athletic individuals who love the beauty and the serenity of the place. It is beautiful and serene. It is also not much of a place to make a living, and never has been. Is it better than Utica or Chateaugay or Warrensburg? An argument can be made that it is, but, again, so what? Jobs are few and the village is stalled economically, as it has been for decades. Denying this reality undermines the credibility of anyone who does it.
Doom and gloom Doolittle.
Oh noes! A movie theater hasn't been re-opened!
The area is doing fine, indeed better than most... with several important indicators proving this... but that doesn't matter? Comparisons to other rural communities is not relevant? Does SL exist in a bubble?
The words "stalled" and "stagnant" are awfully negative, and not very accurate in this context. When a community has been able to maintain a level of prosperity and opportunity that is above its peers, and there are signs that this is increasing, that is a far far cry from a town that is "dying" or "on the verge of failure".
Painting the situation in hyperbole like this might tap into local fears and anxieties and help advance some political careers, but it doesn't reflect reality and is a disservice to the community.
put this topic in perspective: take a drive through tupper lake, massena and gouverneur.
if you want to make a million in those towns, you must start with 2 million.
It's a shame that, whenever I try to engage in a constructive conversation on this blog or Adirondack Almanack, an anonymous poster leaps on my post, often with a comment that has a personal edge, or sometimes even with a comment that attacks me directly in a personal way. I care about the Adirondacks, consider Saranac Lake my hometown and like to engage in these discussions. And I have strong opinions. But I do try to avoid the sort of sarcastic, petty and, occasionally, quite personal remarks that my comments, unfortunately, often prompt from others. I don't know if this is one person seeking me out, or several. It does tend to drag the discussions down, unfortunately.
I agree with Anon 10:54 (but w/o the anti-Doolittle snarkiness). Will's example of the movie theater makes a good case study of the forces arrayed against small businesses in small communities throughout the country.
The main flaw with the "We had a movie theater—or department store, or (fill in the blank)—in the 70's but don't have one now" argument is that it ignores the dramatic changes to the market and corporate landscapes over the decades.
For movie theaters, all profits have been squeezed out of movie houses by distributors, to the point where the only profit margin remaining is at the concession stand. Five dollar popcorn anyone? At the same time, a variety of technological developments have substantially eroded the constituency who actually leave home to watch movies.
A similar dynamic is at play with large retail, with the viable market for independent ventures being squeezed between distributors on one side and internet shopping on the other.
I'm not saying that any independent venture is impossible, but it takes both a dedication to a very marginal existence and a community that appreciates independent small businesses (and is willing to pay marginally higher prices for the sake of community cohesion)
In short, Will's analysis is too narrowly drawn, and indeed one must evaluate any community's position not against a bygone era, but against members of its pier group.
I agree with Anon 11:28. If you think Saranac Lake is dying, drive Northwest. Once you hit St. Regis Falls and beyond, you see towns that are really struggling: Massena, Ogdensburg, Gouverneur.
Whenever I come to Saranac Lake, I see a thriving village. That said, I've never tried to buy a home there.
Doolittle's 'stagnation' is another person's 'sustainability'. Is the measure of progress the amount of impervious square footage built? I'd say it's a lot more than that. Expansion could even be a bad thing, as those in California and Nevada learned during the real estate bubble.
I lived for a couple summers in SL (late 90's) and found it a wonderful small town. I would love to move back there and settle down.
As as visitor for the past 35 years, I have always thought Saranac Lake was doing ok, but not great. It is better than some towns in the Adirondacks, and better than many in Central NY. It is not doing as well as some downstate.... especially as compared to North Shore Long Island villages.
So what?
Become more like the North Shore of Long Island? That would require a large city nearby with good highways and trains to commute.
You got to deal with reality and work from there.
What is the solution to a dying Saranac Lake? Those that claim the village is dying see WalMart as its saviour.
I am a little confused. According to the APRAP that you quote in the letter doesn't it show that the population of the town of Harrietstown has decreased by 8% between 1950 and 2006? And doesn’t it say that the population of the Village of Saranac Lake specifically has decreased by a whopping 30%? This doesn’t seem to mesh with your theory that folks in SL are moving to the “suburbs”?? I looked more closely and from 2000-2006 the population over the 5 towns you lumped together was up by only 195 residents. If you subtract North Elba, which might indicate that a few people are “fleeing to the burbs" in Lake Placid, the population is DOWN by 147 residents.
I agree that Saranac Lake may not be in critical condition just yet, but I think it may be in some trouble.
I appreciate your optimism, we need that. But I think to pretend that a serious problem might not exist when it does is a mistake. Sure you end on a semi-sour note, indicating that there are challenges ahead, but the general tone of this letter seems to lean towards trying to convince folks that things are on the right track. I am not sure I see much evidence in favor of that position.
Things like a work place satisfaction survey (I have participated in this specific one here where I live) have nothing to do with the town. Not a single question asked of those post-docs has ANYTHING to do with SL. The only connection I can think of is maybe they think that the institute is the best place to work in SL since they will be leaving in 3 or 4 years when their jobs end! If that stat is the best we can do we are in serious trouble.
I am not trying to be negative, I wholeheartedly agree that negativity is a serious problem, but we can’t fix a problem when we don’t see one as existing.
Calling your point of view "Doom and Gloom" and "hyperbole" was by no means a personal attack, Will. At least no more so than you questioning people's credibility for disagreeing with your assessment of the SL situation.
I'm not sure why you would have taken it that way, but will assume your sensitivity is born of some history on this site that I am unaware of - and is not an attempt to buffer your words from criticism.
I'll admit to laying on the sarcasm over the movie theater portion of your comment. It strikes me as a silly focus, and a poor indicator of SL's situation, for several obvious reasons... some of which were highlighted in the comment by MARQUIL that followed yours. If that one line of sarcasm hurt your feelings, I do apologize.
However, none of this was an attack on you, the person (e.g. personal attack). I was commenting on your view of the situation and your general view of the region... which, in my opinion, often DOES lean toward pessimism and gloom. You use words like "stagnant" and "stalled" to describe an area that is maintaining a level of prosperity greater than many of its peers. And you seem to agree with those who believe Saranac Lake is "dying" and is "destined for failure".
Will Doolittle: can you name some small towns in NY that are not near a major city that are doing as well as Saranac Lake? I am not saying you are wrong, I am sure there are some, but I cannot think of any.
Dying small towns are a national phenomenon. I lived and traveled around the country and am always surprised when I go too these small, almost ghost towns with a "downtown" that is basically boarded up. Its hard to believe that these paces had enough going on that they built these downtowns. Saranac Lake is different. When I go to downtown Saranac Lake during a weekday, it is busy.
In fact, I cannot think of a town the size of Saranac Lake that is doing so well without being near a major city.
Regarding a movie theater, Lake Placid and Tupper Lake have one, Saranac Lake doesn't need one.
M,
Key West, Florida. Jackson Hole, Wyoming....
The difference between these towns and SL are that they utilize the natural amenities they have in a way that works to bolster their local economies. It means more development, more traffic, more of lots of then tings that many Adirondacker’s are still not sure they want to deal with. Many of the folks that participate in these blogs are people that are quite satisfied with the status quo, or do not want to deal with the trappings that come with economic incline (is that a new phrase?). The negativity that Brian describes exists on many fronts. There are lots of people that are quite satisfied with the “stagnation” that Will describes. And they are quite negative on the prospect of any changes coming to their small mountain town. For example it sounds to me like Brian is pretty well satisfied with how things are going?
Hi folks -
Great discussion
The APRAP report shows that of the 5 "ring" towns that circle Saranac Lake, 3 have seen population growth greater than 40% over the last half century.
(At a time when many Adirondack communities have seen their populations decline sharply.)
One ring town has seen smaller growth (13%) and the another, Harrietstown, has seen a small decline of -8 percent.
Harrietstown's modest decline, in my opinion, largely reflects the dramatic shift over time of residents leaving the village core.
But again, overall, the population of the 'greater saranac lake' area has risen modestly but steadily.
This trend is also reflected in Census data collected over the ast 18 years -- since 1990.
--Brian, NCPR
Paul,
My question, and Will's point, were both about small Town's in New York.
Hi guys -
Regarding Will's points about 'stagnation.'
This is a tough thing to discuss because it's very emotional.
People remember what Saranac Lake used to be like and it's disconcerting that things change.
There isn't a movie theater now; and the Yum Yum Tree restaurant is gone.
The Hotel Saranac isn't as vital as it used to be?
These anecdotal experiences are hard to wrestle with.
So I rely instead on measurable factors to consider the health of Saranac Lake relative to comparably sized rural communities.
1. Property values have doubled in a decade, rising by nearly $150 million dollars, without the community transforming into a resort town.
2. The two primary employers aren't service-sector tourism jobs or government, but expanding and profitable bio-medical firms. (Trudeau and AMC.)
3. The downtown retail community has survived, offering a wide range of non-boutique goods and services, despite the internet, box stores, and 'commuter' shopping.
4. The community sustains not one but two thriving post-secondary institutions.
5. The community boasts a thriving nightlife/arts/cultural scene (all of which are seen as key for rural community viability.)
6. In addition to the downtown retail neighborhood, has steadily developed a thriving "business loop" sector.
7. The village sustains three full-service grocery stores, with a broad range of price and products.
Is Saranac Lake perfect? No.
And there is plenty of room for debate about how to grow and move the community forward.
But it is simply factually inaccurate to suggest (as some have done) that the village is stagnant or on the verge of failure.
--Brian, NCPR
Brian,
What is factually accurate is a matter of interpretation. I agree Saranac Lake isn't dying. I do think it is stagnant. The population is steady, or declining. And the economy is about the same as it was 30 or 40 years ago. It could be worse, but it could be much better. I live in a very small "city" -- Glens Falls -- with a population of about 15,000. It is doing much better than Saranac Lake. Other, smaller villages in this area -- such as Schuylerville -- are also much more dynamic, in terms of development and growth, than Saranac Lake. Saranac Lake is very steady. It has changed very little since I was a kid there. I'm not nostalgic for those days, because they haven't left. Some people like that steadiness, which I am calling stagnation. I don't like it, particularly. As for being thin-skinned, Anonymous, perhaps so. Previous posts I've made on this blog and Ad'k Almanack have devolved into anonymous posters attacking me personally, even using family information they knew about me to attack me, to the point where the site administrators felt compelled to remove their comments. So, I was afraid we were heading in that direction again. The movie theater was an example, among many. Another could be the newspaper, which has not grown much, if at all, in the past 4 decades. Its stagnation far predates the Internet and other contemporary issues that have hurt newspapers. All those things you mention, Brian, are no different than they were 3 and 4 decades ago, except for the property values. I'm not saying things used to be better. I'm saying things haven't changed much, and they haven't.
Since the 1960s, the population in the greater Saranac Lake area has risen slowly and steadily.
As I point out, property values have risen by 100% in the last decade alone.
Those are economic, demographic facts, not open to interpretation.
Our two largest employers are growing, adding jobs and building new high-tech facilities worth tens of millions of dollars.
Also, every single economic development expert will also tell you that comparing truly rural communities (such as Saranac Lake or Tupper Lake or Malone) with metro-fringe communities such as Glens Falls and Schuylerville won't get you good, factual data.
--Brian, NCPR
Brian, First just a point of clarification. The Trudeau Institute is a not-for profit institution. You will find all its lakeside property on the Tax Exempt portion of the Harrietstown tax roll. I don’t know if they make a payment in-lieu of taxes like some non-profits do? Someday I would not be surprised if Trudeau made the move and left the area. My guess is that the pressure has always been on to do that given its “scientific” isolation in Saranac Lake. It was at one time located at the geographic center of the type of research it did, not anymore. I hope that never happens. But that is a discussion for another day.
“But again, overall, the population of the 'greater saranac lake' area has risen modestly but steadily.”
This still seems like a ridiculous interpretation of the APRAP data? The report specifically says on page 8, Map A2 that the population of the village of Saranac Lake has declined by 30% over the period analyzed. A better interpretation regarding the growth of the surrounding areas, is not that folks have decided to commute, but that this growth is modest growth based on the thriving second home activity in those areas. I own a camp up the lake from SL. When I was younger almost all those camps were owned by folks who lived in Saranac Lake. Now they are almost all owned by folks from other places. Just look at the same Harrietstown Tax rolls and you will get a clear picture of this.
I can see from all you have written here and in the letter to the ADE that you simply don’t understand the dynamics that are going on. Nor do I think that you really understand what is positive or negative for the community.
“1. Property values have doubled in a decade, rising by nearly $150 million dollars, without the community transforming into a resort town.”
First of all, I have seen you in this blog describe the fact that you think that the future of this area lies in tourism. So I find the last part of this comment somewhat disingenuous. If you see tourism, based on the natural beauty of the area as key to the economy, then Saranac Lake is destined to become a resort town or fade into obscurity as others project.
Second, this stat is not due to rising employment opportunities or the more mundane reasons that real estate values go up in many places. This is almost entirely due to the fact that the demand for second home ownership has increased rapidly over the years in this area. Now as a second homeowner, I am ecstatic about this trend. But everyone else that wants to buy an affordable home for his or her family is appalled. Anyone who lists this as a positive attribute for SL is in my opinion is somewhat out of touch with the concerns of the vast majority of people living full time in the area. You do live there, so we must talk to different people?
Brian, I am sorry to be so critical here, but I think you may just not get it.
In regards to the so-called thriving tourists areas, like Key West, Jackson Hole, I immediately thought of a Greg Brown song "Boomtown". This is a little off the topic, but would you really want Saranac Lake to become this (maybe Lake Placid already is there(?) It does sound better to music.
"Boomtown"
Here come the artists with their intense faces,
with their need for money and quiet spaces.
They leave New York, they leave L.A..
Here they are - who knows how long they'll stay -
It's a Boomtown
got another Boomtown
and it'll boom
just as long as boom has room.
Here come the tourists with their blank stares,
with their fanny packs - they are penny millionaires.
Something interesting happened here long time ago.
Now where people used to live their lives the restless
come and go.
Nice to meet you, nice to see you
in a sheepskin coat made in Korea.
Welcome to the new age, the new century.
Welcome to a town with no real reason to be.
The rich build sensitive houses and pass their staff around.
For the rest of us, it's trailers on the outskirts of town.
We carry them their coffee, wash their shiny cars,
hear all about how lucky we are
to be living in a ...
The guy from California moves in and relaxes.
The natives have to move - they cannot pay the taxes.
Santa Fe has had it. Sedona has, too.
Maybe you'll be lucky - maybe your town will be the new...
Ok, so here we have two seemingly reasonable people saying different things that are not a matter of opinion, but fact. I looked at the U.S. census figures for Saranac Lake (here is the link):
http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFPopulation?_event=Search&_name=Saranac+Lake&_state=04000US36&_county=Saranac+Lake&_cityTown=Saranac+Lake&_zip=&_sse=on&_lang=en&pctxt=fph
The census lists Saranac Lake's population as follows:
1990 -- 5,377; 2000 -- 5,041; 2008 -- 4,809.
I was not able to quickly find figures for 1980, 1970 and 1960. I did give Michelle Tucker a call at Saranac Lake Free Library and she checked the village's "Meet the Town" brochure, which always included a pop. figure. For 1960 and 1970, it said 7,000; for 1984 and 1999, it said 5,500. Clearly, those are estimates.
But both sets of figures do make me wonder where you are getting your figures, Brian.
bingoblab, That helps make the point. Thanks. Like I said there are many people in the Saranac Lake area that agree with you.
assessors should be allowed to chase sales(currently they are not allowed to do that) If a piece of property is sold for $500,000 then it gets assessed at $500,000 but not persons who have a place they've owned right beside it for 40 years that they paid $12,000 and have made few improvements on. When a person sells their property and makes their profit goa ahead and let the locality take a chunk from the seller then.
The more I look at this APRA report the more I start to think that the premise of Brian’s letter is wrong. Saranac Lake may be a goner, especially if you don’t see the town as a resort town in the future. That might not save it either. The housing price increases that Brian lists as positive may be the death knell. The map of median home prices on page 80 tells the story. Look at North Elba (NE) vs. Harrietstown (HT) when this report was published. In NE the median price inside and outside the village of Lake Placid was 330K. In HT and Saranac Lake it was also somewhat equivalent with the median price in SL at about 145K. If this trend, fueled by second home growth, continues SL is finished. Look at these prices in comparison to the median income numbers. Eventually folks in Saranac Lake will not be able to afford homes inside or outside town. In fact I would not be surprised that what Brain sees as “suburbanization” in Saranac Lake is not that at all, it is folks buying or building homes in areas that have yet to be priced out of their range by the rising home prices closer to town. Second homeowners are going to first buy the available lakeside property. As that become less available and less affordable (no question that is happening) the demand for second homes moves to the next best (and more affordable) spot, TOWN. Given the trends eventually the median income earners are priced out of town completely. They move out and the town (as we know it) is dead. If you don't recognize this problem, you either don't get it, or you don't care, or maybe worse, you benefit from it.
Also, Brian, the APRAP report puts the population change 1950-2006 in Saranac Lake at minus 30 percent, in Harrietstown at minus 8 percent. So, what the heck are you talking about? Are you doing something tricky by saying "the greater Saranac Lake area" and then dragging in North Elba (up 48 percent) but not Tupper Lake (down 29 percent). Whatever it is, it's misleading, because we were talking about the village of Saranac Lake, that's what the whole discussion was about.
Will --
Census figures and the APRAP surveys show clearly that the village's core population has declined over the last half century (a fact which I clearly acknowledge in my essay).
In the years 1990-2008, this decline was about 11% -- or a net loss of about 32 people (including adults & children) annually.
That's significant for a small town.
But the population in the towns which ring the village has RISEN even more sharply over the same period.
On Page 8 of Section A of the widely respected APRAP report you'll find a map labeled A-2 that shows at least 40% population growth in three of the five towns that surround Saranac Lake over a 50 year period.
One other town in our ring saw more modest growth -- +13%.
One another saw modest shrinkage, around -8%.
When I crunched the Census numbers for the last 18 years (since 1980) I found that the total population in these five towns (three them actually overlap the village) has grown by roughly 1,000 people net.
Reading Census data is complicated -- and there are a lot of variables that make the Tri-Lakes area particularly thorny.
But I think my basic argument is accurate both in the facts and the interpretation.
Let me restate it in a nutshell:
A primary cause of population loss in Saranac Lake's village core is a fairly normal (for the United States) level of suburbanization.
A significant number of the 32 people leaving the village each year annual have simply shifted to homes and developments within a few miles of the village boundary.
Drive along McKenzie Pond Road or out Kiwassa or out to Vermontville or Ray Brook and you'll see what I mean.
--Brian, NCPR
High taxes, rising cost of living, and burdensome regulations are what is hurting SL.
Ithaca is an example of a small town far from a major city that is thriving, but it is unique given the presence of Cornell and Ithaca College.
I suppose one could argue that Lake Placid, Plattsburgh, and Old Forge are NC communites doing better than SL.
Brian,
Look at my 2:56 post. I think that this is a far more plausible explanation that the “suburbanization” idea. Even if you disagree. These trends will eventually destroy Saranac Lake as we know it.
Also, Just do a quick search in the HT tax roll of all the words of all the areas you mentioned in your response to Will. Even of the ones off the water, many are owned by folks from out of the area. Second homes! I wish there was a quick way to sort that list into primary and secondary residences. That is the trend you need to watch.
Ithaca appears to be thriving but it has the same problem of the population moving to the suburbs. Downtown Ithaca is extremely expensive for living -- rents and the prices of homes. The staff at the universities often commute to work from areas 30 minutes or more from campus.
Some of the outside towns are poor. They do not look any better than the poorest Adirondack towns -- maybe worse.
Paul -
Rising home prices has been an issue in Saranac Lake. So have property taxes.
One of the things I've watched nervously since arriving here is the possibility that we would be 'hollowed out' in the way that Lake Placid and Lake George have been by second homeowners.
So far I don't think that's happening, as evidenced by our relatively young and stable population.
Also, fyi, the census figures for our community don't include second homeowners, unless they declare this their primary residence -- so I think we're spared that variable.
--Brian, NCPR
One other point:
It's REALLY important not to compare Saranac Lake to Ithaca, Plattsburgh, Glens Falls or other small cities with populations in the tens of thousands.
All three of those places have fundamentally different economic dynamics (they're larger by orders of magnitude; they're close to major travel corridors; close to major metro areas, etc.)
--Brian, NCPR
M, Yes they are outside NY and many folks cringe at the fact that a "tourist town" is Saranac Lakes only hope. But absent any other type of industry I don't know what can save the place? I would argue that it takes about the same amount of time to drive from Montreal to Saranac Lake as it does from West Hampton to NYC (especially on a Friday or a Sunday). Saranca lake is not as isolated as we might think. There are many millions of people withing a pretty short drive of Saranac Lake. There just isn't yet anything there they want to drive to.
Paul -
Saranac Lake is not a tourist town.
The two primary private sector employers here are biomedical companies: Trudeau and AMC.
Both are growing. Neither rely on tourism for their revenue.
The next largest economic drivers are government employers, primarily the area's two large prisons, along with state and local agencies.
Saranac Lake does have a strong second home and retirement home component to its real estate base, which drives some construction.
But that's very different from 'tourism.'
Finally, tourism does play a significant supporting role in the community's economy.
--Brian, NCPR
Suburbanization is a word that does not apply to a rural mountain village like Saranac Lake. Using that term is as misleading as, for instance, comparing Saranac Lake to a small city like Plattsburgh or Glens Falls. I agree that that comparison is not apt. Every place has its own individual characteristics, its own reasons for thriving or not. That's why I think the best comparison is of Saranac Lake with itself. In that comparison, the village has shrunk, significantly -- by 30 percent since 1950. That is a long-term trend, continuing in the present day. Boosterism is fine, but acknowledging reality is also a good thing.
Brian, I wish you were right but I am afraid we are quickly headed toward those other towns you mention. And this is just anecdotal but my friend in SL that sells Real Estate says there is a clear trend at their office of people buying in town properties as secondary residences. I know of a fellow worker here where I am (way out of town) who just last year bought a house near the Hotel Saranac as a second home (he bought it from a long-time SL resident by the way). Another long time friend of mine just said that his new neighbor in the middle of town lives in Maryland.. On the lake where my camp is forget it. On one side my 3 neighbors along the way are from Poughkeepsie, Albany, and Philadelphia respectively. On the others side 2 neighbors. One from Boston and one from Canada. These camps were all built and owned by folks from Saranac Lake at one time (actually one I am not sure about). But on the water it is all over as far as second home ownership. Sure there are some local holdouts, or buybacks, but it is rare. Please interview some local realtors and show me that this is wrong. I too don’t want to see this 'hollowed out' thing happening but it may already be underway. Affordability of homes is crucial to preserving the town as we know it. Things are going the wrong way. Like I always say, I am of course, part of the problem in this respect. I don’t deny that.
Brian, I didn't say that Saranac Lake IS a tourist town. I said that it is DESTINED to be a tourist town if it is to survive. I wish that were not the case but I think it is.
Brian,
BTW you are a brave soul writing this letter to the ADE when your wife is running for office. I think you probably have been in Saranac Lake long enough to know that no matter what you write you are going to get someone on your case! No one should take these comments to be anything more than a discussion of what you wrote.
Will -
I'm enjoying this debate very much; it's an important one for a community that you and I both care about.
But please wrestle with the facts and don't start in with the ad hominem stuff.
I've been making a very clear numerical argument, not cheerleading.
Let me repeat it.
The census shows that 32 people have been leaving the village every year since 1990.
Census data also shows that at least that many people have moved into ring of towns that surround the village.
This is born out by a quick Google Earth check (or by an hour's worth of driving).
You'll find neighborhoods, condos and apartment buildings, built just outside our village boundary, that weren't here 20 years ago.
So when I use the term 'suburbanization' I'm making very clear what I mean.
(Yes, 'exurbanization' is a more accurate term, but that seemed a little technical for an essay of this kind.)
One other thing.
The 50-year time frame that you cite stretches back before the end of the tuberculosis cure era.
It includes a lot of people who moved to the village and were counted here because they were sick and dying.
That's one reason why we settled on using the 18-year time frame that goes back to 1990.
The Enterprise's Peter Crowley felt that this was a more accurate way of assessing Saranac Lake's real demographic trends, and I agree.
--Brian, NCPR
"Someday I would not be surprised if Trudeau made the move and left the area. My guess is that the pressure has always been on to do that given its “scientific” isolation in Saranac Lake."
Never will happen. First, TI is not scientifically isolated. Just the opposite. Scientists from around the world visit TI every year. TI holds many small meetings (60-80) scientists that are always over subscribed. TI has never had any problem attracting the best scientists in the world. Dr. Swain is probably one of the top 10 immunologists in the world. No problem attracting Post Docs either. Same for filling technician jobs. Why is that? One reason, the people that work there (mostly non-natives) love Saranac Lake just the way it is.
TI does not pay taxes but it is not in the Village of SL limits either.
Bottom line. If the median income does not trend with the home price numbers than the game is eventually over. I predict that over time you will see the HT and Saranac Lake numbers look like the NE and Lake Placid numbers. Like you said the home prices are soaring over the past ten years. If there isn't an equivalent trend for income than we are toast. The only people than can afford the homes in or out of town are those that make their money elsewhere. I just can't see it any other way. Help me out?
"Never will happen. First, TI is not scientifically isolated. Just the opposite."
PCS I hope you are correct. I work in a very similar field and TI is very isolated. They do a great job, considering where they are. I have a good friend that is a professor at Harvard. When he left Stanford he considered TI (and they made him a great offer). He just couldn't do it. He liked the town but his wife was a physician and SL just didn't have anything for her. If you are in Saranac Lake and you need to get to a scientific meeting in San Francisco or Chicago it isn't easy. Folks who think it can't happen might have said that the W. Alton Jones Cell Science Center in Lake Placid would never close also. We know what happened there. Like I said I hope you are correct.
PCS, BTW Susan Swain is top notch you are correct there.
It's nice, but I think fairly fruitless to have these debates when a core of commenters do nothing but attempt to form every opinion into their Adirondack doomsday scenarios.
Paul, I worked at TI for 15 yrs. What does TI offer its researchers. Excellent on-campus housing so you don't lose lab time when you move to SL. If your wife is a technician or researcher, she will almost certainly be employed as part of a package offer. TI built, from the ground up, a new daycare center, because Dr. Swain didn't want her female researchers to be too far from their children. TI just added several thousand more square feet of research space. TI is different from Alton Jones. First, they have a very large endowment compared with their size. Second, they get a significant portion of their funding from Federal grants and have been very, very successful in doing so. Third, they have a scientific board of advisors that any institute would be proud to have. Lastly, TI researchers go to meetings all over the world. Flights out of SL to Boston has probably made that even easier.
Not only is TI here to stay. But I think a case could be made for attracting more small and startup biotech to the region.
As someone from Ogdensburg, this debate seems surreal.
New housing? too many rich people, Prices going up? People moving in? Yeah there are issues with those things that must be addressed, but come on most of the North Country would love those problems. Someone said drive Northwest, I would agree. It is a different world. Check out the child poverty rates between places like Ogdensburg and Malone and compare those to Lake Placid or Saranac Lake.
"Not only is TI here to stay. But I think a case could be made for attracting more small and startup biotech to the region."
Another low impact economic development idea... but these don't seem to get a lot of traction around here. I am trying to understand why.
Brian,
I don't know why the TB boom is any more irrelevant than any other economic factor that makes a community grow and develop. But why not go back to 1980 or '70 or '60? The farther back you go, the higher the percentage decline in village population, because it is a long-term trend that has far outlasted any effects of the TB era. By picking a shorter period, you make the decline seem less. The subtext here is that environmentalists have for decades been trying to convince Adirondackers, despite the evidence of their own senses, despite the thousands of people who have moved elsewhere for the greater opportunities, that the economy in the Adirondacks is actually strong, that opportunities abound, that the young people aren't really leaving in droves, and that there are lots of jobs beside the government jobs. That you have to cite the regional hospital as your brightest point in the local economy speaks volumes. In Glens Falls, too, the regional hospital is the largest employer. But we also have industry of various sorts, that pay well. That doesn't exist in Saranac Lake, or anywhere in the Adirondacks. The APA may not be the main reason for the lack of good middle-class jobs in the Adirondacks. But the environmentalists nevertheless always feel the compulsion to argue against the reality of stagnant communities, declining populations and chronic unemployment and under-employment because they don't want that reality blamed on the existing strict environmental controls. I think the reason for the chronic semi-depression in the region is its physical isolation and harsh weather. I recognize the reality of lack of opportunity and development but I don't think it's the fault of the APA, any more than I think the APA has prevented from happening a whole lot of ugly development that would have taken place without it (another favorite argument of environmentalists, and one Keith McKeever made to me a few weeks ago). As for ad hominen, I thought you were and are engaging in boosterism, which, again, I don't think is bad. I do it all the time. But it's hard for me to believe that someone who has traveled around a bit, as I think you have, is going to make the argument, flat out, that Saranac Lake is a growing, thriving place, a place that young people looking for economic opportunity would seek out.
PCS, I think you are misreading my comments. As I said, the TI does a wonderful job. I was simply pointing out that it would be pretty bad for SL if they were to decide to leave at some point. What you say is all absolutely true. But there are no guarantees. I can give you other examples beyond Alton Jones. I know of other institutes that have had deep roots in one area (along with big endowments and awesome funding streams) and then they get an offer to move somewhere else and it is so good it can't be refused. In fact a place like TI is a the type of institute that many universities would love to have relocate to their campuses. Instant new immunology dept.! Success is no guarantee that a place like that will stay put. But I think we basically agree on the main points. TI is a great place and I hope it stays where it is. Also, I would say that the housing price trends that Brian describes are unfortunate for TI. Here is an institute that probably hopes that an advantage of being in a more remote location is the fact that housing costs should not be like they are in Boston or Palo Alto. That advantage is going away quickly.
Paul -
Factually, the Trudeau Institute is expanding, building new facilities and adding new research teams.
The 'advantage' of their being here was just trumpeted in The Scientist magazine, who listed them as the best place in the US for researchers to work -- in part because of their 'idyllic' location.
Of course it's true that their fortunes might change at some point.
But really, it seems like you're working too hard to be dreary, looking past facts to focus on speculation.
--Brian, NCPR
Dave and PCS, Sorry I forgot, I think that trying to attract new small start-up's (including Biotech co's) is a great idea for SL. I have discussed this with the current SL mayor at length. There is a lot of support for this concept. One reason it will not get great traction in the future is if HT looks like NE in a few years with a median home price of over 300K. Start-ups are not going to come to a place like SL if we don't figure out a way to deal with several issues. First, housing (which I sound like a broken record on), then taxes (a problem for attracting business to all of NYS), then the added problems of transportation (regional air service has improved as PCS said, but that is a pretty ‘shaky’ arrangement) and one more very important problem. Brian alluded to it to some degree. He spoke about negativity; there is another type of negativity that is a problem for Saranac Lake. Many people in Saranac Lake have a very anti-new-business attitude. Many of the older (and many younger) people in the area are there, or have moved there, because they want to continue to see Saranac Lake remain a sleepy little backwater. They say they want these changes but when the “rubber hits the road” they are very critical of the changes that new opportunities will bring. The old adage that business “comes where it is invited” is very true. I don’t see Saranac Lake giving new businesses a very warm welcome.
Brian, This blog is like an ad for the Trudeau Institute. I never should have made any comments. Fine, it is here to stay. Now back to more important issues, what is your take on the trends in home prices vs. the trends in income. Explain a little bit more about how you see this as something positive for the area. You are kidding yourself if you think that is much to do with anything other than second home interest in the area. I just can't help but see an oncoming train! Maybe that is too much of a doomsday phrase. OK. I can't help but see this as getting worse and causing major problems for local people.
Paul -
I think taxes and real estate values are serious concerns in Saranac Lake.
But your third point I don't get.
How does the anti-business attitude manifest in Saranac Lake?
What is there (for example) in the comprehensive plan that would affect or discourage a start-up business?
What quote or proposal can you point to from a local leader that would turn away or discourage a small (or large) biotech company?
How does your theory account for the arrival of major corporations -- Dunkin Donuts, Aldi, and Ace Hardware -- the last few years?
--Brian, NCPR
Brian,
Why don’t you share with Dave why these type of businesses are “not getting any traction”?
Okay, you live there, I am glad to be wrong with my theory. There must be a more positive business attitude than I realize. I can concede that perhaps that many in the area are keen on attracting new business. I am happy to be wrong on that point. Perhaps I mistake the lack of any real visible economic development efforts as a negative business attitude. My opinions are also colored by the fact that when I am there people seem to complain to no end of any change, especially if it involves more traffic or some building that may block their view. If someone comes to SL with a good idea for a new business they really have no where substantial to go. No local economic development zone, no incubator, no incentives, no local venture fund to get them off the ground.
Also, the businesses you mention are good, the town needs anything it can get. No one working at any of those places will be able to purchase the average 300 thousand dollar home if it comes to that. But the summer visitors will benefit from those services establishments when they arrive in May.
“I think taxes and real estate values are serious concerns in Saranac Lake.”. How serious an issue do you think this is, and what do you see that will change this trend?
Like I said before perhaps the town isn’t dying, but it will die or only survive as a resort town if these trends continue. I really don’t see it any other way. Please explain to me why I shouldn’t be seriously concerned? Nothing you point to convinces me that Saranac lake will be a thriving local community in the future. So far I have not seen any substantial comments (other than the ones you reiterate from the letter) posted here that are on the positive side of this issue. My eyes are wide open.
I believe the people who say that SL is dying are basically those who were in favor of a huge WalMart coming to town. You wouldn't hear a word about SL "dying" if WalMart had been built. I believe it's basically sour grapes.
I don't believe SL is dying, nor would I want a Wal-Mart in SL. Yuck. But I do believe SL is not growing or developing and is losing its young people -- stagnant.
Wal Mart was wrong for Saranac Lake. That same silly debate goes on all over the country. I don't think it has much bearing here. I just don't think you can ignore some of these negative trends if you want to see this town thrive in the future. Look on the bright side. If I am wrong than we don't have a problem and Saranac Lake will be thriving long after I am gone. It is OK with me. We all want the same outcome. I wish the town well, I have lots of family that live there.
Okay, everybody. Time to go outside and get some sunlight and fresh air.
Marquil, You can send these comments from a ski lift these days. Don't worry we are getting our exercise and our vitamin D!
Not me. I'm in the NCPR bunker and I'm not coming out.
:)
really enjoying the chatter here with lots of good points.
SL is actually in a very good position with Trudeau and AMC as previously stated. But the tourism thing should not be understated. the SL area has unbelievable natural resources that need to be marketed better. if that occurred, the additional influx would create a noticeable economic impact (hotels, restaurants, food stores, convenience stores, shops, etc.).
the tourism makings are there in the form of mountains for hiking and climbing. you can bike forever. paddle the saranac river. camping and boating on upper and lower saranac lake. excellent golf in the immediate SL area. all served by a nearby airport.
with Trudeau and AMC, tourism, done properly, could complete the triple play. and it's a green industry. everyone likes that.
Marquil,
You are so right. I just went for a run, in shorts. And tomorrow -- another hockey game!
But Anon. 12:49, you, too, are so right. Saranac Lake is still, after all these years, a mostly undiscovered gem. Take Moody Pond/Mount Baker. For me, there is not a prettier lake walk, better small mountain climb in all of northern New York. But who outside of Saranac Lakers even knows where Moody Pond is?
You are all right. However, Will I do think that the cat is somewhat out of the bag! Otherwise lakeside home prices would not have soared over the past decade. The high peaks are swarming with hikers. The lakes are swarming with paddlers in the summer. Problem is that very few people have developed and marketed the town of Saranac Lake in a way to take advantage of any of it economically. Campers head from the boat launch on Friday and grab some coffee of the way out of town on Sunday. They fill their boat with the stuff they bought at home when they get to the marina and head to their camps till they need to head home. After I re-read these comments I realized that my earlier comment was wrong. It sounds like many folks are pretty well satisfied with the way things are going. Given that I don’t have too many skins in the game, and perhaps I don’t fully understand the dynamic, I probably have said enough. Email me when the ice is out. Sounds like it could be early this year. It has been a good discussion.
If a gal who does not live in Saranac Lake could weigh in...
In recent decades, I've wondered why so many small towns--inside and outside of the blue line--appear to be stagnating or declining. It seems obvious, but I tend to ignore the fact, that the industries that traditionally sustained a fairly stable population, have not been replaced by comparable or even more substantial industry. So, the Adirondacks were a source of primary resources (wood, wood by-products), the valleys surrounding the mountains were dotted with small farms and working mines.
St. Lawrence County, which I know better than the Adirondacks, still lists dairying farming as its largest industry; higher education the next largest. However, farming is now consolidated into a smaller number of much larger operations. Nonetheless, people still want to live a rural life and have jobs. It's a conundrum. Rural places are NOT a source of "modern" jobs. Cities are. Large towns can be.
All this by way of saying...perhaps the expectations for our small communities, barring some kind of truly innovative rural-realistic industry/business, are unrealistic.
When people ask for jobs in the North Country, what kinds of jobs are we talking about specifically? Realistically? And, if we say,for example, well, we can tele-commute, okay, to where? to what? about what? etc.
St. Lawrence County has a population of 110,000 according to the 2000 census. The population was just over 100,000 in 1900. Most people worked on farms or in the mines during the first 75 years of the last century. That work is fading or gone.
What's next? And is it realistic to think we'll ever sustain more than 100,000-120,000 people?
This is rhetorical. I think about this after years of believing that jobs, and tourism, or some other catchall could solve our "stagnation." I don't know...
Ellen, I think that most of the comments are from folks that live outside the park. As I understand the premise of Brain's original letter, the point is that this particular town (Saranac Lake) is far from any sort of "stagnation". To the contrary his point is that Saranac Lake is alive and well.
Brain,
I just thought of something when I was at lunch. I am still curious about your comments regarding the uptick in population (1000 people I think you said) in areas surrounding SL, this "exurbanization" thing. Have the prison populations that are in the areas you listed for the increase had any effect on this number? I think there are 3 prisons in those towns you listed. They have been counted in the census right? Have there been any significant changes to the prison populations over that period that could affect the numbers?
"And, if we say,for example, well, we can tele-commute, okay, to where? to what? about what? etc."
Telecommuters would typically be people who bring their own jobs with them when they come to live in this area. Usually people with the "modern" jobs you refer to that are back in cities or towns that do support that type of employment.
I have 3 friends from when I was in Saranac Lake high. The 3 of them telecommute. They travel a lot but it is an option. They have very good paying jobs. This is one good solution for SL. Without it they could not stay in the area.
I can't find the exact prison numbers in the census looks like it would take forever to figure it out! I did see this for one prison:
http://schumer.senate.gov/new_website/record.cfm?id=317358
Brian you were basing the increase in population on the census figures right?
I should have been more specific they telecommute from Saranac Lake.
This is a really good conversation. SL has a lot of potential for attracting tech businesses. But, has anyone here been following the comments to a letter at the ADE concerning "outsiders" and "non-natives"? [http://www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/page/content.detail/id/511710.html?nav=5005] or here [http://www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/page/content.detail/id/511746.html?nav=5005]. I think a significant number of SLer's are outright hostile to "outsiders". Even if they come to SL and open a business! These comments are now available to anyone with a computer to read. If I was thinking of relocating to SL....after reading those comments, I sure would have second thoughts.
Comments on the ADE website also show outright hostility to anyone with more than a high school education. Great marketing for attracting high tech businesses.
One last thing concerning TI. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if the TI by-laws prevent TI from leaving SL. Did you know the TI director is required to live on campus?
Oh yeah. Also plenty of outright hostility towards "non-natives" in response to Brian's commentary also.
Paul,
"If someone comes to SL with a good idea for a new business they really have no where substantial to go. No local economic development zone, no incubator, no incentives, no local venture fund to get them off the ground."
And where, precisely, is all of the money for such programs- which generally speaking do not have a good track record- going to come from. The local property taxpayers?
If you need government help to get or stay in business, then perhaps you shouldn't be in business. It's time to end the corporate giveaways and instead focus on reducing property taxes and regulations.
Brian Mann said-
How does your theory account for the arrival of major corporations -- Dunkin Donuts, Aldi, and Ace Hardware -- the last few years?
--Brian, NCPR
March 12, 2010 10:27 AM
But Brian, in the same time period you lost Burger King, Newberrys and some other businesses. Things come and go. A super discount market aimed at the lowest of wage earners like Aldis is hardly a sign of growth, its just a stop gap for not getting that Walmart. Overall SL "feels" poorer than it did even 25 years ago.
I grew up inside the Blue Line and moved out 20 years ago. Of course moving into St Lawrence Co. wasn't exactly a giant step up, but it's better here. So I'll give you a little of my insight- just how many people in the greater Sara-Placid area do all their shopping there? How many don't make the weekly or twice monthly trip to Plattsburgh, Glens Falls or E-town (where ever the nearest Walmart is these days)? How many of the local population eat out at the Algonquin vs. McDonalds? How many enjoy the "culture and night life" at the trendy upscale places (what ever they may be) vs. the Rusty Nail?
SL may not be "dying" but I don't see any growth to comment on, not like Glens Falls over the past 20 years or even like Ogdensburg. The posts regarding the TI seem to me to lay out a scheme like St Lawrence University in Canton- a self contained fortress in a sea of poverty. Why buy in SL or Canton when you can live on the tax free lands inside the castle walls?
I hope SL and our other small towns survive. I don;t think they'll "grow" in the manner we think of though. I think their "growth" will be unconventional, more like a lack of dying than of growing.
A community that can mount a winter festival the likes of Saranac Lake's with that amazing ice castle, surely can not be dying. People are a community's biggest asset.
oh and Anonymous 10:59- "If you need government help to get or stay in business, then perhaps you shouldn't be in business. It's time to end the corporate giveaways and instead focus on reducing property taxes and regulations."
This kind of attitude certainly won't help the North Country. It's the "survival of the fittest" conservative mantra but I'm sorry, when it starts to affect neighbors, friends and family, it will be cold comfort.
Instead of these empty, angry catch phrases how about some from Abraham Lincoln? "A nation dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal." Not that the haves are better than the have nots. And don't forget this is supposed to be "government of the people, by the people, for the people" So why keep making government the evil enemy? And finally "A house divided against itself cannot stand."
This is the 78th comment in this thread -- could be a record. And it's interesting in so many ways. I'm very curious about the "growth" in Ogdensburg referred to a couple posts ago. But what we're been thinking about around our kitchen table this morning is quality of life.
We made a top-of-the-head list of amenities we see when we drive through Saranac Lake. (Which we've been doing all our lives,stopping for gas, coffee, aspirin, diapers, dinner, sandwiches to go, funerals, boat parts and whatnot.)
Here it is:
hospital, drug stores, Sears, Blue Moon Cafe, antiques, Army Navy, big health food store, a river that's accessible to Main St. with a pleasant walkway along it, art supply store, galleries, bookstore, toy store, consignment shops (that sell more then just clothes), leather/bead shop, liquor stores, post office, library, fast food, bars, restaurants including a destination Mexican place, hotel, motels, a car dealer, lumber yard, hardware store, skilled craftsmen (boats, rustic furniture, cabinetry), car repair, grocery stores, a college, convenience stores, senior citizens residence, a lovely OLD town hall with a nice space for public events, an actual winter carnival, alcohol and drug rehab, marinas, wooden boat building and repair, more than one music venue (not reliant on a college budget line), Pendragon Theater, clothing stores, sporting goods store, Olympic athletes, a lake with public park and boat docks as well as a residential shoreline (which is also lovely to drive around), a ski hill(!), a daily newspaper, a local radio station, public radio, downtown parking, ice cream, broadband and cellphone service, churches, schools, a good deli, florist, bakery, a beach (on the SECOND lake on the list), ice fishing ((ditto), ...what am I missing?
And most of this in or near a very walkable, intact and pleasing downtown. Up the road you've got an airport that can handle passenger jets, fabulous ice cream, and another college. Down the road the other way, you've got the high and low ends of Lake Placid -- food, shopping, sports and so on. Up the SECOND major artery coming into your town -- you've got another ski hill, another beautiful lake, and the Wild Center.
I can't help but think "stable" might be a less-divisive word than "stagnant", and that a driving tour through OUR town and its St. Lawrence County neighbors would be an eye-opener.
It is kind of funny and weird for me and my wife to hear all the negativity about this area. We went out of our way to move to this region because we felt the area was alive and had plenty to offer. We've yet to see or experience anything - other than some sour attitudes - that would make us think our impressions were wrong.
For example, anonymous just asked:
"just how many people in the greater Sara-Placid area do all their shopping there?"
We are not technically in the Sara-Placid area, but where we are actually has less shopping options so I think this is relevant. We find that we do a vast majority of our shopping local. Plattsburgh trips are occasionally required, almost always for something fairly specific.
This is no different from any other place I have ever lived. When I lived south of the park we used to drive to the Albany area for specific items like these, and when I lived in a suburb of Boston I had to drive a half hour or so to get to a Best Buy.
Heck, we even drove TO Saranac Lake not long ago to get something we needed (at the Radio Shack).
I think a lot more is made of the need to drive out of your town to get the occasional item than should be. I've lived in about a dozen locations across the northeast and have yet to live in a location that is completely self-sufficient in this way.
PCS, That "hostility" is what I was alluding to in my comments. Brian doesn't see this "negativity" as a problem for new businesses. Perhaps he is right. That may be mostly isolated to the ADE "squeaky wheel" comments you always see. But it makes me feel like the climate is not terribly inviting. There is a lot of "not in my backyard" kind of stuff in SL. To the Anon comment above. I am not talking about giveaways. I am talking about replacing your too high property tax with a business paying sales tax instead. You have to be for that. The funding can be private all. There is a lot of money in and around Saranac Lake. Just gotta get organized and set up a local venture fund. I bet you can convince some of the big money on Upper Saranac,Lake Placid and St. Regis to participate.
PCS, Also on the TI stuff.. I would also bet that there is something in the by laws regarding TI being located in SL. It only takes a vote of the board to change the by laws. Yes, the director has a great house right in Lower Saranac. At least the used to be there. I remember being at Dr. North's house when he was the director. It was a beautiful spot. I think that was an "institute" building? Nice benefit!
"...what am I missing?" Simple. For most of the naysayers it's one word. WalMart.
I'm thrilled with the range and thoughtfulness of the conversation here.
I want to circle back to re-emphasize a couple of points.
1. I don't think Saranac Lake is problem free. I think there are some big challenges ahead.
2. Maybe the biggest asset we have going forward is intellectual capital. Some small communities have lost so many people to brain drain that they can't really wrestle with these ideas effectively. Saranac Lake has avoided that problem so far.
3. I think we need more data points. I tried to base my essay on as many facts as I could muster and toss out in a brief newspaper column. That's just a start. We need to hear about retail sales over time, the price to rent downtown business space, etc.
Again, thanks for all the thoughtful threads.
--Brian, NCPR
The two leading lights of north country journalism – Will Doolittle and Brian Mann – can’t agree on the facts. Each marshals facts to support his narrative and opinions. As Senator Moynihan used to say “You’re entitled to your own opinions, but not your own facts.” So much for that. We know you guys have strong opinions as we read them everyday in your “reporting,” but the discussion here speaks volumes about the challenges at creating meaningful public policy.
I lived in Saraac Lake in the mid-1980s. So here’s my take. Whether Saranac Lake is stagnant or sustainable, it is by a number of measures, one of the more dynamic communities within the Adirondack Park. One measure of a community is jobs for kids who grow up there and want to stay. Another measure of a community is the ability to raise kids with healthy conceptions of themselves so that they can go anywhere and be anybody they choose. Many who grow up in the Adirondacks choose to stay. Many choose to go other places. Some who stay undoubtedly feel they never had the choice or opportunity to go anywhere else. But for most of us living within the Adirondack Park it’s a free choice, a deliberate decision.
I grew up in Ithaca NY, the last of a half dozen stops my family made as my parents sought professional and quality-of-life improvements, and at my high school reunions it’s just a fraction who stayed – most went out into the world to be who they wanted to be in other places. There are actually several of my classmates in the Lake George-Queensbury area and I know of a dozen more sprinkled along the various exits north of Albany.
We all make choices. Saranac Lake is surrounded by an abundance of spectacular wild areas. If getting out in these wild areas year-round is what one enjoys, there’s no better place to be by any measure. If living in a small, safe community is what one seeks, there’s no better place. For many, though not all, there’s a trade off to life in the Adirondacks (or other rural beautiful areas), as there is in so much of life, between being in place that’s truly awe inspiringly beautiful and full of accessible outdoor recreational opportunities and pursuing more financially rewarding economic opportunities in places like North Carolina’s research triangle, or Dallas or Phoenix or Atlanta or Los Angeles or Seattle or New York City (places where many of my Ithaca High School classmates live and work).
That said I also know many in the Park who have been financially successful and are thrilled by what they consider to be the high quality of their lives.
The challenges that face Saranac Lake, or Old Forge or Lake George, or Elizabethtown, are the problems that face most rural areas. It’s distance from market places, small work force, limited municipal infrastructure, and transportation costs. Add to that list five months of cold weather.
What is the model for rural community and economic development? Show me a rural county anywhere in the US that’s booming with the numbers and geography that we have in the Adirondacks. Let us learn from these places. It seems to me that we have an extraordinary and unpolluted landscape and we’re no poorer for it than other rural areas. That’s a major accomplishment at the end of the first decade of the 21st century.
Brian, You never responded to my comments regarding prison populations. Do you think they have had any effect on the increase in population in the towns surrounding SL, North Elba specifically? It seems like part of your argument regarding modest growth hinges on folks settling outside town. Has the prison population in the census data affected those numbers?
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