MALONE — Now that the Flanagan hotel and Lashomb building have been demolished and a vacant parcel of land sits on the corner of Elm and Main streets, there is plenty of speculation of what will fill the void. Although there are no definitive plans as of yet, there is hope that an improved Malone Main Street will take shape in the aftermath.
According to Malone Mayor Andrea M. Dumas, the demolition project is part of ongoing efforts including the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) to restore the community’s downtown. She said her hope is that the properties can be utilized for some sort of mixed use moving forward.
“The perfect situation would be a mixed-use facility that brings revenue, jobs and more of a tax base to this community,” Dumas said, “With the increases in our village budget we need businesses. We’re very thankful for the businesses that are coming here and everybody that has stayed, but we need more businesses here.”
One key individual who has been involved in initiatives to improve towns in the northern New York says that Malone has the potential to grow and prosper due to the special character of its Main Street – and he compared it to one very popular area just south of Lake George.
James McKenna is currently the co-chair of the North Country Regional Economic Development Council (NCREDC), the state’s primary economic development body in Northern New York, and according to its website, is dedicated to economic development in Franklin, Clinton, Essex, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties. He is also the former chief executive officer of the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST), which is a not-for-forprofit corporation responsible for Destination Marketing and Management mainly in Essex and Hamilton counties, but also portions of Franklin County, and served decades in that role.
According to McKenna, although the Flanagan’s demolition is an emotional moment for the community, it can act as a catalyst for growth.
“Well, it’s sad, but this building was beyond repair. I was involved in the DRI committee here in Malone, and even involved before that, and to see the enthusiasm that’s happening in Malone right now, getting this down will be sort of a lightning rod moving forward,” he told the Telegram. “You look at downtown Malone, to me, it reminds me of Saratoga Springs. I think the momentum that is now happening, with the wide streets, the wide sidewalks and all the commercial fronts, I think Malone is yet to be discovered, but when it is, it’s going to be great.”
When Mayor Dumas was told about McKenna’s comparison and insights, she said having such a respected and knowledgeable person weigh in in such a way was truly a positive sign and reflective of Malone’s downtown potential.
“I love hearing that. I love the fact that such an important person like Jim McKenna who has shown how change can happen and support can make good things happen said that,” she said, adding that he was part of the DRI team that worked toward the demolition project. “He was very supportive when we told him that we were working on an agreement with the county when we were talking about taking this building down. He’s supporting us and he has shared that support from day one, and knowing that we can be something that we want to be with determination and push, we’ll be there.
“I believe and trust Jim ’s insight,” she added. “And we’re going to be like the outskirts of Lake Placid or the outskirts of Saratoga. We are going to have that change for our community. We’re bringing businesses here, but we need to have the reasons why – we have to keep growing.”
Dumas said she has witnessed many things in her hometown of Malone, but the demolition of the Flanagan ranks at the top of the list – and now is the time to focus on the local aspects of a downtown Main Street.
“This is one of the biggest moments that I ever knew. The fire back in 1997 was huge. The change of our Main Street has been unfortunate, but it’s the way the times are. The times have changed, people shop online, they forget about the mom and pop stores, and this is where we need to show support for those mom and pop stores and keep the future of our community,” she said, adding that being able to have people strolling along Main Street would be a big positive – and Malone’s wide sidewalks are a key feature. “We’re a walking community. We have to be a walking community we may not have parking right here, but it’s OK to walk down the street to get to a business. It’s OK to park a block or two to come downtown.
“It is an emotional moment. Just knowing all the time and effort that’s gone through this property, but it’s happening and we’re ready for the future of what this will be, and it’s a big deal,” Dumas said.