Our future is in our past
“Village of Friends” residents seek win-win alternative
to proposed Tannery Commons high rise development
on historic property along Bath Street in Ballston Spa
BY ANN HAUPRICH
Although I’ve long enjoyed hiking along the tranquil Tedisco Trail … it wasn’t until I recently embarked upon photographic expeditions there and along Bath Street that I realized I’ve been taking the natural beauty surrounding them for granted. If a picture is indeed worth a thousand words then I hope those being shared with this essay will help open eyes to the sorrowful impact the proposed development would surely have on Mother Earth and the quality of life in the village.
Recent news reports concerning the future of the historic tannery complex on Bath Street have motivated me to dust off the cobwebs of my mind. Specifically I’ve been reflecting upon how other landmarks — in dilapidated condition when I moved to this village as a teenager in 1968 — were ultimately transformed into jewels in Ballston Spa’s cultural crown.
The first to experience restoration and repurposing was a 1792 property near the Old Iron Spring at the foot of Front Street. Now home to the Saratoga County History Center at Brookside, the picturesque property along the banks of the Gordon Creek had begun life as a resort hotel with amenities that attracted such notable guests as James Fenimore Cooper. Indeed the author is believed to have been inspired to write parts of the Last of the Mohicans while in this neck of the woods.
Alas! The village’s “First Respectable House” almost didn’t have a happily after ending much less an exciting new beginning. The reason? It changed owners and missions so many times that by the dawn of the 1970s there was much ado about what to do with the eyesore. Indeed in the aftermath of stints as diverse as a private residence, a boarding school, a sanitarium and finally rental accommodations that (to put it charitably) didn’t fare well while one of its last landlords was away. Not only was the exterior in dire need of repairs but the roof was leaking, the basement had flooded and wainscoting had been burned in fireplaces before tenants abandoned the dwelling and vandals began having their destructive fun.
Little wonder there were musings about whether “Brookside” should simply be demolished – as had been the fate a decade earlier of a circular architectural marvel on Malta Avenue where the world famous natural mineral waters of the Hides Franklin Spring had been bottled for generations.
Rows of tradesmen’s houses along Front Street dating back to the early 1800s had also met with similar fates and the demolitions of a once magnificent mansion which had long graced the corner of West High Street and Ballston Avenue as well as the historic Saratoga County courthouse, jail and clerk’s office were additionally slated to be demolished.
Although it proved to be too late to save the aforementioned landmarks from wrecker’s balls half a century ago, a group of visionary residents who believed in preserving the past for present and future generations banded together (sought public opinion, circulated petitions, appealed to politicians) in a quest to prevent the demolitions of other structures with historic value.
Their actions ultimately paved the way for private restorations of what are now other jewels in Ballston Spa’s cultural crown – including The Medbery Inn & Day Spa on Front Street (whose exquisite metamorphosis will be a cornerstone of a book about the village’s Renaissance that I’m in the process of co-authoring with my brother Francis G. Hauprich) and what locals now call “The NEW Old Chocolate Factory” along the banks of the mighty Kayaderosseras. The latter red brick Civil War era 68,000 square foot complex now showcases posh professional offices, a Prohibition-style speakeasy and The Factory Eatery & Spirits — which blends the charm of the past with the taste of today. Quite literally topping all of this off are spacious upscale penthouse suites with panoramic views. (CLICK HERE to read an in-depth chapter that was published in the March 2021 edition of a book titled Ballston Spa REIMAGINED: Slices of village life at the dawn of the 2020s.).
With these landmark preservation lessons in the rearview mirror, the time has come to take a fresh look at another historic structure in the village that many concerned citizens are praying won’t be replaced by multiple modern high rise buildings. Indeed a grassroots effort is underway in hopes that a “win-win” alternative to the proposed Tannery Commons high impact development may be hammered out before any ground is broken on the six acres of property at 125 Bath Street where a tannery had operated from 1882 until 1960. The tannery was subsequently occupied around the turn-of-the-millennium by Angelica Health Care Linen Services .) CLICK HERE to read HISTORY LESSON By Maurice “Christopher” Morley as told to Ann Hauprich in 2009.
The goal of those spearheading the opposition to the proposed towering 168-unit apartment development that could accommodate up to 420 new residents is reportedly “to enhance our downtown, present a welcoming environment for its residents and neighbors, add to the attractiveness of our village and be a win-win for everyone.”
Key concerns by those rallying to have the current high impact Tannery Commons proposal rejected by the Ballston Spa Zoning Board are outlined in conjunction with a Change.org petition that is accessible via http://www.change.org/p/no-
Prior to a final decision being made on the future of the current Tannery Commons proposal, a Village Planning Board meeting will take place on the evening of July 9th at the Elks Lodge on Hamilton Street to be followed by a Zoning Board meeting on July 23rd (exact time and location to be announced). Among the issues certain to be raised are those involving “excessive size and density, loss of retail and village character, increased crime and safety, parking and traffic” as well as those revolving around “environmental and neighborhood impact with reduced buffer zones that threaten storm water management and adjacent residential buildings.”
Others who oppose high density housing at the Bath Street location have been asking whether thought might be given to constructing attractive apartments on the vast acreage where the former Saratoga County Nursing Home at Maplewood Manor has stood vacant in a serene setting just off of Ballston Avenue for nearly a decade.
Although I’ve long enjoyed hiking along the tranquil Tedisco Trail (which spans half a mile from the Old Iron Spring on Front Street to the foot of Prospect Street), it wasn’t until I recently embarked upon photographic expeditions there and along Bath Street that I realized I’ve been taking the natural beauty surrounding them for granted.
If a picture is indeed worth a thousand words then I hope those being shared with this essay will help open eyes to the sorrowful impact the proposed development would surely have on Mother Earth and the quality of life in the village.
While I readily acknowledge that 125 Bath Street has “brownfield” contamination issues linked to its tannery past, I would be exceedingly interested in learning what a bioremediation expert has to say about the possibility of preserving portions of the two-story landmark’s red brick exterior with its lush ivy “green walls” for posterity.
I’m also curious to know whether a renovated ground floor within Tannery Commons might include a cultural center that would further enrich the lives of residents and visitors alike. In the spirit of Ballston Spa’s welcoming “Village of Friends” signage fortified by joyful memories of 2007-2008 when FANS (Friends and Neighbors of Ballston Spa) demonstrated that it takes a whole village to build a playground (CLICK HERE for FANS story), a cultural center in relatively close proximity to Village Hall at the corner of Front and Bath Streets could help build bridges between newcomers and old-timers.
Then there’s the portion of the Tedisco Trail cliff side that essentially “backs on to” the rear section of the historic tannery acreage.
Out of respect for the Native Americans whose Mohawk and Abenaki ancestors had for thousands of years prior to the coming of European settlers revered lands and waterways in parts of our village as sacred hunting grounds, I would also like to propose that a second trail commemorating this area’s First People be created and consecrated in their honor. Ideally a grove of hemlocks could be planted along the back ridge of 125 Bath Street to reforest those that were demolished to pave the way for a railroad engineering project in the early 1830s.
The trees would not only beautify the distant horizon as they grow to majestic heights, they would serve as symbolic reminders for generations to come that it is never ever too late to endeavor to do the right thing when it comes to demonstrating reverence for Mother Earth.
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Please scroll down to view an expansive photo gallery that includes multiple pictures of the historic tannery landmark on Bath Street as photographed by Ann Hauprich during June 2025.
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To gain a fuller understanding of the large scope of the planned project and the subsequent impact it will potentially have on the local community, CLICK HERE.