After a year-long public process, the Village of Middleburgh has legally acquired 111 Railroad Avenue after Schoharie County Judge Ryan McAllister granted the Village’s request to move forward with the proposed acquisition of the abandoned, condemned, and tax-delinquent property on May 22, 2025.
Once the judgment was filed the following week, Mayor Timothy Knight formally signed the deed and transferred ownership to the Village on May 29, 2025. At the June 2 Village Board Meeting, the Board unanimously approved hiring a surveyor to inspect the property for asbestos, which is required for the demolition process to proceed.
In addition to inspecting for asbestos, the Village has contacted local utility companies to remove its equipment and wiring from the property. Water and Sewer connections will also be terminated at the property. The Village Board is planning to publish a Request for Proposals (RFP) for demolition of 111 Railroad Avenue at the July 7 Village Board Meeting, pending delivery/results of the asbestos survey.
Village Trustee Keving Young, who helped spearhead the process, stated that “I am pleased to finally be able to remove this blighted and unused property from Railroad Avenue, and use the space to benefit residents and businesses on the street.” Once the structure is removed, the Village is planning to convert the space for public parking.
Mayor Knight inspected the structure earlier this week with Village DPW and Code Enforcement, taking numerous photographs (see below) of the deteriorated structure, which is partially caved in at parts and littered with pigeon carcasses and feces.
“This once beautiful structure was destroyed through the neglect and indifference of absentee landlords,” said Mayor Knight. He further added, “Although this demolition will be bittersweet for the loss of history, it represents forward progress for the whole of Railroad Avenue, and it will increase the amount of public parking available there.”
