A pass to build for 10 years, nearly tax free
TL;DR
Even though a trustee was quoted as saying to the Examiner in 2013:
"We were able to come to a place where, one, get the building sold; two, (it) puts the building in the hands of someone who not only has the financial wherewithal but the skill set to restore it to its original glory, And three, (it) puts it back on the tax rolls for the village, and the town and the school district."
359 Bedford Road produced only $36,778.25 in property taxes until it was finally reassessed for the 2025 tax year.
This puts it at an average of $3,353.39 per year in property taxes over those 11 years since it was sold.
The property
The property in question is 359 Bedford Road in Pleasantville, NY. Some people may know it as the old recreation center.
The tax history
In 2013 it was sold to a local contractor for $100,000. Here's the history of the village property taxes paid since then:
| Tax year | Taxes | Interest for late payment |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | $0 | $0 |
| 2015 | $7,819.43 | $0 |
| 2016 | $2,453.47 | $0 |
| 2017 | $2,471.26 | $0 |
| 2018 | $2,485.51 | $0 |
| 2019 | $2,508.59 | $0 |
| 2020 | $2,564.46 | $128.22 |
| 2021 | $2,613.39 | $0 |
| 2022 | $2,636.77 | $0 |
| 2023 | $5,595.77 | $0 |
| 2024 | $5,738.60 | $0 |
| 2025 | $11,230.96 | $0 |
The assessment history
NOTE: Assessment files from the village only go back to 2015.
| Assessment year | Full market value | Property class | Assessor notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | $280,373 | 682 Recreational facility | None |
| 2016 | $285,412 | 682 Recreational facility | None |
| 2017 | $305,775 | 682 Recreational facility | None |
| 2018 | $297,684 | 682 Recreational facility | None |
| 2019 | $313,588 | 682 Recreational facility | None |
| 2020 | $305,084 | 682 Recreational facility | None |
| 2021 | $332,512 | 682 Recreational facility | Unfinished, Do inspection |
| 2022 | $658,049 | 210 1 Family Res | Unfinished, Do inspection / alterations |
| 2023 | $676,328 | 210 1 Family Res | Unfinished, Do inspection / alterations |
| 2024 | $1,363,636 | 210 1 Family Res | Unfinished, Do inspection / alterations |
The building permits
The first building permit was issued on 2013-11-04 and expired on 2014-11-04.
A second building permit was issued on 2018-03-20 and expired on 2019-03-20 for the sprinkler system.
The questions we should be asking
- Why was a developer allowed to apply for a permit in 2013, which expires in 2014, yet somehow the property is still unfinished?
- Why was a developer who "the financial wherewithal" to restore the property allowed to just sit on it for 11 years and pay an average of $3,353.39 per year in property taxes?
- Why was the property class only changed from a recreational facility to a 1 family residence in 2022?
- Why is the property still unfinished?
- Why is a developer allowed to leave their commercial vehicles on the property?
- Did the developer ever renew the permits and pay the fees?
- According to the village code:
All building permits shall expire two years from the date of issuance. Reapplication for a permit must be made to the Building Inspector, who may impose additional requirements prior to issuing a new permit, which permit shall include all permit fees as required by this chapter.
- According to the village code:
- Did their permits ever expire in the first place?
A building permit shall be effective to authorize the commencing of work in accordance with the application, plans and specifications on which it is based for a period of six months after the date of its issuance, unless the work has been commenced and continued during that period. For good cause, the Building Inspector may renew such permit, upon payment of required permit fees, and the Building Inspector may impose such additional requirements as he or she deems necessary.
- How can the assessor admit that the building is unfinished and in need of inspection for at least 4 years in a row and yet did nothing about it?
TODO
- Add average assessment data for comparison
- Link to data directly