OBSERVER File Photo The village of Mayville may try to purchase 74 Water St. using state grant funds. A condominium was proposed there in the past but the developer backed out in 2022.

MAYVILLE – Village officials are exploring the possibility of getting a grant to purchase a vacant plot of land near Lakeside Park that was once to have a housing project on it.

What would happen to the property if the village is successful is still up for discussion.

During the Mayville Village Board meeting, Mayor Rick Syper said the village is considering applying for an Open Space Conservation Grant to purchase 74 Water St.

The property is currently owned by Erie Bank and is listed for sale for $750,000.

Before Erie Bank, the property was owned by Lodge at Chautauqua Lake, LLC.

Benjamin Webb had proposed constructing a 34 unit, $17 million condominium resort on the property. In 2022, it was announced the project would not take place.

After Webb decided against the condominium project, he had it listed for $1.2 million. He offered to sell it to either the village of Mayville and/or the town of Chautauqua for $640,000.

Even with that reduced price tag, elected leaders said it was too expensive to purchase. Erie Bank took possession of it in 2023 for $581,714.

The bank originally listed it for sale for $995,000.

The question of how much the property is worth has been debated multiple times.

At the village board meeting, officials said there have been two appraisals done on the property. One appraisal said it was worth $850,000, while another appraisal said it was worth $250,000.

Syper said before the village will apply for the state funds, they “need Erie Bank to work with us to potentially get this with grant money.”

If successful, Syper said the grant would cover the entire cost of the property, along with all other associated costs, including legal fees.

He said he has spoken with the county Planning Department to see if applying for this grant would prevent future development.

“I’ll be honest, I have a concern for the future of Mayville for anymore picnic tables and park benches, and not being able to potentially use this piece of property for multi-use, instead of just open land to a view to the lake,” Syper said. “I feel that in the future we’ll be handcuffing the village if it’s just open space.”

One possibility is to have “micro-businesses” on the property. These businesses could be operating out of small sheds, sitting on a trail. He showed examples of micro-businesses from Bismore Park, Massachusetts.

He said the county Planning Department is looking to see if that’s possible with the Open Space Conservation Grant.

That proposal of micro-businesses wasn’t universally accepted by people in attendance.

Tom Carlson, who is also a councilman with the town of Chautauqua, said he would like that property to become part of Lakeside Park.

“That would take it out of the hands of a board. Three men in a room almost put a hotel here. That’s all it took, three votes,” he said.

Carlson added that the parcel was discussed during the creation of the Mayville-Chautauqua Comprehensive Plan. “Most every comment we got was to keep it open,” he said.

Syper said the micro-businesses idea is just a vision and a lot would need to be discussed before any plans are made.

Sharon Snead, who was also a member of the Steering Committee of the Mayville-Chautauqua Comprehensive Plan, said she spoke with a realtor and said the bank would be open to selling the property to the village using grant money “as long as the numbers make sense.”