Times Observer photo by Josh Cotton Revitalization of Youngsville is “moving toward” securing the ownership of the former Fairmont Hotel according to a presentation made to borough council on Monday.

A decades-long challenge in Youngsville Borough is inching closer to resolution.

Youngsville Borough Council heard from the Revitalization of Youngsville (ROY) about ROY’s efforts to secure the former Fairmont Hotel building, located at the corner of Railroad St. and E. Main St.

“There are a lot of ‘what ifs’ in this right now,” John Papalia with ROY told council on Monday. “We are moving toward the hopeful purchase of that location.”

He said that a purchase price has been agreed to with the owner and that the deal is “almost home.

“I think we’re in fairly decent shape,” Papalia said. “This location is an area for many, many years that people want to see something done with.”

ROY has been engaged with the owner, Nathaniel Weaver, since last September.

“We’re looking to purchase it from him and develop and hopefully create a little community space,” Papalia said.

That wasn’t just ROY’s wish. Papalia said it was part of a callout in a revitalization plan commissioned by Roy and the Borough.

“(The) heard of the downtown, it’s an area of concern,” he said, an “area that needs revitalized. It’s the primary area of our focus right now.”

Demolition is the likely outcome if the transfer occurs as Papalia said estimates show the cost to rehabilitate the structure at between $500,000 and $800,000.

He presented a three-phase proposal for the project — securing the location, which will hopefully be resolved by April; demolition and cleanup that ROY has committed to fundraising to cover and then the redevelopment of the location. A demolition estimate of $50,000 was presented Monday.

That redevelopment? Currently the idea is a plaza with tables and chairs — “something that complements the community as a whole,” Papalia said, as well as “drive traffic into our downtown.

“Cleaning this area up also benefits the community for future development.”

He said a time window of within two years is a “very realistic goal.”

ROY will “utilize a big chunk of our funds” to secure the property. “It’s a risk, a risk worth taking.”

While some concerns were raised about lost property taxes by turning the building into a community space, borough council was overwhelmingly supportive.

“I simply want to say thank you,” Mayor Scott Nelson said, calling this project the “ball we’ve needed to get going.”

“This has been an elephant in the room” for a very long time, he added.

Councilman Troy Clawson called this project a “catalyst” and thanked ROY for “being active, engaged. (I will) always throw my support behind something like this. I think it’s that lynchpin.”

Councilwoman Nicole Cowan said resolving the Fairmont issue is ‘the way to start the ball rolling downtown.”

Councilman Rick Brewster added his view that ROY is “headed in the right direction.”

“In my opinion, this is just the start of what our group hopes to do,” Papalia said. “Positively change the feel of our downtown (and) create a family-friendly location that complements the existing businesses.”

He said that ROY plans to continue to use that master plan as a guide into the future and stressed the importance of working with the borough.

“We can accomplish this as a team,” he said.