Former Oval Wood Dish Factory To Be Transformed From Vacant Factory Into Mixed-Use, Modern Complex
Downtown Revitalization Initiative Award Will Improve Village’s Waterfront Uptown District
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the start of construction on the former Oval Wood Dish Factory, a $46 million, 80-unit mixed-use affordable development in the village of Tupper Lake, Franklin County. The project will transform a long-vacant, former industrial factory into modern apartments and commercial space. Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) has created or preserved more than 2,500 affordable homes in the North Country. The Oval Wood Dish Factory continues this effort and is part of Governor Hochul’s $25 billion five-year Housing Plan, which is on track to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes statewide.
“Oval Wood Dish Factory is a great example of how state, local and private partnership can work together to transform an underutilized industrial site into a vibrant neighborhood asset,” Governor Hochul said. “This development will breathe new life into a vacant factory while also filling the need for affordable housing in Tupper Lake.
Apartments at Oval Wood Dish Factory will be affordable to households earning up to 90 percent of the Area Median Income. The building will have fully accessible and adaptable apartments. There are four units to accommodate residents with mobility disabilities and two units to accommodate residents with sensory disabilities.
Developed by Housing Visions, Lahinch Group and Braxton Capital, Oval Wood Dish Factory advances the State’s revitalization efforts in Tupper Lake. The development will include more than 25,000 square feet of commercial space, a fitness room, a courtyard, a playground and walking paths. It will have Energy Star appliances and efficient lighting.
The former factory, originally built in 1916 as headquarters for the Oval Wood Dish company, produced a wide range of wooden products such as oval wooden dishes, bowling pins and hardwood flooring. Before closing in 1964, the factory operated 24 hours a day and employed more than 500 people. From 2003 to 2008, Jarden Plastic Solutions used the factory to make a variety of plastic items, including utensils. The site was listed in the State and National Registers of Historic Places in 2021.
The project will be all-electric, with cold-climate heat pump technology providing efficient heating and cooling even through the depths of an Adirondack winter. A whole-building ventilation system will continuously provide fresh air while recovering heat that would otherwise be lost, helping maintain comfortable, healthy indoor environments.
The rehabilitation of Oval Wood Dish Factory addresses unmet housing demand in the Adirondack region and improves the quality of life for residents and the surrounding neighborhood. This project will assist in both retaining current residents of Tupper Lake, where affordable housing options are limited, and with attracting new residents and businesses.
Addressing the North Country’s housing shortage is a top priority for the North Country Regional Economic Development Council. Because housing availability is critical to recruitment and retention of the workforce essential for regional growth, key initiatives are actively moving forward — including this development and the launch of Accelerate Workforce Housing, announced by Governor Hochul as a multi-year, multi-partner initiative to address the critical shortage of housing for working families and individuals in the North Country region.
Oval Wood Dish Factory will contribute to the continued revitalization efforts in uptown Tupper Lake, a Round 5 Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) recipient. Additional projects awarded funding through the State’s revitalization program include Restore 70 Park Street, Create Timberjaxx Pass Miniature Golf, the Energize Uptown Small Project Fund, Upgrade and Enhance Tupper Arts' Presence in Uptown, Redevelop the Oval Lofts and Enhance the Uptown Streetscape. Other North Country DRI winners include Plattsburgh, Watertown, Saranac Lake, Potsdam, Massena, Ticonderoga, Lowville, Malone and Ogdensburg.
Financing for Oval Wood Dish Factory includes a mix of public and private sources, including Federal and State Low-Income Housing Tax Credits from HCR that are expected to generate more than $17 million in equity. Federal and state historic tax credits facilitated by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation are expected to generate an estimated $10 million in equity. The project also benefits from $9 million in HCR subsidy, $2 million through the Department of State’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative, and $7 million in subsidy from Empire State Development. Eight units will receive Section 8 Project-Based Vouchers administered by HCR.
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