What's proposed along Caroline Street in Saratoga Springs

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Lined with bars and restaurants, Caroline Street in downtown Saratoga Springs is seen as the central location for nightlife in the city. With new projects proposed and more businesses opening or for sale along the street, Caroline Street may be going through some changes.

One of these projects is a proposal for a multi-unit residential building with retail shops on the bottom level located at 33-35 Caroline Street. Those spaces are currently taken by D'Andrea's Pizza and Union Coach Works.

On July 24, the proposal was brought before the Saratoga Springs Design Review Board. The Board's job is to look over the historical and architectural significance of buildings in the city. The project would need approval from the Design Review Board before moving on to the Planning Board before construction would begin.

According to the documents submitted to the Design Review Board, Oldest Lighthouse, LLC is under contract to buy the buildings from RSJATTTOS9, LLC and the owner of Union Coach Works, Burt Schwab. Oldest Lighthouse plans to demolish the two existing buildings and build the six-story apartment building.

The buildings at 33 Caroline and 35 Caroline were built in 1954 and 1978, respectively. Although both the Design Review Board and the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation agreed that neither of the existing buildings have any historical significance, they had some issues with the architecture of the proposed building.

Overall, the Design Review Board was concerned with the height of the building, saying six stories is too tall for Caroline Street. The Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation sent a letter to the Design Review Board saying the project does not adhere to the Architectural Review Approval Standards.

"The height, scale, mass, proportion, and directional expression are not compatible with the historic form and context of the site and neighboring historic properties, which are predominantly narrow, vertical two- and three-story buildings," said the Foundation. "The architectural rhythmic pattern of the windows and lack of architectural façade elements are also inconsistent with the neighboring structures."

Another proposed project is at and around the former Sperry's Restaurant. Louis Lazzinnaro, who also owns Nové Italian Restaurant in Wilton, bought Sperry’s Restaurant at 30 1/2 Caroline Street in January. He plans to eventually reopen the restaurant, but is also planning to build a hotel next door at 30 Caroline.

The project went before the Zoning Board of Appeals on July 22 and was awarded an area variance, but will still need approval from the Design Review Board and site plan review from the Planning Board before construction starts. The variance is the first step to add more hotel rooms above Sperry's.

In September 2022, the Design Review Board approved the building on the vacant parcel at 30 Caroline Street next to Sperry's. That historic building burned down during a fire on Thanksgiving Day in 2016. The approved building is five stories and will have 1,800 square feet of retail space. In total, the project will have around 40 units.

The Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation reviewed the project and said it is thrilled Sperry's is being restored. However, the Foundation has height concerns about the proposed new construction above and next to Sperry’s. 

While these two projects are proposed along Caroline Street, two prominent bars have been put up for sale: Gaffney's and the Saratoga City Tavern. The Wild Horse also recently opened in the former Dango's space at 38 Caroline Street.

Gaffney's, located at 16 Caroline Street, is potentially facing foreclosure. The foreclosure documents were filed with the Saratoga County Supreme Court on May 15. John Baker and Supreme Cuisine, Inc. filed a Foreclosure Summons and Complaint against Caroline Street Properties, LLC and Elfont Saratoga, LLC, who own the Gaffney’s property. Baker sold the property to the LLCs in 2016.

The foreclosure complaint alleges that Caroline Street Properties and Elfont Saratoga defaulted under the terms of the loan documents and have not paid the mortgage for March, April, and May, and $273,704 in real property taxes, and does not have casualty and liability insurance in place.

Amid the potential foreclosure, the Gaffney’s property was listed for sale with Keller Williams Capital District for $4.6 million. You can view the listing on Scott Varley website.

Saratoga City Tavern, a five-story bar at 19-21 Caroline Street, was listed for sale with Roohan Realty in July for $4.9 million. The tavern was bought by brothers Pat, Jay, and Adam Fitch in 2002. If interested, you can view the full listing, including contact information, on the Roohan Realty website.

The Wild Horse opened its doors in July with new owners. Lucas White and Kevin Decker, the manager of Siro’s, bought Dango’s in September 2023 and spent $1.5 million on renovations.

With the renovations, The Wild Horse is more upscale than the sports bar it was as Dango’s. The restaurant now includes a state-of-the-art kitchen that they moved upstairs, a dumbwaiter to bring the food down, and a VIP room with a balcony, as well as new walls, ceilings, wiring, and sprinkler systems in all the rooms.

As the Spa City is known for its horseracing, many would think that’s where the new name The Wild Horse stems from. While “horse” definitely fits for Saratoga, Decker said the name comes from the Rolling Stones song “Wild Horses.”