There may be big development plans ahead in the Town of Sweden, but new construction remained typically slow for the year 2000.

Eighteen new single family homes were built in the town outside the Village of Brockport in 2000, compared to 16 in 1999. Assessor Alan Bader said that more moderate home mortgage rates this spring and summer might stimulate some more construction next year. On the other hand, "we don’t have a lot of approved building lots in the Town of Sweden, unlike some of our neighbors," Bader said. There are only about 40 approved single family lots in the town.

However, the groundwork is being laid for several new large residential developments. The Baltz property on the east end of Sweden Village is being planned (15 single family lots on Gary Drive are already approved); Crystal Ridge, with 700-plus residential units off the west side of Route 19 south is in the conceptual design phase); and the Village of Brockport has before it a cluster zoning development plan, that would also expand the town’s tax base.

Other potential sites for future residential development include land off of Fourth Section Road, west of Redman Road and adjacent to the town’s new park; and off Fourth Section Road across from Hartshorn Drive.

Home additions gained popularity in 2000, perhaps more homeowners are deciding to add on rather than build new. Fourteen permits for residential additions were granted in 2000, compared to seven in 1999.

The only new commercial construction that took place in Sweden in 2000 was the Holiday Inn Express. Three new commercial buildings had been constructed in 1999. Commercial store remodeling dropped from 10 in 1999 to eight in 2000. "The retail economy has slowed a little," Bader said. "That’s evidenced by the empty store fronts in the village."

Brockport lost one of its largest retailers last month when Mark and Dale’s Apparel closed. Other empty retail space includes the former NAPA and Firestone stores, the Convenient Mart, and a bar on King Street. There are also several empty spots in Sweden’s business district. The former Bell’s Supermarket plaza with its many-years empty grocrery store and the newly empty Casey’s, Jim and Ralph’s and VOA store, is most notable.

One commercial project is already approved for 2001. Construction of a Staples office supply store on Route 31 will begin as soon as weather permits. And Bader said there have been "feelers" out from other commercial entities for both new and renovated space.