Are any of them heated?
Extremely BAD News: Dutch Springs likely closing permanently ...
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Are any of them heated?
johndiver999
Contributor
Absolutely! They all have solar heating!
Economics and logistics are just so awful. It’s just not worth it.
Mergulhador do Delray
Contributor
Updated: There remains a possibility it will remain open.
www.nytimes.com
The Last Plunge in Pennsylvania (Published 2021)
Since 1980, Dutch Springs, a flooded quarry in the Lehigh Valley, has been the unlikely underwater home for a devoted diving community. Now its future is uncertain.
Mergulhador do Delray
Contributor
Further update: Seems like it will not close!
Curious, I have to wonder if they figured out the cost of filling and redirecting the spring to be a bit high.
Mergulhador do Delray
Contributor
Apparently, there was some concern about closing a facility used as a training platform for first responders. That sort of publicity is never welcome. Especially when the plan is for warehouses. Not a school, hospital, or other community use. Warehouses.
I've never been there, but I wonder the viability of the 120+/- spaces for users and staff. What were the typical numbers there when it was under "normal" operations? Can any of this be financially survivable?
OP
Way more SCUBA parking than that before, but a good bit of that was 100yds+ to the water on the non-"Student" side.
"Student" (east) side was a parking free-for-all with spots that ranged from almost fall in the water to up the hill by the east bathhouse.
"Peninsula" (north/middle) waterside parking was restricted to "pros" on weekends - everybody else had to park at the top of the hill or behind the concession stand/west bathhouse with the aqua-park hoi polloi. My guess is that those parking ares are considered development zone.
A big factor in viability will be the debt, tax, and insurance carry costs.
If the quarry and parking are parceled off, the tax valuation should be able to be made pretty low since it has limitied uses or even made into "open" or "preserved" space. Another option would be to bring it into municipal or county ownership and then have it operated by a concessionaire for $0 in property taxes. Obviously government cooperation helps here in cutting the taxes. Since Trammel Crow doesn't want the quarry, it can be "encouraged" to donate it to the govt. or to some land-holding trust (for a write-off) or worst case a very low $$ sale which minimizes debt cost.
Insurance will be more complex and will depend on the holding structure, but adding it to a county portfolio might be optimal due to the volume and umbrella aspect.
If they eliminate concessions and all but minimal service staff, the labor costs can be minimized.
It was a great deal at $250ish/season for unlimited access.
Interesting concept of a Municipally owned and "lease" to operate (including concession stands).... Golf Course here and a Marina are done that way..... At the State level... Also doing that with the interstate service facilities...
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