Watertown officials favor selling walkway to Wind & Wire owners

WATERTOWN, N.Y. (WWNY) - Watertown city council members say they want to move forward with selling a downtown walkway to two local businessmen.

Ken Bodah and Mike Pierce purchased the former Wind & Wire building on Public Square last summer. It's next to what is known as the Strauss Memorial Walkway, which connects the J.B. Wise parking lot and Public Square.

They want to buy the property from the city to create an open-air space with an upper deck and outside dining for both nearby Spokes Craft Beer & Tapas and future renters of the Wind & Wire building.

“It gives a lot of opportunity to look at how we can enhance the overall aesthetics of downtown,” Pierce told city council members Monday night, "not just from a building development, but just from an entertainment opportunity as well.

The businessmen say the public will still have access to the walkway during businesses hours and it will remain in memory of Michael Strauss, for whom it's named.

City officials are now working on determining a selling price.