The Peru Gazette

Allen Turner (Right) and his son and right hand man Jessie

By John T. Ryan

Peru is one of the few communities north of New York City to experience an increase in population during the past ten years (9.9%). Undoubtedly Allen Turner’s foresight and willingness to take a business risk has played an important role in that growth. During that period Turner constructed twenty-two single-family homes and four duplexes in Peru and this summer he started constructing a four-unit apartment building at 3 Davey Drive, directly behind MacDonald’s Restaurant. The estimated $6 million assessed value of these structures brings in approximately $200,000 in tax revenue to our school and local governments- money that is vital to maintaining government services and improving our community.

A Milton, Vermont native, Turner has been wielding a hammer since age 12 when he began helping is father on his carpentry tasks. At age 13 he began helping out his cousin, a building contractor named Bill Sawyer. The cousins eventually formed a successful partnership; so successful that in the 1990’s they were framing 15 or 16 homes each year.

In 2000, Turner and Sawyer decided to analyze the construction scene on the west side of Lake Champlain. Turner said, “Bill and I called this area our new frontier. We didn’t know much about the area, but people we talked to recommended Peru because of its school system.  A school system draws people to a community. We concluded Peru was the place to be.”  Turner has resided in Peru since 2005, while Sawyer still resides in Vermont.

A few of the twenty-two homes Turner constructed on Washington St.

In 2001, Turner and Sawyer purchased about 75 acres of property bordering Washington Street less than a half-mile from Peru Central School.  Between 2002 and 2011, Turner constructed twenty-two homes which he describes as attractive “a step-up, but affordable.”  Today young, growing families, occupy the majority of the Washington Street homes and Turner has sixty-four nearby lots available for development.

Turner’s 4-unit apartment building under construction on Davey Drive

When the single-family housing market slowed in 2009, Turner saw an opportunity in multi-family housing. He explained, ” The rental market looked good. I thought I’d give it a try. So far, it’s been good.” Between 2010 and 2012, Turner constructed three duplexes on the Dashnaw Road and one on Elm Street. He plans to have the Davey Drive apartments complete and available to rent by this October.

Turner described working in Peru as being a good experience. He said, “Peru has good people who want to see things happen.” Asked what would help grow the community in the future he responded, “Extending water and sewer lines along the Bear Swamp Road to the Northway and on Dashnaw Road would be good. That’s the logical area for future commercial growth. When people come north from New York City, it’s as easy or easier to stop here as it is in Plattsburgh.”

Peru Water/Sewer Superintendent Greg Timmons told the Gazette that the water and sewer lines stop at the former Crickets Restaurant.  The town has discussed extending the water lines to the Northway and is looking into the availability of grant monies.

One of three Dashnaw Rd. Duplexes

Elm Street Duplex