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Lake Side Motel owner sells, then dies

The Lake Side Motel on Lake Flower Avenue, Saranac Lake, was sold to resort developers on May 30. (Enterprise photo — Chris Knight)

SARANAC LAKE — After years of trying, David Manning finally sold the Lake Side Motel to resort developers at the end of May. About two weeks later, he died.

Manning’s attorney James Brooks of Lake Placid confirmed Manning’s death, but other than basic details, such as Manning dying within the last week or so and that he was in Vermont, Brooks wouldn’t provide any other information, saying it was confidential.

Manning and the owners of two other motels along Lake Flower Avenue — Fred and Susan Mueller of the Adirondack Motel and Kim Walasky of the Lake Flower Inn — have been in talks for years to sell their properties to developers who would replace the motels with the Lake Flower Resort, a 93-room hotel with two restaurants and a spa.

On May 30, Manning’s deed was transferred to a company calling itself Saranac Lake Resort Owners LLC. The sale price was not disclosed, and the developers’ lawyer in the deal, Matthew Norfolk of Lake Placid, declined to share it.

Fred Mueller said the developers are working with “one leg of a three-legged bar stool.” He and his wife have wanted to sell the Adirondack Motel for a while, but the developers hadn’t finished the deal. For a long time that was because of extenuating approvals from the Saranac Lake village Planning Board and the state Adirondack Park Agency, but both of those have happened. Fred couldn’t say whether his property is any closer to selling.

The Lake Flower Inn on Lake Flower Avenue in Saranac Lake has the parking lot roped off. Owner Kim Walasky hasn’t opened it for the season. (Enterprise photo — Griffin Kelly)

“We don’t really talk to them,” he said. “We just let our lawyers take care of that. It’s business as usual right now.”

Walasky has still not opened her motel for the year. The parking lot is roped off with “No Trespassing” and “Keep Out” signs, and the motel’s phone number is not in service. Walasky declined to provide any comments.

Fred Mueller said it is sad that Manning died.

“I talked to him earlier in the day, and he seemed in good spirits; he seemed fine,” he said. Then later that day he and Susan saw sirens and police at the Lake Side Motel, and later Manning’s daughter later told them he had died.

Managing Editor Peter Crowley contributed to this report.

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