Bravo to Ferri's Formal for standing up to these morons. And yes Smoking/DVR it is being orchestrated by Death Ray despite your laughable spin.

     Can't wait until 4/11 hearing when the all DEM Council rubber stamps will try and distance themselves from their own planning "expert". Under Landslide Savage's unified economic development team unemployment/retail vacancies have never been higher. Did you hear about the latest businesses fleeing Jay Street?

Quoted Text

A lot at stake in parking dispute
Upper Union Street business owner may lose spaces in front of Schenectady store
By LAUREN STANFORTH Staff writer
Published 12:35 a.m., Wednesday, April 6, 2011

SCHENECTADY -- A bridal store owner on Upper Union Street says she is David to the city and Schenectady Metroplex Development Authority's Goliath because they want to take part of her frontage for a new parking lot.

The city and development authority are about to start the third phase of a $2 million project that has rebuilt Upper Union's sidewalks, lighting and curbs to make the area more attractive and pedestrian-friendly. As part of this final phase, the plan calls for taking parking in front of four businesses in the 1600 block and building a parking lot with one entrance and one exit.

Metroplex Chairman Ray Gillen said the asphalt in front of buildings is not safe and was never meant for formal parking.

But Ferri Formals and Bridals owner Marylu Aragosa said she doesn't want to give up the four spaces that are directly in front of her store, and she said she's being "intimidated" by Metroplex and members of the Upper Union Street Business Improvement District into handing over her small swath of land....................>>>>...............>>>>...............Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/defa.....51.php#ixzz1IpfzeOYo

The city and Metroplex hasn't got a good enough reason to seize the land by eminent domain and is trying to manufacture one.

Greetings. I appreciate the information I receive from this blog that is often unavailable elsewhere. Here is something I have heard (I can't vouch for the accuracy) that may shed light on this discussion. I am told that a Mrs. Golub own the pet business that is pushing for the new parking area.

Owns the pet business. Sorry for the typo.

Interesting! Very interesting indeed!
Hmmmmmmm......make a bit more sense now.

Politics and favoritism at it's best in Schenectady.

Quoted from Shadow

Politics and favoritism at it's best in Schenectady.

Both the Pet Shop which has expanded to the former liquor store and Gershon's want the additional parking. It is a taking from the bridal shoppe to help their customers. Another example of interfering with private businesses which the socialists at Metrograft/City Hall are infamous for.

     BTW it is not Ms Golub's business but her friends. There is a lot more going on behind the scenes. This will be a major battle. Don't expect anything from the City Council rubber stamps.

Quoted Text

SCHENECTADY
Business owners debate parking
Some don’t want city to take private spots
BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter

    Union Street business owners and residents came out in force Monday to argue about whether one owner’s parking spots should be taken away.
    In the end, they said, it came down to whether it was more important to let one business keep its parking or create more parking for the entire neighborhood.
    “Union Street is a community. This is not about one business,” said Jerry Griggs, one of many who spoke in favoring of taking all of the land in front of Ferri’s Formals and Bridals to build a small parking lot.
    But others said businesses that already have parking shouldn’t have to give it up.
    “I paid more for my property in downtown Schenectady because it has five parking spaces,” attorney Kathleen Toombs said, calling the thought of losing her spaces “appalling.” She warned that small business owners are listening — and are well aware that they could move to the suburbs and have abundant parking.
    The City Council public hearing stretched on for well over an hour. In the end, city offi cials insisted they were still negotiating and took bridal shop owner Marylu Aragosa’s attorney and civil engineer into a law office to talk. City Council members said they wanted to find an alternative to taking the property. ....................>>>>..........................>>>>.................................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r00903&AppName=1

http://blog.timesunion.com/gettingthere/here-comes-the-bride-but-where-will-she-park/1575/

Here comes the bride, but where will she park?
April 12, 2011 at 3:52 pm by Tim O'Brien

In Schenectady, the city is looking to take four parking spots from Ferri Formals and Bridals by eminent domain, Staff Writer Lauren Stanforth reports. The owner of the shop is miffed.

As usual, Lauren Stanforth has the complete story minus the idiotic Metrograft spin. Ferri's Formals business is exploding with people rushing in to support her. For the first time a business leader is standing up to these planning morons.

     This is all about helping connected friends and steamrolling disloyal opponents. Death Ray should accomplish one positive thing Downtown before rushing up to Upper Union Street with his stale "plans". Where's the book store you promised 3 years ago? Where's the national toy store you promised? Try and keep the City tree grates in the ground before DSIC employees rip them out to recycle at Prendel's-ROTFLMAO!!

It strikes one as odd, at least to this contributor, that one of the arguments being used for the support of this project fostered by the city/plex, is the unsafe exiting out of the current parking alignment.   Apparently the backing out of the vehicles from there respective parking spaces is a traffic hazard.   Yet this is what's done repeatedly when one backs out of the diagonal parking spots across the street on the Dunkin Donuts side across the street from the Trustco Bank bldg.   Many times close calls were observed.   How was this project approved with it's unsafe characteristics and limited sight line while backing out?

The city is trying to fabricate a story about a safety hazard to allow them to take the property by eminent domain because they can't do that without just cause.

Quoted from Mr. Majestyk

Apparently the backing out of the vehicles from there respective parking spaces is a traffic hazard.   Yet this is what's done repeatedly when one backs out of the diagonal parking spots across the street on the Dunkin Donuts side across the street from the Trustco Bank bldg.   Many times close calls were observed.   How was this project approved with it's unsafe characteristics and limited sight line while backing out?

Exactly right the entire Metrograft "plan" involves backing out onto Union Street. This entire project is a waste of $600,000 in public funds. There is a block long parking lot behind Trustco. That should have been improved with private funds.

     This is all about punishing opponents and rewarding pals. Ferri's Formal is posed to finally strike a blow for private businesses and against these DEM know nothings.

The owners of Ferri Formals are shrewd business owners.  They will either win their battle OR the plex will relocate them to a more desirable location at the taxpayer's expense. Remember Pizza King?

Or they can threaten to move out of schenectady county........then they'll get a plex offer they can't refuse. Remember Marcellas?

Ferri formals has everything to gain and nothing to lose.