SCHENECTADY Lower State St. next on city’s list BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter
The pace of redevelopment along lower State Street, a gateway to the city, is beginning to accelerate, according to Schenectady city, county and community college offi cials. They cite the earmark of $10.9 million in the Capital District Transportation Committee’s Traffic Improvement Plan to reconstruct State Street between Erie Boulevard and Washington Avenue; the proposed redesign of Liberty Park opposite Schenectady County Community College; and the proposed demolition of a blighted service station on Washington Avenue. “Lower State Street is the next wave,” said Ray Gillen, chairman of the Metroplex Development Authority. “We are looking at creating a proper gateway into the city.” Gillen said redevelopment of the Proctors block downtown is nearly done and work is scheduled to begin this summer on the $14 million reconstruction of Erie Boulevard, leaving lower State Street as the next target for redevelopment. The area is not only a main entrance to the city, linked as it is to Interstate 890 and the Western Gateway Bridge, but it also is home to Schenectady County Community College, a signifi cant economic engine. SCCC, which is landlocked, is seeking to expand beyond its current footprint with programs and services, and it also wants to offer student housing eventually as a way to increase enrollment. The college is eyeing a parking lot behind the Washington Avenue gas station as a site for the proposed dorms. The county and the college own the parking lot. “As the college has become a gateway to excellence for so many students, this neighboring area, too, will become a proud gateway for the community,” said Dr. Quintin Bullock, SCCC president. As part of the redevelopment effort, the city announced Thursday that it has obtained a $50,000 grant to redevelop Liberty Park. Metroplex will provide a $20,000 matching grant. Gary McCarthy, City Council president, said the city is working with the county, SCCC and Metroplex “to chart a new and better future for lower State Street.” The city will start design work and hold public meetings this fall on the park redesign and present a fi nal plan in early 2012. The park will be renamed Gateway Park, Gillen said. “It is a problem in our efforts to redesign lower State Street,” he said. “It does not provide appropriate green space to relax in, and it is diffi cult to maintain because it has all of these strange mounds of dirt.” The county is buying the vacant gas station at 101 Washington Ave. for $140,000, with the state paying half. Gillen said the building is in poor condition and detracts from redevelopment projects in the area. The county will demolish the building and incorporate it into the college’s master plan, he said. Gillen said the $10.9 million in Traffic Improvement Plan money would be used to install sidewalks, curbing, trees and lighting along lower State Street. It also would cover road and utility work. The project is subject to availability of federal funding, Gillen said, but “it is in the regional priorities for the area, just like we got money for Erie Boulevard.” Design would occur this year and in 2012, with construction to begin in 2014. ........................>>>>...................>>>>..............................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r01102&AppName=1
Metroplex is going to develop lower State St and redesign Erie Blvd no matter how much they have to tax the residents of this city in order to get tax free businesses to open or move their business to lower State St. Taxes are so high in Schdy that you can't sell a house and no business will settle here unless it gets a tax free deal and these officials running Metroplex think they're doing a great job Disband Metroplex and use the money that they waste to rebuild the whole city not just downtown.
How many buildings are still vaccant? How many pay taxes and what %? How many are private? How many are non-profits? How many are re-locations? How many are government?
What and where are the stats?
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
does anyone really think the "facts" will make a difference for you? lol. Please. You have already made up your minds, so why hurt yourself by hearing the facts.
does anyone really think the "facts" will make a difference for you? lol. Please. You have already made up your minds, so why hurt yourself by hearing the facts.
Smokes............the taxpayers will NEVER hear the FACTS from this bunch. It will be all smoke and mirrors like it has been for over a decade. May we remind you of how 'the miracle' ad for Savage made her the laughing stock that lost her the election?
It appears that Pat Z is the only one digging for the FACTS and presents them.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
How many buildings are still vaccant? How many pay taxes and what %? How many are private? How many are non-profits? How many are re-locations? How many are government?
What and where are the stats?
And why is the Plex paying double the amount for dilapidated buildings in the City? Maybe because the Plex has not had to answer to anyone. Now that questions are being asked, Gillen has partnered with the Gazetto to publish bogus articles unrelated to any facts... strictly fiction.
The sooner the Plex is gone, the lower the tax bills will become.
1. move welfare building 2. burn rental property 3. the undesirables will migrate to the outskirts of the city 4. just talk around the elephant in the room 5. keep the plebs drunk so the tax bill is that blurry
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
Smokes............the taxpayers will NEVER hear the FACTS from this bunch. It will be all smoke and mirrors like it has been for over a decade. May we remind you of how 'the miracle' ad for Savage made her the laughing stock that lost her the election?
It appears that Pat Z is the only one digging for the FACTS and presents them.
AND....might I add........she has no support in exposing the TRUTH from the local liberal media! They are too wrapped up in reporting the fluff that is fed to them!!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Well, they may be starting to look at lower State Street, but I can tell you one place they're NOT looking at... Has anyone seen the desolation on Upper Broadway? I don't know specifically where the "boundaries" of the Bellevue area are, but I tell you, there's MANY empty buildings in this area, including at least 2 banks. I thought banks were doing good right now, and that was why they were looking to build new buildings? Also, one of those empty banks? It's the former (Don't call it Schenectady) Trustco.
Why don't they use the 14 million in our neighborhoods where taxpaying homeowners live? Naw they just will give a store free rent for two years and call that neighborhood revitilization in Mt. Pleasant.
banks did fabulous at keeping the city in shape---NOT....and when they leave it always looks like a burned out neighborhood as do the pharmacies when they leave.....let's just keep doing that crap in Rotterdam.....baaaa...baaaaa
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
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