SCHENECTADY Panel to hear new Arthur’s Market plan Man eyes site for convenience store; residents prefer ‘mom-and-pop’ marketBY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter Reach Gazette reporter Kathleen Moore at 395-3120 or moore@dailygazette.com.
Someone new is interested in running Arthur’s Market, the community center of the Stockade neighborhood, but residents aren’t celebrating the news. Mohammed Alazani wants to rent the building and open it as a convenience store. But he’s never run a store before and he doesn’t know anything about the closeknit neighborhood the market has served for decades. When asked if he lived in the Stockade, he said, “The what?” Residents there aren’t ecstatic. They have watched three business owners fail in attempts to reopen the neighborhood’s gathering spot. More recently, they organized a committee to vet potential buyers and find someone with the experience and capital to keep the small market running. ........................>>>>.............>>>>................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r01001&AppName=1
This is actually funny. A self appointed neighborhood group will now "vet" potential buyers. Who do they think they are? The owners have finally found a potential renter and these goody-goodies want to interfere.
They still believe the Stockade is a desirable place with property in high demand. No parking, no snow removal, idiots running the City into the ground, no neighborhood school, oppressive taxes and fees. They should support anyone who wants to open a private business and stop trying to interfere with a private sale.
There are already four of these stores, two of them within 3/10 of a mile, one 4/10 of a mile and another 5/10 of a mile. We don't want loiterers, dealers, drinkers and the litter and crime that do accompany these types of "convenience' stores. You know what type I speak of.
In fact, I believe there should be a moratorium against this blight, and it is blight, throught the city, not just here. How many of these freaking stores do we need?
This is so wrong. The guy doesn't even know the neighborhood or community he will be doing business in. Might as well put in a 7-11
Everyone of these convenient stores are the same. In fact the one near me actually was displaying t-shirts with gang colors no kidding and that was the purpose of selling them cause there was a market. These type stores are not a good thing for a neighborhood...unless of course all you have are gamblers, drunks and drug addicts around. The big sell at all of them I have come across here in Schenectady is beer, cigs, selling lottery tickets and cigars (that are used for taking out the tobacco and replacing it with pot).
At the same time I don't think it is ok that a group of folks are getting together to decide who can and can't do business in their area either. This is a tuff one for sure. I can understand their reasoning.
This man admits he "knows nothing" about running a business. The lack of "Common Sense" to even scope out the community you are going to open a business in says something about his ability to run a business effectively. He just doesn't have what it takes to run a business. Something tells me he is a ringer for something or other. Just haven't been able to put my finger on it....but something is up.
There is no doubt it would be nice to see a store back again but at what price?
Maybe someone can talk Stewarts into opening a small store there. They are community minded and certainly have a background in business.
There's already a Stewart's nearby on Erie. No one will open another eatery/coffee house over there. The same people kvetching are the ones that sat all day nursing a tea and reading a free Gazetto or Stockade Spy.
As far as a Citywide ban on bordegas fine-but you can't have spot zoning only in the Stockade. The last thing the City needs is more anti-business legislation. A friend was looking at a home in the Stockade it was priced at $125,000 with City/school taxes at over $9,000! That's the problem. Because of the absurd record DEM taxes prices are a third what they would be in other Counties. Until that is finally addressed don't look for any improvements.
Cel, Stewarts already has a store 3/10 of a mile from Arthurs.
There is already at least one drug dealer doing business at the indian (that I know of) not to mention an apt building a block away where there are a few more. NO MORE! Let the dealers go to the "Stockade Deli" two blocks away where they go now and do business and hang with their YMCA cohorts. Or to Stwearts, Country Farms, or Union Deli and Discount.
It'd never fly anyway, I shouldn't get myself worked up. But I am grateful that my neighborhood cares enough to take the time to look at whether a certain business style would fit best and benefit the neighborhood as well as be successful. Maybe they have even spoken to this new guy, who knows. It is not about the new guy, it is about the blight of the type of business he intends to run and the crowd they attract. I am afraid to go near those types of stores and will not frequent them.
NO "USA Market"! Benny- lets put it on your street.
SCHENECTADY Residents object to market plan BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter
Stockade residents told the city Planning Commission not to let a man from outside the neighborhood set up shop in Arthur’s Market, even though they want the store reopened. They objected to Mohammed Alazani, who has little experience with convenience stores and said he knows nothing about the historic neighborhood that has supported the market for decades. He failed to bring any business plans to Wednesday’s commission meeting, so the commissioners refused to vote on his project. They will consider it again next month. But they noted that they had previously approved a tenant to run a convenience store at the site and said they see no difference between one convenience store and another. Still, neighbors swore they would not buy from the market if Alazani ran it and predicted that he would add “objectionable” signs and “offensive” items for sale. His application to the commission says he will sell sandwiches and grocery items. But it also says he will sell “cigarettes and more.” “This is not the type of store the residents are looking for,” said resident Connie Colangelo, adding that residents want the store to become the community gathering spot it once was under Arthur Polachek’s ownership. ....................>>>>...............................>>>>...............................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r01300&AppName=1
This group needs to be more careful in their wording and actions ... lest it appear elitist or discriminatory.
Exactly right. The complaints are all foolish. A Lotto Sign? Cigs? He doesn't understand the neighborhood? I wonder if the new owners name was John Scott if they would still be complaining? Mario Cuomo's father ran a store exactly like this. They act like an opium den is opening up.
Instead of being so elitist they should welcome him into the neighborhood. It seems like they prefer an empty store. They have succeeded in stopping his chance at the American dream. If it fails-so be it-but let him have the opportunity. That's what Schenectady used to be all about.
Exactly right. The complaints are all foolish. A Lotto Sign? Cigs? He doesn't understand the neighborhood? I wonder if the new owners name was John Scott if they would still be complaining? Mario Cuomo's father ran a store exactly like this. They act like an opium den is opening up.
Instead of being so elitist they should welcome him into the neighborhood. It seems like they prefer an empty store. They have succeeded in stopping his chance at the American dream. If it fails-so be it-but let him have the opportunity. That's what Schenectady used to be all about.
Wow I couldn't believe some of the comments in the article.
Its not like the guy is selling heroin or whatever.
In most neighborhoods in sch'dy we don't have any say in what type of convenience store is opening, and we shouldn't. As long as the guy wants to try and be successful let him.
Last I heard cigarettes and lottery tickets were legal.
My cousin who I've mentioned here before you know the drug addict who sells his prescription pills on the street lives in the da* stockade lol. And welfare paying for all.
Perhaps the neighbors could get together and open the kind of business they want.
Oh yeah, they have no money because their taxes are so high they have no money left to open the nice business.
But could the neighbors open the kind of business they want and get metroplex money to do so?
Sounds like a no brainer to me
Optimists close their eyes and pretend problems are non existent. Better to have open eyes, see the truths, acknowledge the negatives, and speak up for the people rather than the politicos and their rich cronies.
Logged
This is actually funny. A self appointed neighborhood group will now "vet" potential buyers. Who do they think they are? The owners have finally found a potential renter and these goody-goodies want to interfere. 
There's already a Stewart's nearby on Erie. No one will open another eatery/coffee house over there. The same people kvetching are the ones that sat all day nursing a tea and reading a free Gazetto or Stockade Spy. 
