blah, blah, blah,, more mush from the wimps... more lies from the psychos.... take your meds, maybe u will feel better?

Quoted from JackBauer

I dunno guys - onsite housing to me isn't a bad idea...

If it is financially reasonable to do so.

(I haven't studied the details to be honest - and yes, Metroplex is an abysmal failure...  My comment is just that I don't think onsite housing is a bad idea, especially if enrollment is up)

I don't dispute the fact that SCCC could use student housing, but why would they need it? Think about it, there are tons of apartments available in Schenectady, the CDTA runs everywhere..what's the issue. Could it be student safety?

I wouldn't be surprised if a huge gate is placed completely around the campus like at Union. SCCC knows that students won't move into Schenectady, but they will come if safe housing, on campus, away from the City, is available. It doesn't change the fact that the City is getting worse and now even SCCC will take matters into their own hands.

I see your point of view too, JackBauer, but the fact is for some reason community colleges are not allowed by law to have dorms, and why does Metroplex feel the need to get involved with a developer to skirt the law? There doesn't seem to be anything stopping someone from building suitable apartments down in that area on their own initiative except the problems the other landlords in that area face, in keeping things affordable without drawing some of the lowlifes that abound down there. Maybe the government should be more involved in reducing the lowlife concentration for everyone's benefit rather than helping one developer build isolated student housing. That usually seems to equate to a bad deal for the citizens and the business people other than the anointed few.

Ray Gillen has been hitting home run after home run -- and is putting our county firmly on the path to prosperity.    The Renaissance continues.

What a joke. That's why the DEM morons have a record County deficit. That's why the City is broke and can't afford to pay either school taxes or County taxes for the glut of abandoned properties. That's why you can't give the Armory away. That's why the County has the highest unemployment in the region and the FBI warns of a Countywide crime explosion. That's why the DEM "leadership" wants to increase County taxes $9 million a year for 20 years.

     Death Ray should have been fired when his retail center {now the tourist attraction Gillen's Gulch} fell apart and he lied to the City Council about it. Commuting students do not need dorms. Every college has more students since there are no jobs for teens. This is another give away to a millionaire developer-the only thing Metrograft ever accomplishes.

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

Ray Gillen has been hitting home run after home run -- and is putting our county firmly on the path to prosperity.    The Renaissance continues.

There you go again.  Why do you continue to make comments wiithout providing facts to support your lies?

Tell us what Gillen has done

Tell us what the effect of Metroplex on the proeprty taxes of the HOMEOWNERS
Tell us what has happened to property values since Metroplex has been around
What has happened to the crime rate?
Tell us what vital necessary city services have improved and explain how and provide some documetation to support your statement.
Tell us about the condition or the raods in the city since metroplex.
Tell us the effect of Metroplex on the vacancy rate in the city
Tell us what effect Metroplex has had on the infrastruture, the watermains, the sewers, the snowplowing, etc
Tell us what effect Meteroplex has had on trash collection?

Well DV?"???


Since metroplex, the prroperty owners have experienced a substanital increase in property taxes - so much of an increae that ALL the official and reliable sources have proven that the taxes are among the highest in the whole country.
Since Metroplex, property values of plummeted, and that is proven by looking at assessments before Metroplex and today
Since Metrolex, the homeowners have been doubled taxed for trash collection costs -- through their property tax AND through the trash fee....and the city won't even recyle as many different things that the private services do.
Since metroplex, the roads have become deplorable in the city, have been rated POOR by engineers, and all this has been documented by official sources.
Since Metroplex, crime has went way way up, and even children are being murdered in broad daylihgt playing on a playground.
Since Metroplex, there has been no change in the bad issues about the cops --- cops are still involved with drugs, dealing, drinking and driving, beating other people up, mis-using their time, etc.
Since Metroplex the school system has really gone down the tubs, the graduation rate has plummeted, appearing on the persistent violence and persistent failure listss.

These re just a FEW examples of the things that have gotten worse since Metroplex. and each and everyone of those comments has been proven, much of the proof has been reported here when it makes the front page headlines, etc.

So DV, what is it that cause you to say Metroplex has been good.   Tell us HOW it has improved life for the reisdents of the city.    You won't respond because you can't provide any ressponse that is provable.

So go ahead and just yawn.  

Over and over you have proven you have no credibility whatsoever.   To be credible one must be able to prove proof of the statements one makes.  You NEVER provide any proof, therefore, you are not credible

Here's what Death Ray and the other DEM morons have done. Fatten their own bank accounts while the City cannot fix roads, pay school taxes, maintain parks, pay County taxes, maintain pools. It's a total joke and fraud. The sheeple have had enough of this idiot and his stunad plans and giveaways to millionaire developers. $6,250 a year for a lease-give us a break.

     PREDICTION: This is never built. Like 95% of Metrograft's idiotic plans. Only hope and pray this includes Savages County Home. Where is the private financing? Loans are harder to get than ever. SCCC is a commuter college for local students. All this will do is dry up all rentals for Downtown/Stockade. It is against State law {not that it would stop local DEMS like State mandated reporting of pension costs}. A home run? Another balk from the worst player in the D leagues.

Quoted from Madam X

I see your point of view too, JackBauer, but the fact is for some reason community colleges are not allowed by law to have dorms, and why does Metroplex feel the need to get involved with a developer to skirt the law? There doesn't seem to be anything stopping someone from building suitable apartments down in that area on their own initiative except the problems the other landlords in that area face, in keeping things affordable without drawing some of the lowlifes that abound down there. Maybe the government should be more involved in reducing the lowlife concentration for everyone's benefit rather than helping one developer build isolated student housing. That usually seems to equate to a bad deal for the citizens and the business people other than the anointed few.

That is my point as well.....why is the metroplex getting involved in community college housing? IF there is a need, and apparently from what they 'report' there is one.....why wouldn't a private developer either (1) purchase vacant buildings and turn them into housing for students or (2) purchase property and build new WITHOUT the support of taxpayer's money? If there is a need and money to be made, the private sector will fill the bill...in most cases!

And what are they going to do with the 'Y' building?? Couldn't that have been utilized? How about the armory??

Quoted from bumblethru

That is my point as well.....why is the metroplex getting involved in community college housing?

Yeah I agree here - while housing might make sense, the thought that this housing will help boost sales tax revenues?  Um maybe slightly for some downtown businesses yes.

But let's be real...  Union College has what probably over 1000 students on campus and in the immediate vicinity?

Is that creating a boom on Jay Street?  Or anywhere else downtown?  Clearly not.

So I don't see why Metroplex would be involved here either.  

It is clearly a ridiculous for anyone to suggest that Union College students don't have a significant impact on the economy of the city.    

And there is no reason to respond to the pathetic piece of trash who keeps attacking everyone in sight who disagrees with him-her.    

Ray Gillen is a nice guy and doing a great job.   The Democrats on the County Leg are all great people and doing a great job ... same for the Mayor and City Council .. and the many fine folks who work in County and City government.     The Renaissance began because of them and continues because of them.   KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK.

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

It is clearly a ridiculous for anyone to suggest that Union College students don't have a significant impact on the economy of the city.    

Well, they do have an impact, a positive one.

And even some on downtown - like Bombers, Pinhead Susan's, etc...

But back to my point...  The only boom going on in Jay Street, is the implosion, not soaring sales.  Same thing for lower state past Erie.  And while I would love to see that come back, housing for ~200 students at SCCC isn't going to make much of a difference there.

It would probably make Bangkok Thai Bistro more successful.  And that's a good thing - as it's one of the few businesses in that area that actually pay property taxes.

The problem with Jay Street began years ago when they closed it off to vehicular traffic --- there is not enough convenient parking close enough to Jay Street -- and one could argue if the mix of businesses were better .. some folks might actually go to the trouble of walking down Jay Street.

DV, I don't know why you don't actually come into the City before you post complete stupidity.

There is a free parking lot (only for the first two hours) right across from the Open Door, in back of the Pizza King. Also, there is ANOTHER free parking lot on Barrett Street which has a walkway right onto Jay Street (they just installed lighting there).

This is the problem when you do a drive by of Downtown and don't actually know enough about the area. You're totally wrong about Jay - come down and check it out sometime.  

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

The problem with Jay Street began years ago when they closed it off to vehicular traffic --- there is not enough convenient parking close enough to Jay Street -- and one could argue if the mix of businesses were better .. some folks might actually go to the trouble of walking down Jay Street.

You give such a lame excuse.  People will go to Crossgates Mall, park in a parking space that, in distance the parking space would be further from the door to the mall than the distance from one end of walking part of Jay St to the other end, and on top of that people will walk the whole length of Crossgates twice (once upstairs and once downstairs), and then walk that distance out to their car again.

And uh, DV, your again are full of your usual lies by saying there are not enough convenient parking spaces to Jay St.  There is the lot behind Proctors, there is the HUGE lot next to the parking garage and there is the multi level parking garage, and then there's the lot on Broadway, to name a FEW, and AGAIN, parking in the parking garage and walking to city hall is LESS DISTANCE than walking from the expansive parking lot and throughout Xgates mall, and back to the car.


Heck DV, even to walk from Sears in Rotterdam Mall to Kmart in Rott Mall is longer than that length of Jay St and people are more willing to walk that!

Your statement AGAIN has no truth to it.

I had some guests from outside the area visit two summers ago. They had to stay at a downtown hotel as we didn't have space to put them up. They walked around some on their own, and Jay Street was the only thing that made an impression on them. They ALMOST walked up State Street from Nott Terrace, which ALMOST gave me a heart attack when I found out about it. Some renaissance.