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NISKAYUNA
Developers want to move historic mansion again
BY STEVEN COOK Gazette Reporter
Reach Gazette reporter Steven Cook at 395-3122 or scook@dailygazette.com.

    The old Stanford Mansion may be on the move — again.
    New plans, submitted recently to the town Planning Department, call for the mansion to be moved for a second time, to the Schenectady side of the State Street development, Planning Board Chairman Kevin Walsh said Wednesday.
    No timetable has been set for the move, but the Planning Board is set to consider the revised site plan at its Dec. 12 meeting, Walsh said.
    The board heard a presentation on the new proposal Monday night from Albany-based Bohler Engineering, which is working on the project for Highbridge Development.
    The home is being proposed to be moved again to accommodate a potential tenant at the site, Walsh said. It was first moved in November 2010 to its current spot.
    The new plan also calls for the home itself to stand alone, with all sides fixed up and visible, and to be used as a bank, Walsh said.
    The old plan had the home being abutted on either side by new structures, making it part of a wider building.
    The applicants cited the new configuration as a positive for the mansion, Walsh said, with it being more majestic and visible. It is the mansion that gives the development the name, Mansion Square.
    Walsh said the new plan calls for similar square-footage, parking and green space, meaning there is nothing technically in the way of the Planning Board approving the second move.
    Representatives of Highbridge and Bohler could not be reached Wednesday.
    Construction at the site has been under way for months, and the fi rst business had been slated to open on the site this week. Chipotle Mexican Grill, though, was forced to delay that opening due to lack of gas and electric services. .........................>>>>........................>>>>........................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r01700&AppName=1

I'm betting the mansion gets "damaged" beyond repair on the second move.   I can hear it now "Oops were sorry"...."don't think its structurally safe anymore"

Why don't the all DEM morons knock it down and get it over with? The town planner almost makes Death Ray look adequate. Illusions of adequacy abound.

The new development is looking great -- move the mansion and get the project done.

Quoted from TakingItBack

I'm betting the mansion gets "damaged" beyond repair on the second move.   I can hear it now "Oops were sorry"...."don't think its structurally safe anymore"

That's what I expected the first time they moved it, now, it's almost a given.

Actually, I expected a fire, by "vandals".

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

The new development is looking great -- move the mansion and get the project done.

Gee that ugly parking lot and strip mall are beautiful? They moved it once already. Unfortunately it was not destroyed. There is no room for historic preservation in the new County order. Keep the moron progress going!

The Stanford's were important in local and national history. Stanford's brother was governor of California and with other locally raised New Yorkers (Crocker, Judah etc) founded the Central Pacific Railroad. DVOR probably has them confused with Sanford of Sanford and Son fame, so he figures that the old house is just junk. This is our history and no one cares, least of which is the so-called "historian."

I'm gonna stick my neck out here and predict that the mansion doesn't survive the move. And some folks will be very happy if that happens.

Quoted from GrahamBonnet

The Stanford's were important in local and national history. Stanford's brother was governor of California and with other locally raised New Yorkers (Crocker, Judah etc) founded the Central Pacific Railroad. DVOR probably has them confused with Sanford of Sanford and Son fame, so he figures that the old house is just junk. This is our history and no one cares, least of which is the so-called "historian."

Leland Stanford founded the great Stanford University. They were probably negative nayboobs in other words dropped too many truth bombs. DVOR did speak up for saving the IOOF Temple after the City DEM moron vote to demolish it. His usual consistency.

It should also be noted that he built the western portion (the hard part) of the first transcontinental railroad which changed America forever, and was the one who drove "the golden spike" in Promontory, Utah on May 10, 1869 thus marking it's completion.

He also founded Stanford University.
Hey, that whole area is named "Stanford Heights", after him.

Few people have had such a positive effect on the United States as he.

It shouldn't be a "local" landmark, it should be a "national" landmark.

The man was quite remarkable.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leland_Stanford

  

Sadly the house needs to be demolished to make way for progress and economic development on a grander scale -- Lets get the project done because the new shopping center is looking fantastic.. Instead of obstructionism and Nayboobism from the Extreme Right-Wing -- lets create real jobs and a tax base. Glorifying a robber-baron and his ilk will not benefit working families.   Congratulations are in order for the Town of Niskayuna, the Metroplex and Highbridge Development for their forward - looking vision.

Quoted from bumblethru

I'm gonna stick my neck out here and predict that the mansion doesn't survive the move. And some folks will be very happy if that happens.

They should keep it on wheels like an RV. Then they can move it every time the developer or "planner" gets a wild hair. I heard the Nisky planner went to the same school as Death Ray- lol.

Quoted from 1954

Sadly the house needs to be demolished to make way for progress and economic development on a grander scale -- Lets get the project done because the new shopping center is looking fantastic.. Instead of obstructionism and Nayboobism from the Extreme Right-Wing -- lets create real jobs and a tax base. Glorifying a robber-baron and his ilk will not benefit working families.   Congratulations are in order for the Town of Niskayuna, the Metroplex and Highbridge Development for their forward - looking vision.

Great Idea. Let's tear down a historic structure built in 1816, and replace it with a bunch of shiney junk that won't be here 30 years from now.

The current "stuctures" that are being built, are disposable junk, and more closely resemble trailers without wheels, than buildings",

Sadly some prefer to cling to visions of Nayboobs and the glorifying of a true Scrooge this Holiday season.......

I am well aware that the SITE on which the mansion stands is historically significant.  However, the original house which dated to the colonial era has been gone for over 150 years.   The existing mansion was built sometime in the 19th century and while OLD --- was not IMHO historically significant.   Even if you take into account the very limited role that the mansion played in the history of Leland Stanford's family.  The Stanford family purchased the mansion as a summer residence -- when Leland Stanford was already in college.   The property did not play a huge role in his life -- as say Springwood in Hyde Park, NY did in FDR's life or Monticello in Jefferson's life.   And the mansion was used for many years as a residence for the elderly --- what exactly remained of its original interiors (from the days that it was a private residence) was already long gone.

Furthermore, Leland Stanford is NOT exactly a figure that I feel is worth commemorating.   Stanford was a Robber Baron who misused  immigrants from Asia and Europe to build the Central Pacific Railroad -- which by the way he stole a lot of money from the US Government to fund -- and to build other parts of his lucrative empire.  Leland Stanford did NOT found Stanford University and it is NOT named after him ----  Stanford University was founded by his widow - who loathed her husband - and who named the university AFTER THEIR SON --- who committed suicide do the verbal and psychological abuse he endured from his father.  Leland Stanford was a racist, a bigot, a thief, someone who abused his wife and child ---- basically a demonic little bastard ------------------  so I there is no point in celebrating that mansions connections with him.