Quoted Text

SCHENECTADY
Grant could make ugly park a centerpiece for development
BY BETHANY BUMP Gazette Reporter

    Most area residents know it as nothing more than the small, unattractive, hilly park with a short Statue of Liberty replica, but a recent grant could help Liberty Park become a centerpiece for development in downtown Schenectady.
    The Metroplex Development Authority’s board of directors accepted a $50,000 grant Wednesday from the Capital District Transportation Committee for the redesign of Liberty Park on lower State Street, opposite Schenectady County Community College.
    Metroplex will provide a $20,000 match to help fund the first of two phases for the redesign, which isn’t expected to get under way until a consultant is chosen and three public hearings are held.
    “Given the proximity of the community college, the Stockade district, the new housing project, there’s a variety of things going on there and you start integrating all these pieces,” said Metroplex Executive Director Jayme Lahut. “The park itself is a bit of a disgrace. It’s run-down. It’s ripe for a plan and a good design and that’s what this project is intended to do.”
    Talk of a redesign has circulated among city officials for some time. Most are in agreement that the park is simply unattractive and a revamp would improve the overall image of lower State Street, a prime location for funding with several new development projects in the works.
    The city needs more green space downtown, said Metroplex Chairman Ray Gillen, and the park is not being used to its full potential.
    The triangular park is just a tenth of an acre, bounded by State Street, Water Street and Washington Avenue, and forms an unfriendly pedestrian area with its landscaped berms, hidden paths and tall grass.
    “The current park is a failed design and it just doesn’t work,” said Gillen. “We need green space downtown, and the idea to incorporate Water Street and some of AAA’s site to create a quad effect with this new student housing — it will just be a more welcoming gateway for the city.”
    Schenectady County Legislature’s Majority Leader Gary Hughes said he sees the potential of Liberty Park to be a nice entryway to the city.
    But he, along with other city officials, have unanimously agreed: the berms need to go. Reconfi gured landscaping might include a tree canopy, grass and walkway.
    Hughes said he is sure the original intent of the small hills was supposed to be creative.
    “But the net result was that people were discouraged from walking through the park,” he said. “They can’t see what’s ahead of them and what’s around the corner and it makes people feel uneasy. That needs to be corrected.”
    City Zoning Officer Steve Strichman led efforts to secure the grant money, but he said the second phase of the project still needs funds — especially if the current idea to remove Water Street entirely and double the size of the park comes to fruition.
    The CDTC funds and Metroplex match will cover the $70,000 cost of the redesign study. Strichman said that consultant applications were due Friday and that one should be chosen soon to develop the implementation plan. ............................>>>>>.............................>>>>>............................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r01504&AppName=1

$70000 for a design study for a 10th of an acres?!?!?!. Pathetic. Easy to throw money at stuff when its not yours.  Bullsh1t

Quoted from TakingItBack

$70000 for a design study for a 10th of an acres?!?!?!. Pathetic. Easy to throw money at stuff when its not yours.  Bullsh1t

Again, money that SHOULD be used in Riverside Park and Central Park ia going to a non-existent park by a BUS STATION! Wasting grant money for places WHERE NO ONE LIVES!

Another place for people to use as an outdoor bathroom. Can smell the urine now......

Are "park studies" even in their list of acceptable projects?  sheesh.

Awesome -- another sign that something GREAT is coming to Lower State Street.

Quoted from 147

Are "park studies" even in their list of acceptable projects?  sheesh.

And it's $70K JUST for the study!! Wonder how much it will cost the taxpayers when it's all said and done?

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

Awesome -- another sign that something GREAT is coming to Lower State Street.

and the RENAISSANCE goes on ......

that's for the view from the dorms........a place to 'blanket' and do homework/study......

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

Awesome -- another sign that something GREAT is coming to Lower State Street.

The financially struggling taxpayers and residents of the city and their neighborhoods in the city AGAIN get ignored.   WHYT do you think it's a great idea that the neighborhoods are ignored??????    Why DV????  

The homeowners is the cirty pay almost the highest taxes in the country, they pay the taxes for all the millioniares downtown.   Therefore, DV, wouldn't you say that the downtown millionaires shoiuld fund this??????    If not, explain to us why the financially struggling homeonwers should pay the bill and the wealthy downtown socialist politically connected shoiuld be exempt from the financial pain of being in this city?

Of course, DV won't answer that question.....I've AGAIN backed him into a corner.   DV, woiuld Jesus approve of taking money away from financially struggling families and spending on such a stupid study?    

Hey DV, what downtown millionaires are giving back to the community?    Which ones are footoing the bill for the cost of the SHS kids to go to the Gator Bowl, huh?    Instead, financially struggling families have to foot the bill, huh?   No help from fat Morris?    But the financially struggling families are supposed ot pay for this park?  

DV, shouldn't this $70,000 be spent instead to help the people in the city, like maybe to open another pool for the kids?

Quoted from rachel72

Again, money that SHOULD be used in Riverside Park and Central Park is going to a non-existent park by a BUS STATION! Wasting grant money for places WHERE NO ONE LIVES!Another place for people to use as an outdoor bathroom. Can smell the urine now......

Unbelievable. Smells like teen spirit? Smells like everything these DEM idiots present as shovel ready. 10th "news story" on this steaming pile. It's beyond mere incompetence. Its beyond illusions of adequacy. Death Ray and Fat Morris should both get more than a mere $200,000 per year for their "visions".

and the RENAISSANCE goes on .....

A park renaissance? Can the nit wit Rotterdam under water park be the next to receive County taxpayer largess?

They better not cut down those trees in the park. Everything looks so flat and boring without them, like a giant empty lot that
was decimated. Looks so foreign and bland and one place looks like the rest. Then they go and plant those "trees" that don't
grow, they look like giant broccoli.

I don't underswtand why trees always seem to be sacrificed. With such a seemingly large grant I would be happy if they could spare a little extra to save them.