The expansion of NE Fine Jewelry is a nice touch, but I hope we didn't pay for it again. That shabby style furniture business has moved out, but she said she was going to lower Union Street, I don't know if it's the Stockade or not, I think it was the 200 block? The florist by there, Firefly, is closed for remodeling, I wonder when that whole thing in the former Salamack's is going to get off the ground? There's been a semi-vacant appearance to that area for awhile. That barber shop is gone, a young person I know said that people were smoking blunts out in front when she visited a neighboring shop, while that place was still there.
All in all, I'd say that area is doing better than downtown. People think it's Niskayuna for some reason, they don't understand the difference between a postal code and a municipal border.
Parts of Niskayuna are pretty run-down, perceptions and reality aren't always the same.
Mr. James should come up here. There are a number of good hair places already, but why not one more? Lack of competition didn't do them any good downtown.

Almost the entire businesses district is in the City. Salamack's has been dead for a long time. Anyone interested in the high taxes? lol. The best is the Florida pavers at Dean and Union that fall apart every Spring. The brick has been replaced
with asphalt patch. Any other County with a real planner would have funded this area instead of repeated flushing Downtown. See you's at Johnny's?

Oh, the Plex will highlight "Upper Union Street" when it suits them. Remember when the bridal shop was P.O.ed when the Plex parking plan would ruin their business? How much money has the Plex given one of the best deli in upstate NY or the karate school or Salamacks?? Nothing, but they keep raising their taxes every year.

The decimation of free enterprise. The 'haves' are downtown with PILOTS/no-interest Plex loans while the 'have nots' are paying school and property taxes trying to survive in the ignored areas of the City.

Thank you Mr. Gillen...they'll have another.

The pavers farther up the street have come loose, but the city hasn't been there yet. That pet business still hogs the parking in front of that business for their own cars. That bridal shop is one of the highlights of Schenectady, I love seeing their beautiful window displays. It figures that they would be the business the city tried to hassle. Kind of like when they hassled the Pizza King downtown.
That aquarium business remains popular with people who have that hobby. They must be doing something right.

they need to get rid of 'troublmakes'  just ask Box- he has a cozy concentration camp all ready for those with 'different' ideas

You may be on to something, GB. The "troublemakers" had some things in common. Being hard-working immigrants making it on their own, not knowing the right people, for instance. The only kind of immigrants we care about in Schenectady are the ones that throw acid at people, and know just enough English to find their way around the DSS building.
The hard-working and self reliant do not get Poverty Palaces built in their name, do they? Come to think of it, that guy they pushed aside for a PovertyPalace on State Street wasn't an immigrant, but he was a hard-working, self reliant MINORITY SMALL BUSINESS OWNER. We can't have people like that around, setting a bad example, ruining things, can we?