Council holds off on building rehab BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter Reach Gazette reporter Kathleen Moore at 395-3120 or moore@dailygazette.com. The City Council put the brakes Monday on a plan to give a private developer $1.3 million to rehabilitate the former Schenectady County Department of Social Services building. Instead, council members proposed spending $500,000 to demolish the historic building, leaving a clear lot for The Galesi Group to build new apartments.
The council is considering a $3 million loan from the federal government to demolish derelict houses. With the change in spending, the city could demolish about 120 buildings, twice as many as originally proposed.
To get the loan, the city’s application must include some rebuilding, so city officials had proposed the DSS project. But on Monday, Councilwoman Leesa Perazzo said the $1.3 million proposal was far too costly.
She said the council would not apply to borrow the money unless it spent much less on the DSS project, and much more on demolition. “A number of us were concerned,” she said.
She proposed demolishing the DSS building instead, and said Galesi Group would be willing to rebuild with its own money. Galesi Group officials could not be reached for comment after the meeting.
It was unclear whether the change would be accepted by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. “In order for this to not be deemed just demolition money, there has to be a firm commitment to build something,” said Corporation Counsel John Polster. Development Director Richard Purga said he thought he could write an acceptable application if the city had a written commitment from Galesi to rebuild on the DSS lot. Galesi would have to promise that 51 percent of the apartments would be available to low- and moderate-income residents. “There’s a way to fashion it, I believe,” Purga said of the application.
Councilman Vince Riggi suggested abandoning the DSS project altogether and instead using some of the loan to repair the Oak Street bridge. That bridge has been closed, cutting off one of the two access points to a small neighborhood. “That’s a major issue that we have,” Riggi said. The railroad companies that are responsible for the bridge are arguing about which one should pay for the repairs, and Mayor Gary Mc-Carthy said the city would likely have to repair it and then try to negotiate payback from the railroads.
Perazzo said the loan couldn’t be used in that endeavor. “This is [a loan] for demolition or housing, not infrastructure,” she said. “So that is impossible.” Riggi objected. Using Purga’s terminology, he said, “If you’re good at ‘fashioning’ things, maybe something could be fashioned —” But Councilwoman Denise Brucker cut him off and asked for a vote on Perazzo’s proposal. It passed out of committee, and could be voted on by the full council as early as Monday if Galesi files its written commitment in time.
In other business, Perazzo insisted that the city’s proposed towing fee specifically exempt drivers who are injured in a car accident. She had worried that they would be hit with an additional fee simply because a police officer called for a tow when they were taken away by ambulance.
Polster agreed to rewrite the legislation, which will then be presented for a final vote next Monday.
The council will not vote next week on whether to give the mayor the power to increase parking rates as he sees fit. Council members tabled the legislation for two weeks, saying that they want to give the mayor limited authority to raise rates without their direct approval. Councilwoman Marion Porterfield suggested setting a maximum parking rate, which the mayor could not exceed. The mayor had argued that it would take too long to hold public hearings every time he wanted to adjust the parking rates for holidays, special events and other circumstances. Opponents had noted that he could easily predict those events months in advance, and get through the public hearing with time to spare.
I don't know which is more appalling and disgusting, the apartments/loan/destroying a not exactly derelict architecturally significant and historic building,the utter stupidity of it, or the part about McCheese revealing the real reason he wanted to waste money on new meters - he plans on gouging the unsuspecting visitor any way he can. Horrible. Vince Riggi is the only one with an I.Q. over two digits, and personal integrity. This is why I voted for Roger Hull. No way would he have gone along with this utter waste, fraud and abuse.
... Instead, council members proposed spending $500,000 to demolish the historic building, leaving a clear lot for The Galesi Group to build new apartments. ...
NOT ONE PENNY of taxpayer dollars (REGARDLESS of which level government) should go to benefit or do anything for Galesi.
Galesi is so filthy rich, he probably has enough money now to fully fund all his descendants for the next 20 generations at least. And he has the financially struggling low income homeowners in the city paying his property taxes.
Like that Harry Brand said, there must be kickbacks somewhere.
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.
They HAVE to use the money to help poor Galesi, you fools. So shut up.
"While Foreign Terrorists were plotting to murder and maim using homemade bombs in Boston, Democrap officials in Washington DC, Albany and here were busy watching ME and other law abiding American Citizens who are gun owners and taxpayers, in an effort to blame the nation's lack of security on US so that they could have a political scapegoat."
If he really thinks US taxpayers should be knocking down buildings so that Galesi can profit...
And if he thinks it is at all odd that there is just one developer that keep getting these sweetheart deals.
Oh, wait, he'll be posting here soon, shaking the pom poms, claiming the renaissance continues. As he never owned a home and paid taxes, and he doesn't pay taxes now, and he has not a worry in the world about having to decide between eating vs buying medicine because he is not having his money stolen by city/co/plex DEMS to give it to a filthy rich multimillionaire.
He simply is too embarrassed to explain what the city taxpayers are receiving in return for all these "renaissance" projects. Have you ever noticed, he TOTALLY AVOIDS speaking about the home values, the home sale prices, the city's tax base, the peoples tax bills, the conditions of the neighborhoods. Much too embarrassing to respond to those issues because it would require him to admit that his buddy dems are ruining the city.
Wonder if he has to fork over his whole welfare check to his two mommies. Remember he claims he is a taxpayer because he "contributes" to his mommies' tax bill. But a person who receives income courtesy of the taxpayer dole is not a taxpayer. One cannot be supported by tax money and then claim they are a taxpayer just because they give some money "back." One does not collect, say, $1,000 on the taxpayer handout dole and then pay $50 during the month in sales tax and claim they are a taxpayer.
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.
Let's face it folks, Galesi runs this City, not McCheesy.
If you haven't figured that out by now, look at your quarterly tax bill, drive by the crumbling DSS building and drive by the completely tax-exempt Center City Galesi owns.
Perazzo said the loan couldn’t be used in that endeavor. “This is [a loan] for demolition or housing, not infrastructure,” she said. “So that is impossible.”
That's cause the bridge doesn't benefit her precious Proctors, PM right up her as*.
If he really thinks US taxpayers should be knocking down buildings so that Galesi can profit...
And if he thinks it is at all odd that there is just one developer that keep getting these sweetheart deals.
I don't think you are really interested in my opinion on this. Most of you folks just get your jollies making up stuff about me and saying that I believe this or that, -- when the fact is you don't know sh*t about me.
If you are interested in my opinion on it -- then ask me to face. You are all just a bunch whining pains in the a**.
George Amedore & Christian Klueg for NYS Senate 2016 Pete Vroman for State Assembly 2016[/size][/color]
"For this is what America is all about. It is the uncrossed desert and the unclimbed ridge. It is the star that is not reached and the harvest that is sleeping in the unplowed ground." Lyndon Baines Johnson
Actually I am legitimately interested, or at least I was.
I thought this was so egregious that you would think it is ridiculous too.
And that essentially it was an opportunity to prove you have integrity - and would be critical of this administration.
Generally the people supporting Amedore and Gibson I think are pragmatic; reasonable. And all these wonderful Galesi deals he gets - something seems rather fishy.
I don't think you are really interested in my opinion on this. Most of you folks just get your jollies making up stuff about me and saying that I believe this or that, -- when the fact is you don't know sh*t about me.
If you are interested in my opinion on it -- then ask me to face. You are all just a bunch whining pains in the a**.
We don't know facts? Gee, you are 51. By your own posts you seem to have graduated from two different high schools. FACT is that you do NOT live like a NORMAL adult man. FACT is you are unemployed, FACT is you lost your insurance license, FACT is you have NO EVIDENCE to support what you say about the city improving.
So, what DO you think about YOUR BUDDY DEMS in the city wanting to take more money from the financially struggling homeowners in the city, to give their money to a guy who is filthy rich, owns numerous residential "palaces" NONE of which are even remotely near Schenectady, and does not pay any property taxes in Schenectady are facing crushing tax burdens to give to this Galesi.
So, DV, What DO you think of the dems wanting to take even more from the taxpayers and give it to this rich Galesi. Why won't you answer that?
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.
That's cause the bridge doesn't benefit her precious Proctors, PM right up her as*.
PRECISELY
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.
Not sure if I missed it or not - have they laid out the numbers if the City had nothing to do with project and spent the remaining funds on demolition of residential properties. And, what will the tax ramifications be for the location?
Logged
