SCHENECTADY — Lower State Street is finally getting a facelift, thanks to new developers who want to build there.

Metroplex and city officials declined to describe the new deal, but it has motivated them to fulfill a dream held for decades by Lower State Street business owners.

They’re getting new utilities, new pavement, new sidewalk and lighting that matches the rest of downtown.

Crews will close the westbound side of lower State Street — from Erie Boulevard to South Church Street — for five to six weeks. Work is slated to begin this week.

For the newest owner on Lower State Street, it’s the news of new development that’s exciting.

“Look, you can lay concrete. It’s great to put in some concrete,” said Transfinder owner Antonio Civitella. “But you really need to have a whole community. One building doesn’t do it.”

He’s hoping the project includes the vast expanse of empty space that once held the Robinson’s building.

“That big hole right across the street. That would be nice to have (developed)!” he said. “I’m excited.”

The city is starting work now to replace water and sewer lines. That work will be done by Nov. 22 so that the Gazette Holiday Parade can march uninterrupted through downtown.

In the spring, Metroplex will do the streetscape work.

The only question left: what project could have inspired all this?

There are three major lots to be sold: the vacant Olender’s building, the former Robinson’s space next door to Olender’s, and, a little farther down the street, the vacant building that burned last year.

Mayor Gary McCarthy would only say that the city’s doing the street work because of that project.

“It’s because — well, there are developments on State Street that I can’t tell you about,” he said.

Metroplex Development Chairman Ray Gillen wouldn’t say either, citing his normal policy of not announcing a project until the contracts are signed.

But he indicated that many investors have been considering all three sites.

At least one developer has considered the former Robinson’s location, which Metroplex has been trying to sell for years.

“I have serious interest in the site,” Gillen said.

And others are looking at the burned-out building at 237-247 State St. The building is structurally sound, though it would likely have to be gutted.

“We have people interested in that,” he said.

The only new development that’s not a secret is the sale of the Mr. James building.

Transfinder has purchased it and will turn the two-story barber’s shop into additional office space. Staff is already moving into the first Transfinder building, which is nearby. It will formally open next week after a $7 million renovation.

In the Mr. James building, Transfinder may run a business incubator, one of many “technology accelerators,” Civitella said.

Three successive generations ran Mr. James before Mark Scolamiero reluctantly closed it early this year. He then died of a heart attack before he was even able to empty out the building.

He ran out of money when he had to temporarily close after the fire next door at 237-247 State St. The business was already struggling to stay afloat, and he never recovered from the loss of income, he said at the time.

Firefighters have recently determined that the fire started because the owners of the building illegally tapped into a National Grid power line. They installed a fake meter and used extension cords to move power from their tap, McCarthy said. Those extension cords blew, causing the fire. There have been no arrests in the case.

Since then, city officials have found at least one other location with an illegal power tap, McCarthy added. That tap was on Union Street.

Other new developments on Lower State Street include Thai Thai at the corner of State and Erie Boulevard, which will replace Bangkok Bistro. That restaurant is slated to open soon — but first the road in front of the restaurant will be closed while the city replaces the water main.

Workers will close the westbound lanes of State Street while they install a “sleeve” inside the pipe, which is simpler than digging it up and laying new pipe. The sleeve will harden into a new, impermeable pipe.

Traffic will be detoured onto Erie Boulevard, where drivers are already encountering slowdowns from the delayed paving project of that street.

That project should have been done by now, McCarthy said. If it had been, the utility work on Lower State Street would not have conflicted with it.

He offered a more detailed explanation of the delay, which had previously been described as unexpected problems removing old utilities underground.

He said the actual problem was a conflict between National Grid and the city’s contractor, Rifenburg.

National Grid blamed Rifenburg for damage done to power utilities under the street. Rifenburg officials said the damage was there before them, McCarthy said.

“We’re just moving ahead, fixing it They can hash it out in court later,” he said.

He directed Rifenburg to take action to reduce gridlock, and traffic was moving more smoothly Thursday. Closing part of State Street won’t help, but he said he had no choice.

“I had to do the water stuff now,” he said. “So that it’s done before the parade. I don’t want the Gazette mad at me.”

The project should take only five or six weeks, he added.

“It’s supposed to move fairly quickly,” he said. “But when you get underground, with these old pipes, you never know.”

Ahh, it's October!  Elections are one month away!!!  The month when politicians float ridiculous stories of secret wonderful new development that of course THEY could only have made happen.  

Shhhhhh...Keep this quiet...But the word is, Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory is relocating to downtown.  It's gonna create 500 jobs....for Oompa Loompa's.  

Schenectady is full of Charlie Bucket's - the poor kid looking for the golden ticket.  

Maybe these will finally be the projects that actually increase our tax base and bring in some much needed revenue, or not.

Probably a new 20 story building for the homeless or sex offenders.

Notice how the whole story about Mr. James is coming to light now. That hole where Robinson's was? There WAS someone interested in that site, remember? Oops! We had to demolish the building somebody wanted to restore! Now they will take credit for "fixing" the problem they created. BTW, the Army Navy that used to be there, I went in there shortly before it closed, the place was reeking of mold. Now the city says, these old pipes, you don't know what you'll find. Isn't a pipe a fairly inanimate object? They can't really trick you. If the city had been doing its job, maintaining the infrastructure,perhaps we wouldn't have had so many businesses leave in the first place. But no, their "solution" is to hand over our money that is supposed to go for the benefit of all, to a connected wealthy few.
These projects don't work. They exacerbate the problems, and because of the handouts and tax breaks, they not only ruin it for those of us not "in on it" now, they work against any future generations possibly being able to make a life here. Detroit, which I've been referencing, besides that Renaissance Center in their downtown, you know what else is there? Vicious criminals, and Muslims on welfare. It is true.
By favoring a select few businesses, to the detriment of those trying to make it on their own, we are spending our hard-earned tax dollars to shoot ourselves in the foot. According to DOL, at any given moment, 1/3 of New Yorkers are working in businesses that did not exist 5 years before. New, small businesses are our lifeblood. Schenectady is cutting off that lifeblood. I am not even a small business owner, but I can see this. Perhaps Gary McCarthy cannot understand this, he never had a job outside of city government, to my knowledge. I think that he is being willfully ignorant. None of this helps us, it helps the few freeloaders involved. Answer me this: if these projects are so "good for" Schenectady, where is our increased share of all the money generated? People need to wake up.

p.s., it is our money, but McCheese won't tell us any details? Who the hell does he think he is?

Here are the details.

State St will be paved with gold from the Schenectady Community College to Erie Blvd.

For the 3 businesses that remain there.

Most of the properties will be given to the college.

Don't joke like that! It's probably what they have in mind already, but if it isn't, they might see this and think, "that sounds like a good idea"!

The article says there has been a 7 million dollar renovation, who's money was that? Where is the breakdown for this amount as to who paid what?       Another 20 plus year exemption on the horizon? All in all, nice way to divert attention from the other news story, you know, the bad one.