ROTTERDAM Redevelopment projects plod on BY JUSTIN MASON Gazette Reporter
The longest and arguably most visible sign of a stalled commercial redevelopment effort lies about a half-mile from the vacant CVSowned property, at the former Curry Road Shopping Center. Efforts to redevelop the plaza have dragged along since August 2007, when town officials voted to sell the property to a private developer proposing to build 94 two-bedroom condominiums and a modest streetfront retail space. During the early 1980s, the 77,000-square-foot plaza supported a Kmart and several businesses. When Kmart vacated the anchor store in 1989, the company tried to sublet its space to Price Chopper, while the owners of the plaza attempted to lease the store to Hannaford Brothers. The companies engaged in legal sparing for more than five years until Price Chopper bought the property outright in 1996. The Golub Corp., Price Chopper’s parent company, initially discussed moving offices to the plaza but faced difficulties during the planning process because of the property’s location on Curry Road. Instead, the badly deteriorated plaza remained largely vacant for nearly a decade until 2003, when Golub donated it to the town to establish a new government center. After mulling uses for the property for several years, the town decided to offer it for private development. They eventually awarded the redevelopment project to Polito-Columbia Properties LLC, which has since been negotiating a deal to move Golub’s print shop and a Trustco Bank — the only tenants remaining within the sprawling plaza. Dan Polito, a principal with the development group, said the deal to redevelop the property is still chugging forward, only slowly. He said the deal is complicated because the tenants need to be relocated and due to lingering environmental issues. For Immediate Release: October 10, 2012 Contact: Joe McQueen (51 388-4772
Former Curry Road Plaza Buildings to Face Wrecking Ball
Four New Buildings Planned for Vacant Retail Site
$20 Million Investment to Boost Rotterdam and Schenectady County
(Schenectady County, NY) The Town of Rotterdam will move forward today with the selection of a development team for the former Curry Road Plaza, a vacant 12-acre site on a busy corridor in Rotterdam. Plans call for razing the two existing buildings on the site to be replaced by four new buildings with a total new investment of $20 million. This project is a joint effort with Schenectady County and is another example of the progress made through the County’s unified economic development team. Earlier this year, the Town and County worked together to develop an RFP for the property which is owned by the Town.
#1) The town did NOT own the entire plaza - ever. Not even when that article was written in 2012. The plaza was actually divided into several parcels with the town, Trustco and another entity owning portions of it. #2) Previous proposals to redevelop the property fell through because the other entity held back on agreeing to sell its parcel(s), Without such an agreement, it was impossible to move forward on any of the previous proposals. #3) The other entity finally agreed to sell its parcel(s) and all the necessary steps were taken to complete the transfer of ownership of the parcels necessary to redevelop the parcel in late 2015. #4) The formal approval for the current proposal did not begin until late 2015.
So = in fact - Now that the major obstacle has been removed, the current proposal is moving along the planning and approval quite well now.
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
For Immediate Release: October 10, 2012 Contact: Joe McQueen (51 388-4772
Former Curry Road Plaza Buildings to Face Wrecking Ball
Four New Buildings Planned for Vacant Retail Site
$20 Million Investment to Boost Rotterdam and Schenectady County
(Schenectady County, NY) The Town of Rotterdam will move forward today with the selection of a development team for the former Curry Road Plaza, a vacant 12-acre site on a busy corridor in Rotterdam. Plans call for razing the two existing buildings on the site to be replaced by four new buildings with a total new investment of $20 million. This project is a joint effort with Schenectady County and is another example of the progress made through the County’s unified economic development team. Earlier this year, the Town and County worked together to develop an RFP for the property which is owned by the Town.
Town Supervisor Harry Buffardi said, “Curry Road Plaza has been an eyesore in Rotterdam for many years. Today we move ahead with a development team that will bring new life to this site with a mix of retail and senior housing. This will mean new jobs and investment in our community.”
Judy Dagostino, Chairwoman of the Schenectady County Legislature said, “This is great news for the residents of Rotterdam and Schenectady County. By working together with the Town, we are breathing new life into this long-time eyesore and creating something our residents can take pride in.”
Town officials today announced that a team headed by Forum Industries, Inc. of Clifton Park, NY and Whitney Capital Company LLC of Lake Success, NY has been selected to develop the site. The Forum-Whitney team will pay the Town $375,000 for the property.
The developers will present their project to the Town Board on October 10 with final approval expected on October 24th.
The winning development proposal includes plans for two buildings to be built on Curry Road. The two buildings will feature retail and office users – one building at 2,500 square feet and the other 4,000 square feet.
Behind the two new retail buildings that front on Curry Road, the Forum-Whitney Team plans to build two, three-story buildings totaling 120,000 square feet. The two buildings will feature 180 senior apartments with a mix of one and two bedroom units, business center, gym, outdoor patio and other amenities.
The developers plan to use green building methods to construct the new senior apartments. Approximately 2.5 acres of the 12 acre site will be preserved as a nature area with trails. Another .27 acres will be donated by the development team to the Rotterdam Fire District #2 for future expansions.
Andrew Sciocchetti, CEO and President of Forum Industries said, “We are excited about moving forward with the Town and County to redevelop Curry Road Plaza.”
Forum Industries develops and constructs commercial and multi-family residential units in Upstate New York. The firm most recently completed a 70 unit Affordable Senior Housing project in Clifton Park, and has two other local sites in development for senior housing. Mr. Sciocchetti also owns and operates AJS Masonry, Inc, a major construction subcontractor in the Capital Region.
Tom Granville, Managing Director of Whitney Capital Company LLC said "Our firm is excited about working with Forum Industries, the Town of Rotterdam and Schenectady County to bring new life to this site while also addressing the local need for senior rental housing.”
The principals of Whitney Capital Company LLC, Garry Munson and Tom Granville, have developed and retained an interest in over 5,000 units of multi-family housing nationwide. The firm's management affiliate, Whitney Management Corp, now manages New York senior housing communities in the City of Saratoga Springs, Amherst, Hamburg, Riverhead, Hampton Bays and Farmingdale.
The County’s economic development team has been successful in redeveloping a number of vacant or underutilized shopping plazas in Schenectady County including the former Capitol Plaza in Rotterdam, the former Kmart Plaza in Glenville, the former St. James Square in Niskayuna and the Crosstown Plaza in Schenectady.
Redevelopment of the Curry Road site is a major priority for the County’s economic development team. To make the site shovel ready for the new senior housing and retail project, extensive work has been completed in the last twenty four months to prepare the site for demolition and redevelopment. These activities were implemented by the Rotterdam IDA and later the Schenectady County IDA which is administered by Metroplex as part of the County’s unified economic development team.
The project developers will complete required State and local reviews with plans to begin demolition and site work in 2013.
Old news and the article does not tell the whole story such as the fact that the plaza was actually more than one parcel .. owned by more than one entity .. even after some of the plaza was "gifted" to the town. Old proposal and no longer relevant to the current situation.
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
Old news and the article does not tell the whole story such as the fact that the plaza was actually more than one parcel .. owned by more than one entity .. even after some of the plaza was "gifted" to the town. Old proposal and no longer relevant to the current situation.
So why would town and county officials in October of 2012 announce that Curry Rd Plaza was on track to be demolished and redeveloped? Did Trusco buy property in the plaza AFTER this announcement?
Actually, my question was rhetorical. I know why in October they announce these major redevelopment projects that never have plans to be completed - because it's a few weeks until election.
During the month of October, you can always count on a story in the news about redeveloping Draper School, Curry Rd Plaza, and Hamburg St. Looking at the shape of Rottetfam Square Mall, I have a hunch that RSM will be added to the Rotterdam "redevelopment" political news cycle in October 2016.
So why would town and county officials in October of 2012 announce that Curry Rd Plaza was on track to be demolished and redeveloped? Did Trusco buy property in the plaza AFTER this announcement?
Actually, my question was rhetorical. I know why in October they announce these major redevelopment projects that never have plans to be completed - because it's a few weeks until election.
During the month of October, you can always count on a story in the news about redeveloping Draper School, Curry Rd Plaza, and Hamburg St. Looking at the shape of Rottetfam Square Mall, I have a hunch that RSM will be added to the Rotterdam "redevelopment" political news cycle in October 2016.
No, Trustco was never the stumbling block. In fact, the new Trustco Bamk was approved over a year ago and the only thing holding it up was the "other entity" which owned the parcels of the plaza that were NOT owned by the town or Trustco. As for announcing projects, a lot of projects - private and public - get announced but don't necessarily come to fruition. The biggest obstacle to moving forward with any project at the Curry Road Plaza was resolved in late 2015. So the chances that the newest proposal will materialize looks very good.
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
I thought this thread was regarding Sunmark Federal Credit Union development of the old Friendly's restaurant on Altamont Avenue which is a positive plan for the town. It has nothing to do with the re development of the former Curry Rd shopping center. Move on to a new thread.
So why would town and county officials in October of 2012 announce that Curry Rd Plaza was on track to be demolished and redeveloped? Did Trusco buy property in the plaza AFTER this announcement?
Actually, my question was rhetorical. I know why in October they announce these major redevelopment projects that never have plans to be completed - because it's a few weeks until election.
During the month of October, you can always count on a story in the news about redeveloping Draper School, Curry Rd Plaza, and Hamburg St. Looking at the shape of Rottetfam Square Mall, I have a hunch that RSM will be added to the Rotterdam "redevelopment" political news cycle in October 2016.
EXACTLY!!! That's why politicians are all slime balls!!!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
I thought this thread was regarding Sunmark Federal Credit Union development of the old Friendly's restaurant on Altamont Avenue which is a positive plan for the town. It has nothing to do with the re development of the former Curry Rd shopping center. Move on to a new thread.
Sorry...Yay! Sunmark is opening a branch 2 miles from the Broadway branch. Big victory for Rotterdam.
Sorry...Yay! Sunmark is opening a branch 2 miles from the Broadway branch. Big victory for Rotterdam.
One is in the city, one in the town. In your warped sense of logic, maybe that isn't a big deal, but for them, it is - and it's a SCORE for Rotterdam
We are advised NOT to judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works.
Sorry I don't share in your excitement. Sunmark had a branch around that same location years ago - and they closed it.
The past is over and done with. Nobody can change it. Folks need to start living in the present while planning for and looking forward to the future.
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
Sorry I don't share in your excitement. Sunmark had a branch around that same location years ago - and they closed it.
Oh? Where?
We are advised NOT to judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works.
388-4772
Logged
