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
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
SCHENECTADY Reluctant relocation approved Roundabout may force out adult bookstore BY MICHAEL GOOT Gazette Reporter
The owner of the Another World adult bookstore can relocate from Erie Boulevard to lower Broadway should a proposed roundabout require his current location’s demolition. The Schenectady Planning Commission on Wednesday approved a proposal by owner Rocco Palmer to construct a 1,200-square-foot addition and renovate the building at 1354 Broadway, which he owns. Relocation of the store is necessary if a traffic roundabout is constructed as part of a $14 million makeover of Erie Boulevard set to begin construction next year. The Schenectady City Council has not given final approval to the roundabout plan. However, in June, it gave authority for engineers to start buying the affected properties — Another World and Special Arms & Munitions. Palmer owns both properties. Palmer is going to delay any relocation until the council’s fi nal action. He said he does not want to move, but he said the city is forcing his hand. He believes city officials selected the roundabout option that would force Another World from that location. Palmer was carrying around a stack of letters that have been sent to the city from nearby businesses opposing the roundabout plan, citing that they believe it’s a waste of money that will eat up valuable parking spaces and is not proven to improve traffi c. “Why shove it down their throat if they don’t want it?” he said. The roundabout would also require that K&K Steel, which used to operate under the name National Welding & Fabrication, relocate from the 1354 Broadway property it has leased for 14 years to make way for the new Another World.
Gripes spur traffic change Erie Blvd. businesses felt left out with proposed plan BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter
That late-night burger will be within reach even after a roundabout and a park-like median changes traffic along Erie Boulevard, according to the revised plans for the street. Drivers would be able to whip around the median to the east side of Erie Boulevard via a U-turn just before the I-890 entrance. The change has been proposed in response to a stack of written complaints from nearly every business owner on the street. Most of the angry comments centered on the fact that customers heading south on Erie Boulevard from State Street could not get to Lyle’s Hoagies, Wendy’s Restaurant, the First National Bank of Scotia or any of the other businesses on the far left-hand side of the street. They would have to drive past, enter Interstate 890, and create their own U-turn back onto Erie Boulevard by crossing five lanes of traffi c. Response from the business owners ranged from polite — “This will be extremely inconvenient,” wrote Mark Ferry of 120 Erie Blvd. — to infuriated. “I think it is a HUGE WASTE OF MONEY and will accomplish nothing,” wrote Sabrina Heilman of AFLAC, 112 Erie Blvd. “With no easy way to access this side of the street coming from State Street, this will force businesses to move.” Schenectady City Council members indicated last week that they, too, aren’t eager to support the plan as written. Mayor Brian U. Stratton said he’s gotten the message. A new draft already in the works will be done within weeks and will be presented in early September. “You’ll see some significant changes,” he said. “We are providing accommodations. Many of their concerns and observations have been taken into consideration as we fine-tune the plan.” The plan still includes a roundabout at South Ferry Street and a wide, park-like median in the center of the boulevard. Business owners have been generally supportive of the city’s goal of improving aesthetics on the boulevard, which is so wide and bare that it is often likened to an airport runaway. Stratton said the aesthetics are his main focus. “Erie Boulevard is the most recognizable and significant entrance to the city,” he said. “It really is oversized. It’s really about making the city beautiful again.” City Council President Margaret King is supporting the plan for that reason. “I like it,” she said. “I think it’s going to make a much nicer entrance to the city.” Other council members said they want to see the project go forward, but expressed frustration at the lack of information they’ve been given on the controversial issue. Stratton and his engineers have not briefed the council as a whole, although some members have been given private, one-on-one briefings and King was named to the mayor’s committee to work on the plan. She is the only council member directly involved with the planning. Councilman Gary McCarthy said the process was orchestrated to force the council to accept a design without making any changes. “The council has to approve it, but the mechanism has completely bypassed the council. The council should have a more integral role,” he said. “You’ve got to be realistic — it’s too far along in the process. The council’s going to be forced to rubber-stamp it.” Councilman Mark Blanchfield asked if there is a solution to the business owners’ complaints. “It’s a legitimate concern, but I’m not a traffic engineer,” he said. “I’m at a bit of a loss to come up with a constructive response.” Councilman Thomas Della Sala agreed, saying that if he has to vote on a project that every property owner objects to, he needs to know that the plan is necessary. “When the whole community is against something, I’d like to know we’re doing the right thing. The public isn’t always right — sometimes you have to do things because they’re the right thing to do. I’d like to know if this is,” he said. Councilman Joseph Allen is convinced that the roundabout plan should be thrown out. “There’s a list of different businesses that are on Erie Boulevard that are 100 percent against it. So why is this in the plans?” he said. “It creates problems for the business owners. I’m not in favor of it, never have been in favor of it from the first time I saw it.” The roundabout plan has also generated controversy because the city would have to make space for the large rotary by demolishing an adult bookstore and a gun shop near South Ferry Street. Owner Rocco Palmer has publicly said that he thinks the roundabout was designed solely to get rid of his Another World bookstore. He would move to lower Broadway if the city takes his property through eminent domain.
Skip Erie Boulevard roundabout, fix city streets instead
I hate roundabouts [July 17 Gazette]! I used to live in New England, and even they learned that these impediments to traffic were not a safe way to control traffic, and have removed them from their highways. Anyone who has traveled Route 67 at the I-87 interchange near Route 9 has experienced the nightmare of traveling through the “loop de loops” there. Now some idiots want to waste $14 million to add a “loop de loop” to Erie Boulevard in Schenectady. Ain’t that great? — the only block of street in the city that is open and smooth enough to drive on, except Victory Avenue and half of Glenwood Boulevard. How about the millions of dollars spent to rebuild those areas? Schenectady streets are in deplorable condition. You can’t drive on Erie Boulevard north of State Street without blowing a shock absorber. How about coming off I-890 at Broadway and turning right to go to Proctors? Welcome to Schenectady. Maybe turn right onto Millard, Veeder, and Nott Terrace to go to the new Hampton Inn, or to Union College. Perhaps you could travel on Albany Street or even Union Street, Van Vranken Avenue or Lenox Road, only to name a few. Fourteen million might not fix all the streets in Schenectady, but it certainly would do a lot more good than the proposed changes to lower Erie Boulevard. Smoother streets can mean a better ride, a safer ride, with less damage to vehicles. It also can mean a quieter neighborhood, as residents don’t have to listen to all the racket caused by cars, trucks and buses bouncing over all the bumps and potholes. Life is bumpy enough without having to face the bumps of Schenectady streets! This could also improve gas mileage. I ask the city council to consider this “loop de loop” proposal in light of the condition of our city streets in general. Do you really want to spend this much money this way? Even if the $14 million can’t be redirected to the city streets, do you really want show the citizens of your city that you can waste so much money on such a ridiculous project? ED HUTCHINSON Scotia
Vision of Schenectady leaders shouldn’t be limited to roundabouts
For a city trying so hard to reinvigorate and redefine its relevancy in the Capital Region, the debate over Erie Boulevard’s $14 million redevelopment has turned into a symbolic exchange of egos vs. economics — of publicly elected decision-makers against financially driven business owners. The only common ground between them is the pressure that positive and progressive change must happen soon or else political seats will be lost and businesses will be closed. How ironic it is, then, that Clough Harbour & Associate’s proposed roundabout has become the crux of most arguments for and against the new street design. According to their Web page, on which the reconstruction project is revealed, the aesthetics of the new Erie Boulevard should “present an image of a progressive, changing and forward looking city;” so, for some reason, they propose an endless, circuitous and indirect roundabout. They decide upon a traffic design that, by its very definition, implies deviation and evasion. Which leads one to wonder: Do our public officials actually have an honest and direct vision for Schenectady? Both Mayor Brian Stratton and Councilwoman Peggy King admitted in a July 19 article [“Gripes spur traffic change”] that aesthetics is the main reason they support Clough Harbour’s proposal despite the opposition (mainly business owners). I certainly hope Erie Boulevard doesn’t become Schenectady’s $14 million stoop that greets passersby to empty buildings and vacant lots. Sorry, mayor and councilwoman, but aesthetics will not reinvigorate a city. Schenectady’s vitality will come from business. The vision of Schenectady needs to be more direct, such as: To become leaders in renewable energy or leaders in technological innovation. Both of these visions allow for a range of business and community possibilities. They take advantage of existing resources while inviting new ideas. It also lets politicians and business leaders make better decisions, ones that will satisfy all sectors of society. Aesthetics cannot be Schenectady’s brand; if it is, Erie Boulevard will remain nothing more than a poplarlined thoroughfare to the suburbs. The mayor, city council and anybody else involved in this decision needs to get off the roundabout sometime soon and start working with businesses to make Schenectady viable. Re-evaluate the city’s vision and act accordingly. Just don’t let the ugly aesthetic of big egos obstruct the view forward. The modern world can be neither lighted nor hauled in a roundabout. JONATHAN J. MARKOWICZ Glenville
Wow, thank you Mr. Markowicz for such an articulate article! Very well said. But do we think the democratic dictatorship will listen?
Quoted Text
.....the debate over Erie Boulevard’s $14 million redevelopment has turned into a symbolic exchange of egos vs. economics — of publicly elected decision-makers against financially driven business owners. The only common ground between them is the pressure that positive and progressive change must happen soon or else political seats will be lost and businesses will be closed.
This clearly hit the nail right on the head.
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
really these drive arounds are very hard indeed people, to drive through for the elderly and some women drivers and myself, with the longer wheelbase I have may have a few of the problems some other drivers may get, when usually I am a good driver. HAveing gone around these up north last year I found my tires scraped on the curb and believe you me, I was not pleased. Accidents can happen when the cars get to close as well, people.
well I am sincerely telling the truth of such matters my friend, be honest that when the wife gets behind the wheel and you are in the passenger's side, you wish there was a brake pedal down there by the right foot under the glove compartment. Hah? No? I see a smile and a laugh on your face and you know I am right there my man! Don't tell the wife you are thinking it or she hits ya with the cast iron pan on thehead or worse- the rolling pin! But this is what makes us love our wives so much anyway that they can be so cute with things like this over here or trouble driving on round-robins or whatever it is these here are called. Me I have the trouble since I have the long wheelbase on the car. Give me a sports car or a nice Corrvette for the day and I will be Mario Andretti.
Erie Boulevard, Schenectady wants to be Broadway, Saratoga — a pleasant, vibrant and enterprising urban gateway [July 20 Gazette]! An urban conference including architects, urban planners, developers, investors, educators, city and citizens should convene immediately to create a futuristic vision for this historical venue. Housing, offices, Tech Valley, education and retail in new buildings around 10 stories high would provide a comfortable scale, complementing wide, tree-lined sidewalks made for strolling. The focus must be broad and far-reaching instead of just planning for auto traffic. Perhaps a center median could include light rail transit. At any rate, traffic engineers should not be leading this immensely important effort Saying it’s about roundabouts (a trendy panacea), or the boulevard being oversized and not pretty, is thinking with blinders on. A U-turn negates a roundabout. A straightline thoroughfare, parallel parking next to new structures, keeping the planning traditional and classic vs. pseudo suburban will provide a lasting solution. Any money must be used wisely and include an urban conference. We need to spend more time up front with professional dialogue, and less with a rush-to-judgment attitude. MICHAEL DZIARNOWSKI Schenectady
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