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SCHENECTADY
Council learns project is dead Developer wanted to rehab former Robinson’s site
BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter

    The project that was supposed to spark the redevelopment of lower State Street has fallen apart, leaving the city with a gaping hole in the block and no firm plans on how to fill it.
    The proposed catalyst project for the block was to be the renovation of the three large Robinson’s Furniture buildings, turning the top stories into luxury apartments with firstfloor retail and cafes facing a wide courtyard leading to State Street.
    But after the three buildings started to pancake last fall, those plans turned to dust as well, Metroplex Development Chairman Ray Gillen confirmed on Monday.
    The buildings began to collapse while workers were removing asbestos in preparation for the renovation project. No one was hurt, but the city had to demolish the entire complex.
    Metroplex officials tried to persuade developer Mark Boss to go forward with the project, but he wanted to renovate, not build a new structure, Gillen said.
    “We talked to Mark many times. He was very upset that the building was lost,” Gillen said. “There are renovation people and there are buildnew people. He wanted to renovate.”
    Schenectady City Council members were surprised to learn Monday that the project would not go forward. Although the deal has apparently been dead for months, the council only found out when Metroplex asked to buy the property from the city so the agency could better market it to new developers.
    The original plan was announced with much fanfare last year, and when the buildings collapsed, Gillen told the council that Boss was determined to complete his project anyway.
    Gillen described that project as the critical fi rst step in persuading other developers to invest in lower State Street and predicted that it would have nearly as much impact as Proctors had on its block of State Street.
    But Metroplex Executive Director Jayme Lahut told the council Monday that it should have been obvious that the collapse would kill the project.
    “The developer was interested in a renovation of that building. Obviously the building isn’t standing anymore, so they’re not interested,” he said.
STARTING OVER
    Reached later, Gillen said he has several other developers interested in the lot. However, Metroplex is back at square one. The board must decide what it wants on the site before any proposals can be considered. “We could sell it tomorrow. The question is best use. Offices? Residential?” he said. “We have to have discussions with the board and the city and the county.”
Lahut said he’s confident the land will be redeveloped easily.
“It’s a very good-sized parcel. There are many potential uses,” he said. “It has access to Erie and State. It’s a unique location.”
    In committee, the council agreed to sell the parcel to Metroplex for $1 in exchange for a 50-50 split of any proceeds when Metroplex sells the lot. The agency will also give a small piece of the land to Ed Zemeck so he can build handicap-accessible bathrooms behind the Silver Diner, which he is restoring. The diner cannot reopen as a restaurant until it meets the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
    The council will take a formal vote on the deal next Monday.
    Gillen said taking ownership of the parcel is the first step toward marketing it, but said he doesn’t expect to announce a new project for the site in the immediate future.
    This is at least the third time that plans to reuse the Robinson’s site have fallen apart since the city took the building in a tax foreclosure in 1997. It has been vacant for 15 years.
    Robinson’s Furniture Co. was a family business and a downtown fixture for 51 years. The store opened in 1944 as a small shop with 1,600 square feet of space. Numerous expansions followed as the company expanded to 80,000 square feet.
    By 1969, the Robinson Furniture Co. occupied three buildings, stretching side-by-side from 238 to 252 State St.
    The store closed in May 1995, when Richard Robinson announced that he could not continue the business due to health problems.

Um .... FirstPrize Construction was to use it for offices - that was the plan ... when did it change back to a diner plan?

I KNEW something was stinking - I just couldn't smell which direction it was coming from. I should have known it was emanating from 433 State St.

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The agency will also give a small piece of the land to Ed Zemeck so he can build handicap-accessible bathrooms behind the Silver Diner, which he is restoring. The diner cannot reopen as a restaurant until it meets the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

GIVE? Am I reading this correctly? GIVE some land to this developer?  A city in tax shambles with a deficit is GIVING land away? And I don't really care how small it is....the city can NOT afford to give anything  away!!!

And I agree MT..If I remember correctly it was suppose to be rehabed for office space for this guy Zemeck.

I guess, from what I'm finding here, the "Diner" was always planned to be re-opened as a "diner", although it DOES say "use it for offices at least temporarily, THEN "find a way to reopen it as a diner".

Convenient that the Robinson's building came down, eh?  Seems like it was perfect timing.

Not bad, he bought the diner for $1, he's getting land GIVEN to him for expansion.  Anyone want to take bets on how long before this is up for sale AFTER it's re-habbed?



August 18, 2008:

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Gillen said Prize Construction Inc. President Edward Zemeck needs more land in back of the Silver Diner on Erie Boulevard in order to make good on his plans to not only rehab the art deco diner, but to build another restaurant in the back.

June 6, 2008:

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    Last year the city, after rejecting previous offers from Zemeck, allowed him in to survey the stainless steel rail diner and see if 1) it could be saved structurally and 2) it could be reused as a diner. The conclusion was yes to the first question and no to the second — at least in its current shape, because the bathrooms are in the basement and not handicapped-accessible. (There is apparently no provision for getting around the Americans with Disabilities Act, even for historic landmarks, although there should be.)
    Zemeck, who is a contractor specializing in historic renovations, plans to use the diner for his business office, at least temporarily, keeping the counter and other diner elements intact. Sounds like a fun place to work, with or without food. He will also apply to have the 1936 structure listed on the National Register of Historic Places, where it definitely belongs.

June 3, 2008:

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    City and county officials announced Monday that Ed Zemeck will buy the Silver Diner from the city for $1. He plans to restore it inside and out and then use it as his engineering office until he can fi nd a way to reopen it as a diner.

Am I reading this wrong here? These issues, such as the Metroplex developments, get discussed and presented at the 'committee meetings'. Correct? THEN it goes before the city council for a 'yea' or 'nay' vote. Correct?

So where and when doES the public get to state their input? Where is the question/answer period between the 'people' and the city officials? WHEN ARE THE PEOPLE'S CONCERNS AND SUGGESTIONS ACTUALLY ACCEPTED AS A PART OF THE DECISION MAKING?

Quoted from bumblethru

Am I reading this wrong here? These issues, such as the Metroplex developments, get discussed and presented at the 'committee meetings'. Correct? THEN it goes before the city council for a 'yea' or 'nay' vote. Correct?

So where and when doES the public get to state their input? Where is the question/answer period between the 'people' and the city officials? WHEN ARE THE PEOPLE'S CONCERNS AND SUGGESTIONS ACTUALLY ACCEPTED AS A PART OF THE DECISION MAKING?

Oh, is that supposed to happen?  I thought sheeple just took what was fed to them.

I usually try to refrain from commenting on City of Schenectady issues but I'm going to wade in a little on this
one.  I simply don't see the conspiracy implied in other posts with respect to the diner.  From all I've read in
the past, Mr. Zemeck is doing the city a favor by fixing up that eyesore of a diner, no matter what it's used
for.  The city has already essentially committed to the diner site and facilitating what they envision with a small piece of the other property doesn't seem problematic to me.

I also think that despite the plans for the Robinson site falling through that the parcel will be desireable to
someone else with the wherewithal to develop it.

The thing that struck me is the seeming surprise announcement by Metroplex that the deal was dead after
past assurances.  Seemed oddly similar to the Big House scenario.  There don't appear to be enough checks
and balances on what Metroplex is doing.

Quoted from Michael

I usually try to refrain from commenting on City of Schenectady issues but I'm going to wade in a little on this one.  I simply don't see the conspiracy implied in other posts with respect to the diner.  From all I've read in the past, Mr. Zemeck is doing the city a favor by fixing up that eyesore of a diner, no matter what it's used for.  The city has already essentially committed to the diner site and facilitating what they envision with a small piece of the other property doesn't seem problematic to me.

Oh, I totally agree.  I disagree however with the manner it was handled. The PERCEPTION, what people understood, was that this structure would be used for offices for his construction company.  I think the last thing we need is another metroplex funded restaurant, gin joint, cocktail lounge.

I also disagree with him purchasing the property for $1 - and likely will receive the parking area/restroom area for $1 also. Then Metroplex will contribute (speculation) facade grants, loans, unsecured grants, just to get the place going again, only to have the owner bail out in a couple years.

Quoted from Michael

I also think that despite the plans for the Robinson site falling through that the parcel will be desireable to someone else with the wherewithal to develop it.

That parcel is useless without sufficient parking in the rear of the building, or a parking garage on the first floor. I would hope that "planners and developers" at Metroplex (they have those right?) are planning for easy access to a parking lot for the building and that the piece "sold" to the diner aren't in the way of easy access.

Quoted from Michael

The thing that struck me is the seeming surprise announcement by Metroplex that the deal was dead after past assurances.  Seemed oddly similar to the Big House scenario.  There don't appear to be enough checks and balances on what Metroplex is doing.

Exactly what a lot of us have been saying for a long time. There are NO checks and balances.  Items get approved, with no public comment, no set guidelines for acceptance/rejection and no state audits to protect the taxpayer monies.

Short of tearing down every single building in the 2 blocks of state street and rebuilding again, it clearly does not appear that too much will change. First of all, the buldings downtown were built and designed for 50+ years ago. There were not as many cars or population. Businesses were not open 24/7.  890 was not even in existence 'back in the day'. And CRIME wasn't as rampant or as out of control as it is today.

The mindset was different. Economics were different. Downtown was the 'hub' and center of the county. It isn't that any longer. 'Back in the day', there was no where else to go. The 2 blocks of state street was it. Well that is not the case today. People are going to Colonie and Saratoga to shop, go to a movie and have dinner. That also was not heard of back then.

So in my opinion, they are just beating a very very very expensive dead horse!

Mobile,

you must have one hell of a nose. You could tell the smell eminating from 433 State Street?

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Mobile,

you must have one hell of a nose. You could tell the smell eminating from 433 State Street?

Ya, it's the smell of roses and bullshit - now that I can officially say I don't live in the city any longer I can tell you it's gotten a LOT better in my neighborhood.  Imagine living right around the corner from there??

ooooowh, yuck.....

Quoted from 147

Exactly what a lot of us have been saying for a long time. There are NO checks and balances.  Items get approved, with no public comment, no set guidelines for acceptance/rejection and no state audits to protect the taxpayer monies.

You are exactly correct MT.