Planning Commission Agenda for March 2, 2010 Approval of the Summary of Minutes for February 16, 2010
1. Crossroads Center for Children – Rotterdam Industrial Park Building 50. The applicant requests a Waiver of Site Plan review to renovate ±17,500 square feet of existing office space (Former NYSDEC Region #4 Headquarters) into a school for autistic children with approximately 60-80 students
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
Who proposed it? Is it a state agency that will be overseeing it? Who will pay for it?
And personally, I don't see why they would pick an 'industrial park', for these kids. IMHO
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
Who would cite a school in an industrial complex? While the Draper School sits vacant and Golub and Galesi are stating that there's no room for expansion in the Rotterdam Industrial Park, we are approving the use of 17,500 sq feet of office space for a special needs school? Where will the kids engage in outdoor activities and sports, in the asphalt parking lot dodging between tractor trailers?
I wonder how/why a school for autistic children is targeted for the Town of Rotterdam. Do we have a higher number of autistic children in our population than surrounding areas?
What town or county politician is sponsoring/promoting this project?
Does this use comply with the Town Comp plan? Is the Rotterdam IDA or the Metroplex involved in this project? We have some real experts (tic) in economic development at the town and county level to allow such a plan to proceed. I guess that it's true that everything (everyone) has a price. IMHO
# Total Space Available: 35,000 SF # Rental Rate: $8.50 /SF/Year # Property Type: Industrial # Property Sub-type: Warehouse # Additional Sub-types: Distribution Warehouse # Building Size: 81,000 SF
Description
Rotterdam Corporate Park is situated on 245 acres. The Park consists of 31 warehouse buildings totaling over 4.5 million square feet with approximately 100,000 sq. ft. of office space. Development opportunities include 18 shovel-ready acres for build-to-suit facilities.
AVAILABLE SQ. FT.: Approximately 35,000 square feet FIRST FLOOR: Approximately 26,000 square feet SECOND FLOOR: Approximately 9,000 square feet
Rumor on the street is that Santabarbara, who has an autistic child, is responsible for this school being proposed for the Rotterdam Industrial Park. The location is reportedly close to his home.
Was this part of a deal between him and the County (and state) Dems? Leave the Republican party and we will assist you in bringing a school for autistic children to your home town. Where are the details of this proposal of which few apparently are aware?
IF the children are being used as political bargaining chips, the pols should be ashamed of themselves.
That's pretty low, FactOrFiction. I have family members with Autism Spectrum Disorder. I want what's best for them. If that means being bussed to Albany, then so be it. I'm sure Angelo Santabarbara feels the same way.
His $14K a year salary, and all the extra work he puts in the job, is all so he can have a school close to his house for his son? You're deranged, and should be ashamed of yourself to the fullest extent.
ROTTERDAM Crossroads Center will get new home Main break ruined classrooms at school for autistic youth BY JUSTIN MASON Gazette Reporter
Months after a water main leak ruined its classrooms, the Crossroads Center for Children finally has a home to call its own. The nonprofit school for autistic youth has agreed to lease space in the former regional headquarters of the state Department of Environmental Conservation at the Galesi Group’s Rotterdam Corporate Park. The center will occupy about 18,000 square feet of the building, allowing it to again bring its classrooms and administrative offices under one roof. “We’re certainly excited to be getting back into a real home,” said Kelly Young, the school’s executive director. Young said the center plans to invest about $3.5 million over the duration of the 12-year lease of the space. She said this includes improvements to the building and renovating its space into classrooms. The school formerly shared space with the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake school district at the Hostetter Administrative Building in Glenville. The building housed the Glenhaven Elementary School until the 1980s and served as an ideal location for the center. But in November 2008, an early-morning water main break in the building left many of the center’s classrooms inundated with water. To make matters worse, the broken main dislodged asbestos insulation, thereby complicating the cleanup effort. Since the flood, Crossroads has used space in the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd on Route 50. But the church was only large enough to fit the classrooms, leaving the school’s administration to seek space several miles away in another building. “It’s been tough on the staff,” she said. “We’re anxious to be in a facility that’s going to look and feel like a school.” Not that the school isn’t appreciative of the space it had in the church. Wendy Whitman, the president of Crossroads’ Board of Trustees, said everyone is grateful to the church for their help in the school’s time of need. “Now we look to the future as we continue to provide highquality, behaviorally based programming for our students on the autism spectrum and their families,” she said.” Young said the location in Rotterdam is also more ideal for the center’s 50 students and their families, who reside in 35 different school districts and eight counties across the Capital Region. The location is off North Westcott Road, a short distance away from Rotterdam’s exit off the state Thruway. Renovations will take about three months. Young said she’s hoping to move into the building sometime before the center’s summer program begins in July. Word of the move also comes as welcome news to the parents of autistic children unable to enroll in the school due to space limitations at its location in the church. Schenectady County Legislator Angelo Santabarbara’s 8-year-old son Michael will attend the school this summer after being on a waiting list for months. “I’m so happy they’re able to make this move,” he said. “It’s a great thing.” ................>>>>....................>>>>.....................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r01502&AppName=1
Big problem with that building MOLD!! Needs to be addressed in the renovations before anyone goes into it again. FOIL DEC and you'll get the facts.
If the mold problems can be addressed, then it's a nice setting for the kids. Secure and there is some green space for them to play in. Even wildlife sightings occasionally. Family of foxes, turkeys and a stray deer. Close to the library.
I don't want the kids to suffer like many employees did with allergies to mold and a roof that leaked. At one point employees had a kiddy pool on the second floor to catch the water coming in. Not a desirable location for kids unless these issues are properly addressed.
Price Chopper did occupy the other half of the building. It's not cost-effective to splinter your operations all over Rotterdam.
There has been a mold problem for years and years at the industrial park. Especially in those make-shift offices. If ya can break through the political bureaucracy, someone should do a soil check in the entire park also. These were old storage facilities from WWII.
I'm sure that if someone dug deep enough, they would find more than 'allergies' being a problem!
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
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