Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

I would personally prefer to see all buildings in the town have a northern european gothic or norman style
of design ---- stone walls ... narrow windows  .. towers  ....

we shood have a tower of roterdam where we keep our insain and those infit for sosiety

Quoted from gaiaworshipper

DVR you are correct (and I can speak on this matter as I am a licensed Architect) the trend is wood panelized construction due to first cost and is allowed for this construction type as long as it meets other NYS building code requirements.  What I was attempting to state is that since financial incentives were given to this buisness to have it constructed someone should have had a say in it to make sure the building has some future value to the people of Rotterdam, if the recovery room does not work out.  This building is a first cost building not a building built for the best intrests of future potential users.

Unfortunately, I believe that a lot of developers are more interested in cost than in the best interests of
future users.  

My major complaint about the whole project is that there doesn't seem to have been any provision made
for trees and landscaping.   Although, it is possible that they will do that work in the spring.

In rotterdam, 50 years ago, the capital plaza was probably the first 'mall'. And it was rather large for it's location. However, rotterdam's infrastructure could handle that kind of development.

Today rotterdam has changed significantly. There clearly was no vision for future development.....EVER! So stores and businesses popped up here and there and residential housing popped up here and there. No plan, no vision, no comp plan. The area of the old capital plaza that is surrounded by residential, a banquet hall, a motel, a super center super market, a couple of banks, a small grocery store and being the rotterdam gateway to altamont ave......the capital plaza should have been replace with a round-a-bout.

Again.....no vision for the future. ALL of rotterdam is nothing more than 2 lane streets. It is pretty much filled to capacity now. Rotterdam needed a better, updated idea for it's increased flow of traffic.

Rotterdam is ever changing.....yet remarkably stays the same! IMHO of course.

Quoted from bumblethru

In rotterdam, 50 years ago, the capital plaza was probably the first 'mall'. And it was rather large for it's location. However, rotterdam's infrastructure could handle that kind of development.

Today rotterdam has changed significantly. There clearly was no vision for future development.....EVER! So stores and businesses popped up here and there and residential housing popped up here and there. No plan, no vision, no comp plan. The area of the old capital plaza that is surrounded by residential, a banquet hall, a motel, a super center super market, a couple of banks, a small grocery store and being the rotterdam gateway to altamont ave......the capital plaza should have been replace with a round-a-bout.

Again.....no vision for the future. ALL of rotterdam is nothing more than 2 lane streets. It is pretty much filled to capacity now. Rotterdam needed a better, updated idea for it's increased flow of traffic.

Rotterdam is ever changing.....yet remarkably stays the same! IMHO of course.

I think you are dead on with your comments!

Capitol Plaza was ugly even when it was relatively new.  the way the parking lot dipped down so
low on one end .. never made any sense.   And given that it was built at a time when there was
loads of open space in the town ... it didn't make sense to build it where there was such problems
with drainage.

So - IMHO - the new buildings are aesthetically an improvement over what it is replacing -- though
the new building is still far from ideal.

Quoted from joebxr

I think you are dead on with your comments!

Thank you!
Rotterdamians can only support so many businesses. Let's face it, almost all of altamont ave is supported by the 'city'. They are either bused in or enter by cab. Hannaford plaza/walmart would not exist today if not for the city folk. Mallozzi's is clearly not supported by rotterdamians alone. Their banquet hall is just that. And people will come from outside rotterdam for it's service.

If rotterdamians could support all of the businesses in rotterdam, hamburg street would still be bustling and the old grand union would not be empty. And the old curry road plaza would still be flourishing. It really doesn't take a rocket scientist here to figure it out!

The capital plaza location should have been a roundabout to help the flow of traffic on these 2 lane streets in rotterdam.

Stuyvesant Plaza was opened in November 1959 .. and I believe qualifies as the oldest "mall"
in the Capitol District.

Colonie Center and Latham Circle Mall were still a few years off (mid 1960's) ... Mohawk Mall opened
around   1969 or 1970.

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

Stuyvesant Plaza was opened in November 1959 .. and I believe qualifies as the oldest "mall"
in the Capitol District.

Colonie Center and Latham Circle Mall were still a few years off (mid 1960's) ... Mohawk Mall opened
around   1969 or 1970.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Stuyvesant Plaza is a major shopping plaza and office complex in the US state of New York's Capital District. It is located in the town of Guilderland, Albany County, on Western Avenue (US 20), near the south end of the Adirondack Northway, I-87. The shopping plaza opened in 1959,[1] making it the second oldest in the Capital Region, after Westgate Plaza.

I did not see SIPS being put up, but I did see 2x4 stud walls going up. I didn't see the plans, and it didn't look like a so-called 'panelized' pieces were being laid in place. I may have missed it because I didn't drive by those days. By the traditional wood framing which from a distance appeared to be 24 O.C. it just looks like what would be called "smart-framing" for energy efficiency. Maybe they used SIPS for the roof but I would be surprised since the cost is pretty high. They are using hardi-board cement board, which is nice, but overall the look of the place is butt ugly and there is no synergy or correlation between the bank and the tavern. Outside the siding option, It seems like they are building this building to bare minimum code specs. They must figure it has a life of about 20 years tops and then it gets the wrecking ball. As far as Gothic design standards, I think DV is making a joke. If not then I am truly afraid of what will happen to the town when he has something to say about it.

Quoted from 795

or hold it four a realy long time

hold it for a really long time? let's take a positive attitude and hope that this gin mill brings in some real revenue. let's also hope that incentives are developed to bring more small businesses into rotterdam to create alot of competition.....

if the traffic is too much save your travel for xmas morning

Quoted from tdonovan

hold it for a really long time? let's take a positive attitude and hope that this gin mill brings in some real revenue. let's also hope that incentives are developed to bring more small businesses into rotterdam to create alot of competition.....

The Recovery Room is more than a gin mill - it is a restaurant as well.  Having said that I hope it does well.

I agree that we need to do more to attract and encourage small businesses.   We also need to do something
to attract some "big draw" type businesses to Rotterdam Square Mall and the shopping area across the
way.   Mohawk Commons is thriving -- Rotterdam needs to revitalize its shopping areas.

Quoted Text

Quoted from Bumblethru:

....the capital plaza should have been replace with a round-a-bout.

Again.....no vision for the future. ALL of rotterdam is nothing more than 2 lane streets. It is pretty much filled to capacity now. Rotterdam needed a better, updated idea for it's increased flow of traffic.

The same holds true for the intersection of Routes 7 and 20 in Duanesburg where the former Checkmarks Realty building
,which became an eyesore, was demolished and the contaminated soil (it was formerly a gas station) was removed.  The Schenectady county planners, working with Metroplex, initially wanted to construct a Sheriff's Department building.  The lot was too small to support a building with sufficient parking.  The ingress and egress would have been dangerous.  The parcel was eventually given to the town for a veterans' park.  

I have urged that it be reserved for the future construction of a roundabout because as one of the busiest intersections in Duanesburg, it will become more necessary to aid the flow of traffic as the town expands.

Let's not get too excited with the Recovery Room menu...it's bar food, plain and simple.
I've been to two of them and yes, the atmosphere is great for sports, but the food is a step down from AppleBees and that isn't saying much. Inside work always takes the most time as well as hiring staff.
I'd say being ready by super bowl sunday is optimistic..March Madness is more like it.

Macy's is the ONLY upscale business in rotterdam. IF Macy's moves out, it will be the 'tell all' on exactly what direction rotterdam is moving in. With the increase in lower end, dollar stores, second hand shops and now a gin mill popping up in rotterdam, tells all.

Except for Macy's.....most rotterdamians shop 'out of rotterdam' for quality. It is 'mostly' the city folk that are buying up the quality goods at the dollar stores, second hand shops and walmart.

Again......the capital plaza area should have been a roundabout. The one on hamburg street was not needed. A simple ARROW on the traffic lights would have solved the problem there. The gin mill should have and could have gone on hamburg street.