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Metroplex Chairman Ray Gillen has also denied requests to help other deli/coffee shop endeavors in the Stockade Historic District. As he has stated in an e-mail to a potential coffee shop buyer: “When Metroplex was created by statute via the State legislature, a specific exemption/prohibition was put in place with regards to doing projects in the Stockade. [I guess] the concern was that Metroplex might try to do something that would not be helpful to the Stockade.” Even the state Legislature was aware that commercial endeavors had no place in the Stockade District and, therefore, Metroplex has declined to become involved as well.

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Stockade too picky over Arthur’s tenant

    In an era of multi-car families and deepdiscount supermarkets, the kind of successful neighborhood grocery store that some of Schenectady’s Stockade residents envision for the vacant Arthur’s Market seems like a pipe dream. After several failed attempts, those residents still cling to the dream, which is fine — except now they’re getting fussy about whom might be allowed to fulfill it, and precisely how.
    We wish them well finding a merchant who conforms to their somewhat narrow vision, but in the interim don’t think the city Planning Commission should stop anyone who differs with it from trying to open a business there. And that’s what a group of Stockade residents would have the commission do to Mohammed Alazani, who has proposed opening what he calls a convenience store at the location.
    Not only does Alazani not live in the Stockade, as of two weeks ago he didn’t even know that the fabled historic district had a name. And if that isn’t enough cause for concern among residents who’ve been hoping for one of their own to open a “mom-and-pop” community market, Alazani admits he has no experience running such a store.
    But while Alazani may not seem like the perfect candidate to run the kind of store Arthur Polachek ran (along with his son, Pete) when he lived upstairs and worked downstairs until his retirement seven years ago, it hardly means he’s unfit to try. Arthur wasn’t a rocket scientist, nor does it take one to run a successful small market. Probably more than anything, it takes a lot of long hours and the ability to subsist on little money. .......................>>>>.......................>>>>............................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r00701&AppName=1

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Bias appears to motivate foes of Stockade market

    Re April 21 article, “Sch’dy residents object to man seeking to open store”: If people want to journey back in time, the historical preservation of the Stockade would be the place to go in Schenectady. It’s unfortunate that some Stockade residents have recently proven that their prejudicial views are as outdated as the buildings they reside in.
    At the April 20 Planning Commission meeting, a handful of Stockade residents opposed Mohammed Alazani’s application to open a store at the former Arthur’s Market location.
    In particular, Gloria Kishton, chairwoman of the Schenectady Heritage Foundation, suggested that neon signs and other “objectionable features” [of a convenience store] would be offensive to the neighborhood. Ironically, she’s the same person who supported changing the zoning laws to allow a drive-thru coffee shop in the Stockade just a few months back for the sake of promoting free enterprise. Mary D’Alessandro-Gilmore, president of the Stockade Association, was worried that Mr. Alazani does not have enough experience to run a convenience store. Interestingly, neither woman has ever met him.
    Mr. Alazani comes from a family that owns and runs other stores in the area. Not only would he be investing his own capital to open his market, he would not be relying on a Metroplex grant or loan, or receiving tax breaks.
    Mr. Alazani would have consistent hours and offer all the conveniences Arthur Polachek once offered. He never indicated that neon signs would be hanging in the windows. Much of what was said about Mr. Alazani on April 20 had little to do with his experience and more with the fact that his first name is Mohammed.
    Back in the early 1900s, when my grandparents came over from Italy and Ireland, people knew where they could live and look for work. Prejudice was blatant and signs like “no Irish need apply” were reminders that people were not welcomed. Although the Stockade is a place of historical significance, to use this classifi cation to promote prejudice and boycott business is beyond offensive.

JOYCE C. WACHALA
Ballston Spa
The writer is current owner of the Arthur’s Market building.

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  Mr. Alazani comes from a family that owns and runs other stores in the area. Not only would he be investing his own capital to open his market, he would not be relying on a Metroplex grant or loan, or receiving tax breaks.

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Back in the early 1900s, when my grandparents came over from Italy and Ireland, people knew where they could live and look for work. Prejudice was blatant and signs like “no Irish need apply” were reminders that people were not welcomed. Although the Stockade is a place of historical significance, to use this classifi cation to promote prejudice and boycott business is beyond offensive.

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SCHENECTADY
Plan for former Arthur’s Market gets city approval
BY JUSTIN MASON Gazette Reporter

    USA Deli and Grocery is coming soon to the Stockade.
    Members of the city’s Planning Commission approved a site plan for a convenience store to move into the former Arthur’s Market property on Tuesday. They took the action after hearing concerns from about a dozen residents of the historic neighborhood.
    To address these concerns, the owners agreed to close two hours earlier than they originally planned and promised to be receptive to the advice of nearby residents.
    Commission Chairwoman Sharran Coppola told the store’s owners they could come back to the panel seeking to extend their hours in several months, if the early closing proves onerous. But she warned them to run a tight business, since the store’s critics will be scrutinizing their operation.
    “You are in a very unique neighborhood,” she told Maein Nagi, a partner who represented the convenience store before the commission. “Everybody is watching, so listen to what these people are saying.”
    The Polachek family ran the market on North Ferry Street for more than five decades before retiring in 2004. They later put the building up for lease, but two consecutive tenants failed at the location. ..........................>>>>.........................................>>>>.................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r00902&AppName=1

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SCHENECTADY -- When Vyvian d'Estienne moved into the historic Stockade neighborhood 30 years ago, three of her children would take the tiny amount earned from odd jobs and buy candy and other goodies at Arthur's Market across from her Front Street home.

But all that can be seen now through the market's windows on North Ferry Street are dusty tables, and a dry-erase board featuring deals on fresh baked chocolate chip cookies and blueberry muffins from August.

The building, which is thought to have been used as a market since 1795, has sat vacant since owners Artur and Joyce Wachala said they could no longer afford to keep it open.

The storefront has seen various incarnations since the famed Polachek family ran the market from 1945 to around 2003, a place known more as a neighborhood hangout than just a store where you could grab bread and milk.

Hope appeared on the horizon recently, as the city's planning board approved an application for a pair of convenience store owners from Troy to take over the space. But some members of the Stockade Association expressed displeasure, worrying that the store would take on a bodega-feel, only catering to clientele that wanted lotto, beer and cigarettes.

Those protests drew accusations of racism from the Wachalas.

"I really don't know what was in their heads," Joyce Wachala said about the protesters. Wachala had a brief, controversial stint as a member of the city school board in 2009, campaigning on a promise of transparency. She quit shortly after being elected after her young son was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes. "It was more like the Salem witch trials than a planning board commission. They were condemning this man before he had the opportunity to lay out his plans."

Association members, who were already meeting to brainstorm ideas for filling the space, said race had nothing to do with their concerns. "It was simply what goes best for the neighborhood," said association member Connie Colangelo. "We were never prejudiced."

Joyce Wachala said last week that she had yet to hear from the prospective tenants after their application was approved May 18. She and her husband are hoping to sell the building, where they also rent two apartments upstairs. Maein Nagi, who applied to run the store with a business partner, said by phone last week that he did plan to open the doors of the former Arthur's Market in about a month.

The protesting residents said they made peace with Nagi on the steps of City Hall after his application was approved. To lessen concerns, the planning commission told Nagi he had to close the store at 9 p.m. instead of 11 p.m. Nagi said residents told him ''I'm going to be your first customer. I'm your neighbor,'" he said. "They accepted it."

For d'Estienne, she walks by the store's windows every day and wonders when the deals on the dry-erase board will change.

"It's been too bad," she said. "It's a wonderful place."

Reach Stanforth at 454-5697 or lstanforth@timesunion.com.

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But some members of the Stockade Association expressed displeasure, worrying that the store would take on a bodega-feel, only catering to clientele that wanted lotto, beer and cigarettes.

Quoted from bumblethru

I would suggest that the stockade folks start attending their city council meetings and state their concerns about the 'city scum'.