Quoted from rachel72

It's so pathetic the epic failure of the Open Houses that McCarthy has to hid behind Galesi to try to bring renters into the City. These lofts are going to do absolutely nothing for the other homeowners of the City as they will eat away taxpayer money. The garbage, water and protection will be paid for by the taxpayers. Your welcome.

The Open House did not result in one sold property. It's all hype. Now they want flush more taxpayer money on the high dreck corridor on Erie Blvd. Where businesses used to be. Put in DVOR's multi-modal bike path. The same failed plans over and over. No wonder thousands of jobs have left this County.

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

Sounds great -- another sign of the Democrat-led RENAISSANCE in Schenectady County.

Uh, please explain WHY more apartments should be created in the city---especiallly at taxpayer expense---when there are aleady over 3,000 EXISTING VACANT residential units?????

The place is 100% tax exempt, owned by the wealthy.

So, tell us DV. WHY should the financially struggling homeowners be forced to pay the property & school taxes??????

How about, another sign of the Democrat-led RAPING AND ROBBING of financially struggling homeowners who cannot afford to pay the almost the highest taxes in the whole country

If it's so great, why do you avoid buying a house in the city and paying the taxes??????

Quoted from Hamburg

GFY

GFY = No Clue

Lofts at Trusco

Quoted from mikechristine1

Uh, please explain WHY more apartments should be created in the city---especiallly at taxpayer expense---when there are aleady over 3,000 EXISTING VACANT residential units?????

Don't you think it's about time McCarthy woke up!

You can't sell City property, you can't rent City property (unless Section 8 is on speed dial) and McCarthy's ONLY solution is to give it away to the likes of people like Galesi so even HE can't rent them for a profit!!!

You have to take that $19 million for Erie and start spreading it around this broken City. Get on board with that social services audit and weed out the crooks. Work with the State and clean up the school system.

There is nothing of significance to bring or keep people into Schenectady...you have to clean it up first.

Quoted from Hamburg

GFY

Aw, you have to spew your usual obscenities when asked to answer a question that puts you up against the wall.

1.   WHY should more additional residential units be created---at taxpapyer exense---when there are OVER 3,000 EXISTING VACANCIES in the city????

2.    And WHY should the financially struggling homeonwers who can barely afford to pay their own property taxes, should then be raped by the dems and forced to pay the property taxes on this place.

3.    Since the dems exempt millionaires from paying their taxes, tells when the dems in the city will give out 100% tax exemptions to the financially struggling homeonwers?

Answer those questions.  

you'd have better luck asking the goats he sleeps with..............

Agreed MMomtone1    always will commend the way the City was back when.........and never will compare it to today's mess...

say all they want and thinks it's progress.....to me it's regress.....

Go Ham and DVOR

Quoted from rachel72

Don't you think it's about time McCarthy woke up!

You can't sell City property, you can't rent City property (unless Section 8 is on speed dial) and McCarthy's ONLY solution is to give it away to the likes of people like Galesi so even HE can't rent them for a profit!!!

You have to take that $19 million for Erie and start spreading it around this broken City. Get on board with that social services audit and weed out the crooks. Work with the State and clean up the school system.

There is nothing of significance to bring or keep people into Schenectady...you have to clean it up first.

Or maybe start downsizing entirely maybe.  Less roads, utilities, less everything, like Detroit, Troy....

Quoted Text

SCHENECTADY
State St. building to get lofts
7 new apartments planned next to Bowtie Cinemas
BY BETHANY BUMP Gazette Reporter

    Seven years after the space was renovated for office use, a downtown Schenectady building is slated for conversion to loft apartments by the fall.
    City and county officials are hoping the space at 409 State St., next to Bowtie Cinemas, will help attract a new crop of residents to the city, from grad students to young tech workers.
    Currently, the fi rst-fl oor offi ces are occupied by the state Commission on Quality of Care and Advo- cacy for Persons with Disabilities, which moved in five years ago. The second floor, which has very high ceilings, is being targeted for the loft apartments. The Galesi Group will develop seven apartments, a mix of one- and two-bedroom units.
    “We’re seeing more interest in a residential downtown,” said Schenectady County Metroplex Development Authority Chairman Ray Gillen. “There’s eight residential town houses going up on Union and Barrett. The lofts above Aperitivo across the street are completely sold out.”
    The 17,000-square-foot building was gutted and renovated in 2005 with new elevators, heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment.
    Metroplex helped fund improvements and resurfacing to the facade, as well.
    The building was constructed in 1920, and once housed a D&K Dollar Store that closed in 2005.
    Gillen said the developer had focused renovations on the fi rst floor of 409 State in the past, but finally acted to address the empty space upstairs.
    “They just finally said, ‘Let’s do apartments up there,’ ” he said. “They really think it’s a great location. It’s near the movie theater, near the YMCA. And the second floor is kind of funky with very high ceilings that work very well, so their idea was, ‘Let’s do residential and convert them to lofts.’ ”
    The final cost for the Galesi Group-funded project is currently unknown, as the developer has not yet solicited bids.
    Galesi Group Chief Operating Officer David Buicko said in a news release Thursday that the building’s proximity to Proctors, the Paul Mitchell School and other downtown attractions makes it a prime location.
    “We feel these units will be a great addition to the continued growth of downtown, which we are pleased and proud to support,” he said.
    Schenectady County Legislature Chairwoman Judy Dagostino said in the news release that the availability of new residential housing should bring new customers to downtown businesses. .........................>>>>......................>>>>......................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r00905&AppName=1

Talk about a piece of fluff, the officials haven't told the truth in so long I'll bet they wouldn't recognize it if they fell over it.

“We feel these units will be a great addition to the continued growth of downtown, which we are pleased and proud to support,” he (Galesi)said.

And how are you supporting these???

Buying the building with taxpayer money via Metroplex, renovating the buildings with taxpayer money via Metroplex, being wholly exempt from property & school taxes and collecting rent from people to put in your pocket.

Was wondering why "The Godfather" has been on AMC this week? Replace Galesi for Corleone and you can't tell the difference.

Notice the big cheerleader has NOT posted a response to tell us why, in a city with over 3,000 EXISTING VACANT residential units, that taxpyaer money should be used to create more residential units AND exempt the landlord from property taxes.

Why DV, explain why more apartments are needed in a city with OVER 3,000 EXISTING VACANT apartmentsd??????

And explain why financially struggling homeowners should pay taxes and the millionaire landlord should collect rent AND be 100% exempt from property taxes??????

Remember the movie Field of Dreams, if you build it they will come.

The METROPLEX/GILLEN needs to make up our minds here. The people were under the impression that it was developed to garner sustaining jobs and lower the property taxes.....not to support and pay for 'rental units'. The original ploy was to bring retail into the area....where are they?????

Most, if  not all of these so called loft apartments, are being constructed on property that is already paying little to 'no taxes'. So where is the gain for the overburdened taxpayers?

Looks like only the 'select few' are lining their pockets with taxpayer's $$$.............while the taxpayers are struggling, the school system is failing, crime is rising, vacant properties are increasing, taxes/fees are rising and blight is 'everywhere'!!

Great job METROPLEX/GILLEN!!!!!!