Metroplex to buy, demolish Eastern Avenue buildings Wednesday, January 15, 2014 By Bethany Bump (Contact)
SCHENECTADY — Eastern Avenue is about to get a makeover.
Three vacant and blighted buildings along the commercial corridor near Vale Park have been targeted for demolition and future development, while an existing business is slated for a facade upgrade this year and another renovation is currently under way. Still more blighted buildings along the corridor are being eyed for demolition, too.
The Schenectady Metroplex Development Authority announced the projects Wednesday. Chairman Ray Gillen said Metroplex has wanted to expand its development efforts into Schenectady’s neighborhoods for a while, but has been limited by a statute that only allows work on commercial buildings and residential buildings that house at least three families. Metroplex is partnering with the Capital Region’s land bank to spruce up chunks of Eastern Avenue that are a mix of commercial and residential properties.
“It’s part of our plan,” said Gillen. “We’ve been pushing development to lower State Street and making great progress, but we always talked, too, about going up the corridors that lead out of downtown. We did a tremendous amount of work on Upper Union Street, which is in great shape. And Eastern is just one road over, so it’s kind of the logical progression of where we’re going.”
The Metroplex board approved a slate of projects at its monthly board meeting Wednesday, including the purchase of buildings at 722, 803 and 868 Eastern Ave. for demolition. These buildings have been vacant for a long time and contribute to blight in the neighborhood, Gillen said.
The three-story building at 722 Eastern Ave. has sat as an eyesore next to the 10-story Schaffer Heights apartment building at the corner of Eastern and Nott Terrace. Schaffer Heights recently decided to invest $1.3 million in upgrades to its building.
“Some of these buildings are just eyesores and rundown,” said Gillen. “Their condition brings down neighboring properties. We only just got in to board up 722 with the owner’s permission. It was in horrible shape.”
The owner has agreed to sell the building to Metroplex for $1. Metroplex will then pay outstanding taxes of about $4,000 on the building, demolish it and donate the vacant site to the land bank for future development.
The board also approved the purchase of 803 Eastern Ave., a long-vacant building that once housed Kilgore’s Tavern. The city identified this structure as ideal for demolition when Brian Stratton was still mayor. Metroplex will buy it from American Tax Funding for $5,000 and pay $5,000 in back taxes before demolishing the building and donating the vacant site to the land bank.
The former Latimer’s Tavern at 868 Eastern Ave. will soon come down, too. Metroplex will purchase a $3,000 outstanding tax lien on the building so the city can complete foreclosure. Metroplex will demolish it and donate it to the land bank, as well.
A site next to Latimer’s — at 866 Eastern Ave. — also will go to the land bank, so the two sites can be packaged as one large parcel for future development. The land bank is currently under contract to buy a third adjoining parcel at 870 Eastern Ave.
Metroplex will advertise for the demolition of all three properties as one bid package. Once these sites are demolished and part of the Capital Region land bank, Gillen said, they may be targeted for development or even just green space, since they’re right next to Vale Park.
“The key is to remove the blight that exists now because it’s a drag on the neighborhood,” he said.
Eastern Avenue Neighborhood Association Vice President Bob Harvey said transforming blight into green space is a great idea for the community, which has the historic Vale Park and Vale Cemetery in its backyard.
“It’s great news,” he said. “We made a list with the city of deteriorated buildings around the neighborhood that needed work. Anytime you can get rid of a deteriorated property, the property values of the whole neighborhood go up. These are issues we’ve been talking about with the city, county and Metroplex for a while.”
The Metroplex board also approved a $60,000 facade grant to upgrade two buildings owned by Arket Electric, an electrical contractor that provides residential and commercial services to the Capital Region’s building and construction industry. The upgrade will be for Arket’s office and warehouse at 827-831 Eastern.
“Our company is pleased to work with Metroplex to improve our two buildings,” said company President Michael Arket. “We are also very excited about the other improvements planned for the Eastern Avenue community.”
Metroplex hinted last year the Eastern Avenue business corridor may be its next target for development. In August, Metroplex announced a $22,000 matching facade grant for 813-815 Eastern Ave. A local businessman is renovating the first floor of the building into a machine shop and the second floor into residential space. And then, in September, a Troy artist and entrepreneur won approval from the City Planning Commission to repair, renovate and restore the former St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church at 828 Eastern Ave.
Metroplex and land bank officials also have their eyes on other Eastern Avenue properties, though nothing has been finalized. These properties include the former Copper Keg at 846 Eastern Ave., the former Ras Furniture store at 823 Eastern Ave. and an adjoining building at 821 Eastern Ave.
They are also trying to get a foreclosed property at 839 Eastern Ave. into the land bank.
“We have asked the bank that is foreclosing on the property to consider donation of the property to the land bank or sale at a nominal price so this building can be added to the list of properties where improvements are planned or underway,” Gillen said.
Rehabbing Eastern Avenue’s business corridor would help connect the neighborhood with nearby communities like Union College and Upper Union Street, he added.
“It’s an older neighborhood, but a key gateway to downtown,” he said. “It’s got tremendous amount of potential with a lot of building blocks, like St. John the Evangelist right there. We’re hoping by removing some of these long-vacant properties and fixing others that we create a sense of momentum.”
Harvey, who has lived in the county for 37 years and in the city for 25 years, said the neighborhoods have long wanted Metroplex to focus more attention on their business corridors.
“We asked Metroplex to look beyond downtown,” he said. “This is a step in the right direction.”
I commend Metroplex for it's plans to move in to the neighboorhoods. This is great for the Eastern Avenue area. I want this for all the other areas as well in the City of Schenectady.
I commend Metroplex for it's plans to move in to the neighboorhoods. This is great for the Eastern Avenue area. I want this for all the other areas as well in the City of Schenectady.
Guess the city people have been reading these boards, seeing that the vast majority of people here are squeaky wheels, seeing as ONLY ONE council rep actually represents the taxpayers, the residents of the neighborhoods, and finally the city has seen that the people,, those who actually pay the bills for downtown, are suffering.
Is this the mayor's way to "tweak" his home selling program a bit?
but just need to remember, plex has NOT in any way been successful and making downtown a place to go, for people to shop and buy things they need. Plex has done nothing more than created forced taxpayer funding of expensive theater, expensive restaurants that the people of the city cannot afford, and NO ONE who is outside the city and rich enough to attend the shows and eat are NOT in ANY way choosing or even thinking about moving INTO the city to live.
Not lets see if anyone contradicts what's said and provide evidence. TOTAL SILENCE as usual.
The fact that the city has to take more tax money from the people for projects like these is proof that no one wants to invest in the city because they know it's a lost cause under the current leadership. Wonder how much that Arket Electric gave to the dem party.
Here comes Galesis roaring into the neighborhoods for more handouts from the taxpayers.
Optimists close their eyes and pretend problems are non existent. Better to have open eyes, see the truths, acknowledge the negatives, and speak up for the people rather than the politicos and their rich cronies.
I commend Metroplex for it's plans to move in to the neighboorhoods. This is great for the Eastern Avenue area. I want this for all the other areas as well in the City of Schenectady.
And this will help the overtaxed, overburdened, high taxed taxpayers HOW??
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
And this will help the overtaxed, overburdened, high taxed taxpayers HOW??
Ummm, it WON'T!!
This is a hail mary because of the total abysmal failure of the Plex. The 'job creation' is as rampant as the jobs fleeing.
Get rid of the Plex and the other half dozen 'development' agencies in Schenectady County, put these funds back into the City and begin a campaign to lower the homeowners taxes for once. That's how you begin neighborhood revitalization (property owners have money for repairs/upkeep), people won't keep fleeing and/or being foreclosed upon, property values might actually go up and this is the road to a slow (yet steady) recovery of a City in epic crisis.
Of course it won't. In fact they will see taxes/fee increase yearly.
It is clearly slated for the 'friends and family club'. They are and always have been the beneficiaries of a one party government...no matter what party is in charge. One party is not good.....ANYWHERE!!
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
While some of those buildings really need to be taken care of, as they look hazardous, it isn't really a gift to take them down at taxpayer expense, without resolving the issues that made for abandoned buildings in the first place. Too many holes in the streetscape don't do that much to improve an area. I think this is probably a back-door giveaway to some connected types. How about lowering the taxes, get a handle on the crime, take care of the roads, and people improve their own "facades", at their own expense? I would also like to point out, just whose money is it, supporting this whole operation, these heros who are 'fixing' what they helped destroy in the first place? Too expensive a way to eliminate some derelict properties.
This is a great opportunity to revitalize that neighborhood. Now do the same in Mont Pleasant and other neighborhoods. Keep up the good work Metroplex.
George Amedore & Christian Klueg for NYS Senate 2016 Pete Vroman for State Assembly 2016[/size][/color]
"For this is what America is all about. It is the uncrossed desert and the unclimbed ridge. It is the star that is not reached and the harvest that is sleeping in the unplowed ground." Lyndon Baines Johnson
This is a great opportunity to revitalize that neighborhood. Now do the same in Mont Pleasant and other neighborhoods. Keep up the good work Metroplex.
This is a great opportunity to revitalize that neighborhood. Now do the same in Mont Pleasant and other neighborhoods. Keep up the good work Metroplex.
Yep, cheer cheer for stealing form the taxpayers even more, naturally, you do NOT pay taxes.
Now, are you ready yet to explain what kind of good work Metroplex has done?
WHY do you AVOID answer the questions to present evidence to prove your claim that Metroplex is doing good work?
The work of Metroplex.....
Tell us, dV, what has been the effect on the tax base of the city? Tell us, dV, what has been the effect on the home values within the city? Tell us, dV, what has been the effect on the ability for people to sell their homes in the city? Tell us, dV, what has been the effect on the sale prices of homes IN the city? Tell us, dV, what has been the effect on the length of time it takes to sell a house IN the city? Tell us, dV, what has been the effect on the choice for long time owners to stay in their homes in the city? Tell us, dV, what has been the effect on the numbers of houses that sell in the city? Tell us, dV, what has been the effect on the desire for homebuyers to buy homes IN the city? Tell us, dV, what has been the effect on the d choice by non-city residents to buy a home IN the city? Tell us, dV, what has been the effect on a DEM city council woman to buy a home IN the city? Tell us, dV, what has been the effect on the number of vacant existing residential units in the city? Tell us, dV, what has been the effect on the numbers of abandoned houses in the ity? Tell us, dV, what has been the effect on the numbers of residential foreclosures IN the city? Tell us, dV, what has been the effect on the tax BILLS of the homeowners IN the city? Tell us, dV, what has been the effect on the declaration of snow emergencies (odd/even) parking in the city? Tell us, dV, what has been the effect on the roads in the city (such as north or the RR bridge on Erie Blvd Tell us, dV, what has been the effect on the essential vital city services to residents?
Gee, DV, you've been shaking your pom poms on these boards for Metroplex for about four years now, would you care to explin why you avoid living IN the city? Why do you avoid buying a house in IN the city?
Of course, no answer, because you can't provide any evidence of a better city, other than taxpayer funded bakeries, theaters, gin mills, etc, while the taxpayers are losing their homes and virtually NO ONE wants to buy a home in the city proven by nice houses which are offered dirt cheap and no buyers even after one, two, three years offered for sale.
Why isn't Brucker's house selling? Why isn't Carl Erickson's house selling? Why isn't Eric Ely's houe selling? Why isn't King Phillips house selling?
Care to answer? ROFL TOTAL SILENCE is what is expected
Optimists close their eyes and pretend problems are non existent. Better to have open eyes, see the truths, acknowledge the negatives, and speak up for the people rather than the politicos and their rich cronies.
.............and the Bellevue/mt pleasant bridge.........how's that coming along?
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
NO ONE wants to buy a home in the city proven by nice houses which are offered dirt cheap and no buyers even after one, two, three years offered for sale.
Why isn't Brucker's house selling? Why isn't Carl Erickson's house selling? Why isn't Eric Ely's houe selling? Why isn't King Phillips house selling?
Care to answer? ROFL TOTAL SILENCE is what is expected
Some of these are very nice homes located on Wendell, in the Stockade and in other 'better' neighborhoods.
Let's take a lesson here, if these decent homes can't be sold, why is the Mayor focusing on yet another abysmal program to sell the less desirable houses??
Oh that's right! The crappy homes can be converted into multi-families so the slumlords can run them into the ground and rent them out to anyone. Nice to continue the perpetual cycle of cr*p McCarthy. Well played!!
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