Harbor plan for old Alco site creates a buzz
Friday, April 4, 2014
By Kathleen Moore (Contact)
Gazette Reporter  
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The Galesi-owned Alco site along Erie Boulevard in Schenectady is pictured last month.SCHENECTADY — Realtors were wowed Thursday as they got a first look at the Mohawk Harbor development.

The project, which will be built on the former Alco property on Erie Boulevard, features a large harbor carved into the land. It will be surrounded by condos and apartments, with retail on the first floor and condo balconies overlooking the harbor.

“When can we start selling?” one man called out as the Realtors watched a video of renderings in the Bowtie Theater.

A bike path will follow the river and circle the three-acre harbor. Galesi Group is also hoping to build a pedestrian walkway from the harbor to the Proctors block of State Street, which is about three-quarters of a mile. The path would likely connect to Little Italy and the Jay Street pedestrian walkway.

“The main thing on this project is that we want to make sure we complement what’s going on in downtown Schenectady, not compete,” said David Buicko, COO of Galesi Group.

The harbor will not only provide a picture-perfect waterfront for residents, but will also reduce the chance of flooding, according to architects.

The harbor was designed for flood-plain mitigation. Galesi Group has applied for permits for it and for a river-widening project, all to create more space for water to go during storms, snow melt and other flooding conditions.

The entire site will also be raised 2 to 4 feet to move it out of the flood zone.

DEC will rule on the permits this summer.

The harbor won’t be visible from Erie Boulevard — it will be blocked by the buildings surrounding it.

On Erie Boulevard, drivers will see a parking lot in front of a hotel. Construction is scheduled to start in September, pending Planning Commission approvals.

Drivers will also see large retail buildings, possibly for big-box stores. They might even see a casino.

Architects have already roughed out a design for a casino, next to the residential harbor area.

But no application for a casino has been filed yet, Metroplex Development Authority Chairman Ray Gillen said.

Buicko said several casino operators have met with him and toured the site. If they make a deal with one, that operator would write the application.

It’s not a simple process — that operator would have to pay a $1 million application fee to the state. There’s also a $50 million licensing fee.

Buicko said it’s not the sort of application he could write. The successful application will have a casino operator, he said.

“We’re not casino operators, we’re real estate developers,” he said.

Gillen agreed that an operator is key to winning one of the few licenses that will be given out by the state.

“It’s an ambitious project. It’s a very comprehensive proposal that has to be submitted to the state,” he said, adding that the application would also need a resolution of support from the City Council.

“A strong factor is community support,” he said.

Galesi Group is also in talks with a banquet facility operator, with plans to build the facility overlooking the river. But that building would get wrapped into the casino if it is approved, Buicko said.

The space could instead be used for townhouses in that case.

Right now, Galesi Group is searching for retailers. They want a grocery store, a wine and liquor store, and a clothing store. They’re asking retailers to consider the populace not only of Mohawk Harbor but the entire downtown, where residents have for years asked for a grocery store.

Until now, national chains have told Metroplex that there aren’t enough people living downtown to keep a grocery store open. But Galesi Group is hoping the calculation has changed now.

So far, investors have been impressed by the redeveloped downtown and the plans for Mohawk Harbor, Buicko said.

Also, city officials are working to get the small nuclear reactor at the edge of the Alco site decommissioned. It’s used by RPI students.

“People still think of Schenectady like it was 10 years ago,” he said. “We bring people here [now] and they’re shocked.”

http://dailygazette.com/news/2014/apr/04/0404_also/

Until now, national chains have told Metroplex that there aren’t enough people living downtown to keep a grocery store open.

Good for the grocery store realizing that Schenectady is not a viable location to open up shop! Has Galesi took a look at Rotterdam Sq Mall lately it is a ghost town. Businesses are closing out thanks to the Democrat's economic policies hurting this Country. Galesi Harbor is headed down the Rotterdam Sq Mall doomed path.

“When can we start selling?” one man called out as the Realtors watched a video of renderings in the Bowtie Theater.

Like I said before people are going to get sick from living on this toxic nuclear reactor waste land dump once they build the condos/Apartments. The Galesi Group will face a class action lawsuit and will go bankrupt because of it. Realtors like Mary D'Alessandro-Gilmore a Schenectady planning board member appointed by McThug should market Condo/Apartment with "Call the heavy hitters for injury Martin Harding & Mazotti as soon as you close on your Condo/Apartment". They will sell like hot cakes!

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Right now, Galesi Group is searching for retailers. They want a grocery store

They can't get retailers downtown !!!!!!!!!!!!!    Ten years under the dems and NO RETAILERS.

The city can't even get a Walmart IN the city!   Despite PLENTY of empty buildings, Shop Rite did NOT open a store IN the city.  Nor did Hannaford when it moved into Schenectady COUNTY.   Price Chopper closed it's store IN the city.  I have lost track, where there other Price Chopper stores WITHIN the city's borders?  MP neighborhood could not keep a grocery store.  People are NOT going to be paying high taxes IN the city AND shop at a higher priced grocery store that could open there IF one opened.  Certainly not when they can go the FEW miles over the bridge and save a lot of money and they will need to shop with low prices IF people even move there.

The day is going to come when Price Chopper closes their store on Eastern Ave because of probably too much loss, it wouldn't surprise me.

the crosstown plaza had a price chopper years ago on the schenectady/city taxed end of the plaza...price rite is in the rotterdam taxed end of the plaza now...  

The city politicians think that their slogan is "if you build it they will come". The real slogan is if you tax it they will run.

Please read the excerpt below from reporter Michael DeMasi from Albany Business Review summarizing the situation in Schenectady very well!  This is great journalism! No sugar coating presenting the facts great job Mike!

"Buicko was joined by Schenectady Metroplex Authority Chairman Ray Gillen in listing the many improvements that have happened downtown and along the Erie Boulevard corridor over the past decade.

In some ways, and on some blocks, the city is barely recognizable today because of the new businesses and investments.

In other ways, the same problems remain, including high taxes, abandoned homes, and violent crime in neighborhoods far from where Mohawk Harbor is being built."

http://www.bizjournals.com/alb.....ohawk-harbor-in.html

"In other ways, the same problems remain, including high taxes, abandoned homes, and violent crime in neighborhoods far from where Mohawk Harbor is being built."

Buicko and Gillen admit their wrongs but they are trying very hard to seperate "Galesi Harbor" from the rest of Schenectady with scorn like a plague with their statement above. Got news for you boys "Galesi Harbor" is the plauge causing high taxes, abandoned homes, and violent crime in neighborhoods. Guess what your "Galesi Harbor" is very very near to all the neighborhoods you speak so ill of don't try to fool people your only fooling yourselves David and Ray! The violent crimes and boarded up retail spaces will be coming soon to "Galesi Harbor" I bet my last dollar it will happen!

With all of these proposals....how the hell are the going to keep up with the infrastructure? They can't maintain what they have NOW????

WHAT??????   being built away from crime???.......the crime finds anything good in this city...on streets....in bldgs....and even on water...

and a HARBOR should be able to be seen from highways.....

Do you guys think they will add a fort to the "Galesi Harbor" to keep out the criminals??? LOL  

it could just be schenectadys first gated community?

all prospective buyers should visit other properties by the same owner so they can see how well the properties are kept

“When can we start selling?” one man called out as the Realtors watched a video of renderings in the Bowtie Theater. How about giving these gladhanders a tour of the rest of the city, see if they can hold on to that same enthusiasm. I kinda doubt it.

Actually, it is a very good concept in a number of aspects --
1) it is mixed use so that the developer is not "putting all the eggs in one basket,"  
2) it is tying the river/waterfront to the city which has proven to be a very popular and successful approach in many cities around the world -- not just across the country,
c) it is finding a new use for a long vacant, underutilized urban brownfield -- that is certainly a winning situation for everyone -- expanded tax base, attracting middle and upper income families to live IN the city and attracting out-of-towners to come into the city to spend money.
d) the proposed development is located in a way that can't help but provide an economic uplift to the adjoining neighborhoods -- the North End, College Park and the Stockade as well as the whole Erie Blvd corridor.

Quoted Text

"In other ways, the same problems remain, including high taxes, abandoned homes, and violent crime in neighborhoods NOT far from where Mohawk Harbor is being built."

YES More EVIDENCE that this will NOT do ANYTHING WHATSOEVER for the city.  It will ONLY help the multimillionaire political cronies of the downtown dems.

The taxes on the homeowners will rise substantially
The increasing taxes will cause more people to flee
And combined, this will cause more foreclosures by the city which will cause more abandoned buildings which will cause more blight and which will cause more crime.

EXACTLY what has happened since the DEMS have been doing all  the wild uncontrolled spending of the taxpayers' money.

The taxpayers, the homeowners are getting NOTHING IN RETURN!!!!!!!  And I DEFY any cheerleaders to provide even one teen weeny shred of EVIDENCE to the contrary.   Of course, total silence from the cheerleaders (other than nonsense babble)




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