Albany Development Thread

[kznyc2k]

la la la here we go again

Teams line up for Harriman site

Three local developers plus partners selected to draw up proposals for office campus near UAlbany

By CHRIS CHURCHILL, Business writer
Tuesday, April 8, 2008

ALBANY -- Three development teams -- and deep-pocketed national companies -- will vie to build at the W. Averell Harriman State Office Campus.

The teams were chosen Monday by the board of Harriman Research and Technology Corp., which is overseeing the long-stalled redevelopment of the state-owned property near the University at Albany.

Each of the teams is led by a well-known local developer: Columbia Development Cos. Of Albany, The Galesi Group of Rotterdam and The Howard Group of Colonie.

And each of the local developers says it is working with at least one big-name national company -- suggesting wide interest in redeveloping the Harriman campus.

Columbia Development, for example, is partnering with Toll Brothers Inc., the nation's largest home builder; M+W Zander, the German engineering company involved in the construction of the Albany NanoTech complex and the redevelopment of the Watervliet Arsenal; and Ocean Hospitalities, a New Hampshire company that owns or operates 120 hotels.

Galesi Group, meanwhile, is partnering with New York City-based general contractor Turner Construction Co. and Cushman & Wakefield Inc., which calls itself the world's largest commercial real estate services firm.

Howard Group has, among other partners, Choice Hotels, one of the world's largest hotel franchisers; Winn Development, a large Boston developer; and Street-Works LLC, a White Plains company that says it focuses on "the creation of mixed-use projects around great public places throughout the United States."

(kz note: Winn has no capital right now. Their $800m project in Boston was just stopped a week ago because they couldn't secure any tax credits or financing. Also note how muxh work they've gotten done on redeveloping the Park South neighborhood).

The three teams are among the five developers that responded to the state's request for qualifications, which was released in December and asked that the developers prove they have the experience and financial backing needed for a major construction project.

The teams will receive requests for proposals in early May and will have until Aug. 11 to return the application.

Michael Phillips, president of Harriman Research and Technology Corp., estimated his group will select the final development plans by mid-October.

The Harriman campus is now a stark expanse of office buildings, parking lots and lawn adjacent to UAlbany.

Dissatisfaction with the sterile campus -- and the belief that its location near highways and the university made it valuable -- led former Gov. George Pataki in 2002 to propose a redevelopment plan that included relocating the 7,500 state employees who work there.

But that plan stalled, in part because it asked that one developer take responsibility for all the redevelopment at the 330-acre site.

Late last year, former Gov. Eliot Spitzer released a revised plan that keeps state workers in place and asks developers to tackle only a portion of redevelopment.

Judging by the company names unveiled Monday, that plan has generated a better response.

"That's what we were looking for -- the big guys and gals," said John Egan, commissioner of the state Office of General Services and a Harriman board member.

The selected development teams have not yet detailed their specific plans for the campus, and efforts to contact the heads of Columbia Development, Galesi Group and Howard Group were unsuccessful.

But the composition of the teams hints at what they may propose.

The presence of Toll Brothers, for example, suggests a proposal with a significant residential component. The involvement of Cushman & Wakeman's Global Life Sciences Project could mean the inclusion of medical or pharmaceutical development.

It's possible that all three teams will be awarded the rights to build at Harriman, and will build simultaneously on different parts of the campus.

Phillips, Harriman Research president, said that if more than one firm asks to build at the same location, the developer with the more concrete proposal -- and signed tenants -- will be given preference.

Churchill can be reached at 454-5442 or by e-mail at cchurchill@timesunion.com.

http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories...sdate=4/8/2008

[bpg88]

Why do I feel like this is going to be something we're going to contemplate redeveloping again 40-50 years from now?

Howard Group has, among other partners, Choice Hotels, one of the world's largest hotel franchisers; Winn Development, a large Boston developer; and Street-Works LLC, a White Plains company that says it focuses on "the creation of mixed-use projects around great public places throughout the United States."

Hope? Maybe?

[kznyc2k]

^ I have no faith they'll get it right. Anyway, here's some good news:


Developer revises Broadway tower plan

Queri wants to add third building to site, drops proposed gas station

By CHRIS CHURCHILL, Business writer
Thursday, April 17, 2008

ALBANY -- The Syracuse developers hoping to build a downtown tower have revised their plan, increasing the project's size.

Queri Development Co. originally proposed an 11-story apartment and retail building, and a five-story office and retail building on the site along Broadway, just north of downtown Albany and Quackenbush Square.

Now on the 1.8-acre site, the company wants to build a 12-story apartment and retail building; a four-story office and retail building; and a seven-story, 125-room hotel.

Queri, doing business locally as Albany Soma LLC, also wants to boost the maximum number of apartments on the site from 130 to 175. A gas station is no longer included in the plans.

The Albany Planning Board will consider the revisions at a meeting April 24. The board already approved the original site plan, which Queri estimated would cost $40 million to build.

Mark Congel and Dan Queri are the principals in Queri Development. Queri is a former executive with Destiny USA, the proposed mega-mall in Syracuse; Congel is the son of Destiny USA developer Robert Congel.

The pair, who could not be reached for comment Wednesday, first proposed the project in 2005, but a prolonged lease dispute with Broadway Auto Clinic hampered development plans.

Queri sought to evict the shop, but a state Supreme Court justice in August ruled the clinic had a valid lease through 2011.

The developers and the auto shop in January announced that Queri would buy out the lease for an undisclosed sum, allowing the repair business to move this summer to Menands.

It is unclear when Queri hopes to break ground on the project.


http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories...date=4/17/2008

[kznyc2k]

Apartment-builder fills vacancy

Capital District Properties plans on constructing up to 2,700 units in next 7 years

By CHRIS CHURCHILL, Business writer
Thursday, April 24, 2008

WILTON -- The Capital Region has one of the nation's tightest rental markets. Capital District Properties LLC is doing its best to change that.

The deep-pocketed Latham company, just five years old and launched to fill what its investors saw as a widening gap in the region's housing market, hopes to build as many as 2,700 high-end apartments over the next seven years.

A third of those apartments are under construction or in stages of municipal approval, in planned developments such as The Moorings of Halfmoon or Hudson Hills in Brunswick.

The company's initial project is The Paddocks of Saratoga, a $65 million complex along Old Gick Road in Wilton, just north of the Route 50 retail strip. Construction is less than a third finished, with an ultimate build-out of 420 apartments spread over 68 acres.

Units are already renting. They are not cheap: A one-bedroom goes for $1,100 a month, utilities not included. Two bedrooms cost as much as $1,800 monthly.

Still, Toby Milde and William Hoblock, managing partners of Capital District Properties, on Wednesday said consumer interest in The Paddocks is strong. So strong, in fact, that the development has been able to roll out a 12-unit building every two weeks or so and still maintain thirst for additional apartments.

Construction began in early 2007, with market demand setting the timetable for its completion. If built as planned, The Paddocks will be one of the larger apartment complexes in the area.

It might also be one of the more attractive.

The project, as designed by Guilderland architect Dominick Ranieri, has a pseudotraditional style. It has sidewalks, front porches and gables galore. It eschews the large parking lots seen in other complexes, favoring garages, smaller lots and even parallel parking.

"It's definitely one of the better-designed projects in the area," said Jesse Holland, president of Sunrise Management and Consulting, a Latham firm that monitors the region's apartment market.

Holland said The Paddocks includes apartment features common in other markets -- like indoor parking, granite countertops and a top-notch fitness room and clubhouse -- but still rare here.

This market is changing, though, due in part to a vacancy rate that, at 4.9 percent in 2007, was the nation's fifth tightest, according to the Census Bureau.

That's drawing bigger developer money to the area -- none bigger than A.G. Spanos Cos., which is the nation's largest apartment builder and is now building a 300-unit complex on Washington Avenue in Albany. The $45 million project is the California company's first in the Northeast.

The arrival of Spanos, along with the census data, "confirms what we're doing," Milde said. "We're looking pretty smart right now."

Capital District Properties is backed by The Greenwich Group, a Manhattan real estate investment firm, and other investors, suggesting the group will have the financial wherewithal to carry out its ambitious plan for 2,700 apartments.

Milde and Hoblock, the managing partners, said the group is eyeing sites in all parts of the Capital Region. Most notably, it is considering a development of at least 300 units on 80 acres along Boght Road in Cohoes.

"This area is really in need of high-end rental communities," Hoblock said. "And that need is going to continue."

Projects by Capital District Properties LLC

The Paddocks of Saratoga

Where: Old Gick Road, Wilton
Size: 420 apartments Status: Under construction

The Moorings of Halfmoon

Where: Route 9 and Stone Quarry Road, Halfmoon
Size: 200 apartments Status: Groundbreaking planned in the fall

Hudson Hills

Where: Route 7 and Betts Road, Brunswick
Size: 250 apartments
Status: Groundbreaking planned for summer 2009

Three Silos

Where: East High Street, Malta
Size: 60 single-family homes
Status: Groundbreaking planned this summer

http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories...008&TextPage=2

[kznyc2k]

What's doing on your roads

Major Route 5 project is among work planned for thoroughfares in region

By CATHY WOODRUFF, Staff writer
Monday, April 21, 2008

The Capital Region's major highway projects in recent years have followed a nationwide trend as much of the U.S. interstate system marks or nears a half-century of service.

Interstate 90, the Northway, Interstate 787 and parts of the Thruway mainline, which includes parts of both I-90 and I-87 here, all have undergone significant repairs -- with more to come.

This year, several feeder roads that connect to the interstates and provide alternate routes for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists -- including Route 5 and Route 85 in Albany County -- get their turn.

"The fact that the interstate system is 50 years old, that has implications for the roads that feed the interstate system," noted state Department of Transportation regional spokesman Peter Van Keuren.

The plan for this year also features one entirely new road, a rare find now, with maintenance and repairs to old roads and bridges consuming the bulk of state and local highway funds.

When it's finished in 2009, the $22.4 million Round Lake Bypass will carry traffic leaving the Northway at Exit 11 around the small village and on to Route 9 near its intersection with Route 67 eastbound.

Contractors will build roundabout intersections at both ends of the bypass, a bridge over the Ballston Creek and a pedestrian bridge to carry walkers and cyclists over the bypass.

But Route 5, the central artery through the commercial heart of Colonie and a direct link between the downtowns of Albany and Schenectady, could be considered the centerpiece of this year's regional construction program.

Route 5 -- known as Central Avenue in Albany County and State Street in Schenectady County -- is the granddaddy of the region's main roads and has been much griped about for its bumpy, potholed pavement and poor accommodations for pedestrians.

Two simultaneous projects by the state and the city of Albany will tackle both issues along a 5.5-mile stretch from the intersection with Route 155 (New Karner Road) in Colonie to at least King Avenue in Albany. If time and money are sufficient, Albany hopes to extend the work farther east to Quail Street this year.

The state expects to spend $6.4 million on its portion of the job between Route 155 and the city line, and the city portion is expected to cost about $13 million -- plus $2 million more for the extension to Quail. The city's part of the work also continues an adjoining paving and improvement project on Everett Road.

In addition to new pavement, crews on Route 5 will install more than 60 fresh, colored crosswalks with countdown timers to help pedestrians gauge how much time they have to reach the other side. "High-visibility" markings, including a red-brick imprint pattern and reflective white borders, will mark the crosswalks.

On Central Avenue near Colonie Center and Northway Mall, DOT plans to install a two-tiered island, with each tier edged by a 6-inch-high curb, to protect and highlight a midway refuge area for pedestrians crossing Central Avenue.

Designers hope the wide, raised median also will discourage pedestrians from crossing in locations away from the crosswalk.

The Colonie Center area improvements eventually will tie in with a new station planned for the Capital District Transportation Authority's planned Bus Rapid Transit line along Route 5.

Meanwhile, traffic lanes will be narrowed slightly to widen the space for bicycles from 13 feet to 14 feet along the edge of the street.

Designers hope the improved crosswalks will encourage more pedestrians to use them.

The road is busy, with 30,500 to 40,000 vehicles on a typical day, depending on the location, and Central Avenue has seen several pedestrian injuries and deaths in the last decade.

Authorities and residents say contributing factors include reluctance by pedestrians to walk several minutes out of their way to reach a crosswalk, insufficient lighting and poor markings and visibility where crosswalks are in place.

The accident rate on the Colonie section of Route 5 slated for repairs this year, at 5.82 accidents per million vehicle miles, is above what normally would be expected for a similar four-lane arterial, which is 5.05, said Scott Nowalk, DOT's project manager on the job.

He said much of the paving work will be done at night to minimize traffic disruptions.

Pedestrian improvements also are key to the city's Everett Road project adjoining Central Avenue, where crossing safely has long been a challenge, said City Engineer Deirdre Rudolph and Acting General Services Commissioner Nick D'Antonio.

Rudolph noted that the design includes standardizing the size and reducing the number of driveway entrances along Route 5, which also should improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

Two sections of Route 85, now called the Slingerlands Bypass in parts of Bethlehem, are on this year's regional roadwork summer schedule, as well.

A $3.1 million project will replace the bridges carrying Route 85 over Berkshire Boulevard in Albany.

A $15.2 million portion of the Slingerlands Bypass between Cherry AVenue (Route 140) and Blessing Road is slated for completion in July. The bypass opened last fall, and this year's work will focus on reconstruction of "Old" Route 85, which now includes portions of Maher Road and New Scotland Road.

Other notable projects around the region this summer include:

A $5.7 million rehabilitation of the bridge carrying Route 67 over the Hudson River between Mechanicville and Schaghticoke.

The bridge's four concrete piers will be repaired and strengthened, and 18 bridge bearings will be replaced. A new concrete deck and railing will be installed.

Continued replacement of old rocker bearings on portions of the South Mall Expressway, the elevated highway that connects Dunn Memorial Bridge and I-787 with Empire State Plaza.

Reconstruction of Route 143 in Coeymans.

Resurfacing of Route 9 between Glens Falls and Round Pond Road in Queensbury.

Replacement of overhead signs on the Dunn Memorial Bridge and I-787 in Albany.

http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories...date=4/21/2008

[kznyc2k]

Offices proposed for Park South

Columbia Development plans 5- story structure near Albany Med

--

All current/recent developments (this project highlighted), showing how fast the area is changing:

Link to above map with notes: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UT...01045&t=k&z=17

By CHRIS CHURCHILL, Business writer
Friday, April 25, 2008

ALBANY -- A big Albany developer is proposing construction of an office building in the Park South neighborhood, near Albany Medical Center.

The five-story structure by Columbia Development Cos. would go up on the southeast corner of New Scotland and Myrtle avenues, and the medical center likely would use part of the building to house its administrative offices.

Michael Yevoli, the city's planning commissioner, said he considers the Columbia office project "significant in that it could continue the development of the medical center corridor" and build momentum for other Park South projects.

The proposed development, if approved by the Planning Board, would occur in an area experiencing a wave of investment -- following years of disinvestment that left parts of the neighborhood tattered.

In 2005, Winn Development, a Boston company, was chosen by the city to carry out a $65 million, six-year plan to demolish 237 apartments and homes and build new ones in a nine-block area near Albany Med. The firm is rehabbing 18 row houses on nearby Knox Street.

Last June, Columbia Development and BBL Construction Services LLC completed construction of a $20 million Hilton Garden Inn on New Scotland Avenue, across the street from the hospital. The building includes a Starbucks and other eateries on its ground level.

In January, the Albany Local Development Corp. received $3.3 million in state funding for a large development it is proposing for the northeast corner of Myrtle and New Scotland avenues. The two-building project would also be built by Columbia Development and would add 120,000 square feet of retail and office space to the neighborhood.

And in February, the medical center announced a $360 million expansion that includes a new six-story building and the addition of 116 beds.

Gregory McGarry, spokesman for Albany Med, said the rapidly growing hospital is likely to need additional administrative space, despite that expansion. He said the hospital has been talking to Columbia about leasing space in the proposed building, but has not formally agreed to do so.

Joe Nicolla, president of Columbia Development, could not be reached for comment Thursday. It is unclear how much the company plans to spend on the development, or when it intends to launch construction.

A one-story building would be demolished under Columbia's plan.

On Wednesday, Columbia won approval from the Albany Board of Zoning Appeals, necessary because the building does not meet the required 20-foot minimum setback, exceeds the maximum allowable lot coverage of 60 percent and does not provide the required 308 parking spaces.

(In other words... it'll have urban characteristics!)

http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories...date=4/25/2008

[kznyc2k]

A Tale of Four Communities--New Urbanism lands in Capital Region


The Business Review (Albany) - by Michael DeMasi
Friday, April 25th 2008

On one hand, the developers of four New Urbanism-styled communities in the region may be helped by the ever-rising cost of gasoline.

That could encourage people to buy a new home close enough to walk to retail and professional offices.

On the other hand, the slowdown in the residential real estate market and sluggish retail sales mean developers may have to work harder--and wait longer--to find investors.

Either way, the developers pursuing New Urbanist projects locally still have a way to go before they're ready to turn a shovel in the ground. They're seeking municipal permits, meeting with architects and assessing the overall market.

These communities are modeled after traditional downtowns, with homes, stores and businesses within walking distance. Although the designs vary, they typically have smaller homes with front porches, mixed-use multi-story buildings, sidewalks and some sort of central gathering place.

The lifestyle appeals to people turned off by what they perceive to be the isolation of suburbia and the dependence on cars to go anywhere farther than their mailbox.

Nevertheless, New Urbanist communities have been criticized for lacking economic and racial diversity. Residents aren't necessarily freed from their cars, either, because they generally have to leave the developments to go to work and do much of their daily shopping.

New Urbanist developments across the country haven't been immune to the slowdown in the residential real estate market. Those closest to mass transit and big employment centers are faring better than others, said David Goldberg, spokesman for Smart Growth America, a nonprofit in Washington, D.C. that advocates for, among other things, walkable communities.

When it comes to New Urbanist communities locally, the Capital Region hasn't been tested. But the four projects proposed--in three counties--suggest that there's some interest here.

--

Here's a look at the local projects:

The Village of New Loudon

Developer: New Loudon Road Associates LLC
Architects: Cooper Carry
Location: Next to Hoffman's Playland on Route 9, Latham
Size: 37 acres
Scope: About 280 residential units, 140,000 to 160,000 square feet of retail, upper-floor offices, 65-room boutique hotel
Status: Conceptual plans drawn up; preliminary meeting held with town planners



One of the biggest challenges with New Urbanism developments in the Northeast is balancing the needs of pedestrians versus motorists, said Tony Fazzone, managing member of New Loudon Road Associates.

People are accustomed to driving to a store and parking nearby­--a convenience they especially want in winter. But a sea of parking lots is not what residents have in mind when they think of a community modeled after downtowns of old.

"You want to create a walkable village but the fact of the matter is, most people want to drive their cars to it," said Fazzone, an attorney in Schenectady.

Fazzone is working through those sorts of issues with Cooper Carry, a New York City architectural firm he hired to design The Village of New Loudon. The firm's portfolio includes Bethesda Row, a six-block, mixed-use development in Bethesda, Md.

At this point, the concept calls for the area closest to Route 9 to include a boutique hotel and three-story buildings that have retail on the ground floor and condominiums or offices on the upper floors.

The commercial area would be linked by streets and sidewalks to 80 to 100 townhouse units that are toward the rear of the property.

Fazzone said the layout would appeal to people who want to live above a coffee shop or store and those who would prefer to be a few minutes away from the hubbub.

He believes the key to a successful New Urbanism development is that the homes and stores must be able to stand on their own if there's a delay attracting buyers and investors for either segment.

"You can't expect that one is going to buoy the other one," he said.

The planning process has taken longer than expected but Fazzone isn't concerned. He hopes to start construction in 2010. He's also not worried about the real estate market because he's confident there will continue to be strong demand for condominiums and townhouses among young professionals and empty-nesters in the area.

"We believe there's a pent-up demand for that style of living in this area," he said. "I think a lot of developers feel that way."

--

Info on Bethesda Row: http://www.smartgrowth.org/library/a...=1813&res=1024

And a pic. Cooper Carry did a great job here:


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Bon Acre Hamlet

Developer: EJP Homes
Location: Route 43, Averill Park
Size: 92 acres
Scope: 139 residential units and 160,000 square feet of commercial and retail space
Status: Zoning changes approved by town; state Health Department approval needed for water system



Ed Patanian, president of EJP Homes, is in no rush to build Bon Acre Hamlet.

His focus lately has been making a profit on the four houses he's building elsewhere.

"The cash flow is not what it was," Patanian said, citing a slowdown in demand for single-family, detached homes.

"The volume of homes I'm building is reduced now," he said. "In my other communities I have enough lots to keep going until the market turns around."

Over the past 20-plus years, Patanian has built hundreds of houses in Sand Lake, the Rensselaer County town near his Bon Acre site.

He has had a long-term strategy for the project since the outset, figuring it would take 10 years to fully build the single-family homes, townhouses, condominiums, apartments and retail shops.

"My main concern right now is, I don't get over-extended financially," he said. "I think that portions of the project will sell well. I think there's a good demand for townhouses and condominiums."

He's still enthusiastic about the project and thinks it will benefit him if other New Urbanism-styled developments are built first in the region so buyers have a better sense for what they are like.

In the meantime, he's closely watching his expenses.

"I take a very conservative approach to things and don't want to go into debt to sustain myself," he said.

--

Info from EJP Homes' site: http://www.ejphomes.com/bon_acre/bon_acre.asp

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East Line Commons

Developer: HR Schultz Real Estate Development
Location: East Line Road, Ballston
Size: 17+ acres
Scope: 100 residential units, 282,000 square feet of retail and commercial space
Status: Planned Unit Development approved by town of Malta; site plan approval needed



Hal Schultz has a head-start of sorts when it comes to creating a mixed-use community.

His East Line Commons project in Ballston already has an adjacent commercial park with companies that occupy 48,000 square feet and employ more than 200 people.

He expects another 450 jobs could be created at the three mixed-use buildings totaling 70,000 square feet that he has approval to build at the Ballston Commercial Park.

East Line Commons would be built next to the commercial park, with single- and multi-family homes, retail shops, dining and professional offices.

"We have the real potential of 450 to 500 jobs where people could live, work and shop in one location," Schultz said. "Real jobs, not restaurant jobs."

The development will have access to the Zim Smith walking trail, which is being extended by Saratoga County. Schultz has also asked the Capital District Transportation Authority to include a bus stop at the commercial park.

The timing for East Line Commons depends a lot on whether, and when, Advanced Micro Devices builds a $3.2 billion computer chip fabrication plant at the Luther Forest Technology Campus, which is just 2.5 miles away.

Schultz also expects to benefit from a roundabout that may be built at the corner of Route 67 and East Line Road, which would pave the way for other development. That could happen in 2010. Regardless of whether AMD builds the chip fab, Schultz said East Line Commons is in a desirable location because 25,000 cars pass the property daily. The land is already serviced by water and sewer lines.

"We're not trying to build a new market with new traffic," he said. "We're trying to build on existing infrastructure, which is a big key for stopping sprawl."

--

GlassWorks Village

Developer: Platform Realty Group
Location: Winding Brook Drive and Western Avenue, Guilderland
Size: 57 acres
Scope: 327 residential units, 180,000 square feet of retail and office space
Status: Rezoning request being reviewed by Guilderland town officials



Daniel O'Brien, president of Platform Realty Group, hopes to get town approval for the rezoning by this summer.

"We're in pretty good shape," he said.

But the process has really only just begun. Platform must also get permission from the state attorney general's office for its condominium offering plan. And it hasn't yet started marketing the carriage-styled homes, retail and office space.

The downturn in the residential real estate market is a concern, O'Brien said, but he believes selling a community where residents don't have to rely as much on a car to go shopping or to work will be an advantage.

GlassWorks Village will also be connected to the town library and the YMCA.

"If there's a falloff in the whole housing market, we think this is going to be much better received," O'Brien said.

Platform hasn't partnered with a builder yet on the project.

"We're just kind of in limbo right now," he said.

--

http://www.bizjournals.com/albany/st...355200^1625234

[kznyc2k]

urbanists - 1, McDonald's - 0

McDonald's proposal doesn't measure up

Officials want a floor added to plan for new South Broadway eatery
By DENNIS YUSKO, Staff writer
Tuesday, April 29, 2008

SARATOGA SPRINGS -- McDonald's wants to replace its more than 30-year-old restaurant on South Broadway, but city officials say it needs to rise to two floors.

The Planning Board recently asked McDonald's representatives to revise the preliminary single-floor designs for a new 197 S. Broadway store because zoning rules for the so-called "downtown gateway" area require all new buildings to be a minimum of two stories.

--

http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories...date=4/29/2008

[Nickelplate]

Originally Posted by kznyc2k

urbanists - 1, McDonald's - 0

McDonald's proposal doesn't measure up

Officials want a floor added to plan for new South Broadway eatery
By DENNIS YUSKO, Staff writer
Tuesday, April 29, 2008

SARATOGA SPRINGS -- McDonald's wants to replace its more than 30-year-old restaurant on South Broadway, but city officials say it needs to rise to two floors.

The Planning Board recently asked McDonald's representatives to revise the preliminary single-floor designs for a new 197 S. Broadway store because zoning rules for the so-called "downtown gateway" area require all new buildings to be a minimum of two stories.

--

http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories...date=4/29/2008

Maybe they can put condos up above the new restaurant.

[kznyc2k]

Albany is Now Poised to Develop Plan

Panel members named to develop comprehensive development strategy

By TIM O'BRIEN, Staff writer
Wednesday, April 30, 2008

ALBANY -- The city's effort to develop a comprehensive plan can begin, now that the Common Council has appointed 20 members.

Council member Daniel Herring will lead the Comprehensive Plan Board, and the city's commissioner of planning and economic development, Michael Yevoli, will serve as the vice chairman.

The committee is expected to take a year to 18 months to review what zoning and planning rules should be in the city.

"I'm very pleased with the makeup of the group," Yevoli said. "We worked very hard to make sure we had a diverse board."

That diversity went beyond race and gender to include making sure representatives came from different neighborhoods and jobs.

The city already has done some detailing plans for individual or combined neighborhoods, including Park South, Arbor Hill and the Capital South plan that covers all or parts of the South End, Mansion District, Historic Pastures and midtown.

But Yevoli said this marks the first time a comprehensive plan is being done for the entire city.

The city had set a deadline of last July for people to apply, and Herring said more than 100 people did so. He said applications were accepted past the original date and interviews were then done with some 50 applicants.

"It did take longer than we hoped," he said. "We're really happy with the outcome now. We had in one sense an embarrassment of riches there."

The board will next have to schedule an organizational meeting and begin work to hire an experienced firm to work on the project. A request for proposals will be developed, and the board will review applicants, interview prospective companies and select the firm.

"We're going to have to reach out and find a consultant with experience doing a comprehensive plan," he said.

follow the link for a list of people chosen: http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories...date=4/30/2008

[kznyc2k]

Paving Way for NanoTech Growth?

Fuller Road project could shift intersection north, letting campus grow



By CATHY WOODRUFF, Staff writer
Monday, May 5, 2008

ALBANY -- A new option in play for replacing the crumbling crossroads at Fuller Road and Washington Avenue would move the intersection a few hundred feet to the north and open up new acreage for expansion of the Albany NanoTech complex.

The idea of shifting a segment of Washington Avenue emerged recently as engineering consultants compiled a spectrum of configurations for a two-year project that will rebuild Fuller Road between Central and Western avenues, said Albany County Public Works Commissioner Michael Franchini.

While it remains one of several possibilities on the table -- and would add as much as $16 million to the Fuller Road project cost -- Franchini said moving the intersection would far exceed other options for improving traffic flow, minimizing disruptions during construction and giving Albany NanoTech room for expansion of its staff and research.

"We have a world-class facility that is growing," Franchini said. "The question it comes down to is: Can we support the traffic improvements needed for that?"

More than 50,000 vehicles now pass through the Fuller Road/Washington Avenue intersection on a typical weekday.

At least six Fuller Road project alternatives are to be presented on Thursday at a public information open house from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Albany NanoTech south auditorium. The variations center chiefly on the Washington Avenue intersection.

Maps and drawings will be on display at the event, and designers and county staffers will be available to answer questions. A short formal presentation also is expected.

All of the proposals call for complete reconstruction of the Fuller Road driving surface, with removal of its deteriorated concrete base. The plans include construction of sidewalks along both sides of the road and 4-foot shoulders for bicycles.

A narrow median would help slow -- or "calm" -- traffic near Western Avenue. Grass and shrubs on the median would foster a "boulevard look," Franchini said.

Three roundabout intersections -- at the I-90 Exit 2 interchange north of Washington Avenue, at Washington and Fuller and at the Tricentennial Drive entrances to the University at Albany and Albany NanoTech -- are envisioned.

The Washington-Fuller roundabout, if the intersection is moved north, would feature a bridge for Washington Avenue traffic to continue flowing east and west overhead without pausing for a traffic light or maneuvering through the circular intersection.

The current project budget, without the Washington Avenue relocation, stands at $16.8 million, including $4.87 million for the roundabout at Washington and Fuller. About $2 million of that roundabout cost is expected to be covered by federal aid for projects that ease traffic congestion.

Albany County plans to finance the rest by issuing bonds.

County officials are talking with state officials about other possible funding sources that would enable construction of the design that shifts Washington Avenue, said Deputy County Executive Michael Perrin.

NanoTech officials, who have been eyeing the parcel across Washington Avenue for construction of a $60 million renewable energy research building, are enthusiastic.

While the 11.3 acres on the northwest corner of the intersection already belong to the University at Albany, which hosts the NanoTech complex, the land is cut off from the existing campus by the road.

Eliminating that barrier would help Albany Nano maintain a contiguous, walkable campus for its researchers and permit addition of a new entrance on Washington Avenue, said Steve Janack, spokesman for UAlbany's College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering.

He said expansion to the north also would help Albany NanoTech be a better neighbor to those with homes in the area.

"If we have the ability to expand further in that direction, we would be expanding away from the neighborhood," he said.

The county aims to begin Fuller Road reconstruction next spring, with completion late in 2010, Franchini said. There are no current plans to do the work at night.

"Because of the residential neighborhood nearby, we decided it would be too disruptive," he said.

Most portions of the new road will have two lanes northbound and one lane southbound, but a section of Fuller just south of the NanoTech and UAlbany entrance roads, which is tightly lined on both sides by a cemetery, will remain narrower, Franchini said.

Rerouting Washington Avenue and shifting the intersection with Fuller to the north also will permit construction to proceed with less disruption to the current intersection, he noted.

Cathy Woodruff can be reached at 454-5093 or by e-mail at cwoodruff@timesunion.com.

http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories...sdate=5/5/2008

[kznyc2k]

Demolition plans draw opposition

Critics say club proposal would ruin streetscape near the Capitol



By TIM O'BRIEN, Staff writer
Monday, May 5, 2008

ALBANY -- The Fort Orange Club wants to demolish two buildings next door on Washington Avenue for a parking lot, but opponents say their removal will ruin the streetscape a block from the Capitol.

The 128-year-old social club would raze the multistory office buildings it owns at 118-120 Washington Ave. The space would be used to expand the parking lot from 51 to 73 spaces.

The club, next to the Alfred E. Smith Building, proposes to add a wrought-iron fence, stone and mature greenery to block the view. Approval is required from several city agencies, but the plan is being opposed by the Center Square, Hudson/Park and Washington Park Neighborhood associations and the council member representing the area.

"We shouldn't be demolishing structurally sound buildings and replacing them with parking lots," said Richard Conti, the Common Council's president pro tempore.

The buildings, which are connected, are not historic, nor is the neighborhood labeled a historic district.

Conti said that should be irrelevant because removing the buildings would have an impact on a highly visible stretch of the city.

"It's nothing against the Fort Orange Club," Conti said. "It's an important part of the community."

Susan Holland, executive director of Historic Albany Foundation, said the board opposes the demolition of buildings to create parking lots.

"The district itself where the buildings are had a determination for (historic) eligibility in 1980, but nothing was ever done about it," she said. Some of her members also belong to the club, she said.

Roger Bearden, president of the Hudson/Park Neighborhood Association, said there is no reason to remove the structures.

"They are perfectly good buildings. There are no indications they are in any trouble," he said. "They look like nice brick office buildings."

Last week, the Zoning Board of Appeals tabled the request to approve the parking lot. The Planning Board has determined the project would not have a negative environmental impact. The city must also grant a permit for the demolitions.

Nicholas DiLello, director of the Division of Buildings and Codes, said applications for the demolitions have not yet been filed.

It is not the first time the club has demolished a building to expand parking. In 1982, preservationists lost a two-year battle to preserve the 73-year-old Arts and Crafts style building at 116 Washington Ave.

Herb Shultz, vice president for the 600-member private social club, said the demolition would open up views of churches on State Street and lessen traffic problems during club events.

"With the streetscape that has been proposed, it is going to look very attractive," he said.

Removing the buildings will also enable the club's driveway to be expanded, he said. The driveway is now only wide enough for one car, but it will be expanded to allow two-way traffic.

"It will allow cars to go in and out of that space without backing up onto Washington Avenue," he said.

The buildings are now occupied with office tenants, but Shultz said they have been informed they will need to move.

Built in 1810 as a private home, the club renovated and occupied the building July 1, 1880, five months after the club's founding.

http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories...sdate=5/5/2008

[JManc]

the buildings do add character to the streetscape not too mention, there's nothing wrong with them.

[kznyc2k]

Yeah, I'm not crazy about the building, but the thought of losing it to a parking lot is appalling.

[kznyc2k]

Bankruptcy Fails As Eviction Tactic

Renovation on hold as DeWitt Clinton building owner's filing denied

By CHRIS CHURCHILL, Business writer
Tuesday, May 6, 2008

ALBANY -- The legal case is kaput, and Tom Nicci's businesses remain right where they've been for years -- at the base of the DeWitt Clinton building.

That's not what the owner of the building, See Why Gerard LLC investor Chaim Ausch, hoped for when he filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection five months ago. He hoped the filing would lead to the eviction of Nicci's businesses -- The State Room Banquet Hall and The Comedy Works -- from the building where a high-end hotel is planned.

U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Robert Littlefield Jr. dismissed the case on Thursday.

Negotiations between the parties continue, Nicci's attorney, Stephen Waite, said Monday.

Waite said his client is willing to leave the historic downtown Albany high-rise -- but only if the price is right. Otherwise, Nicci could stay for the nearly 11 years remaining on his lease.

"The only reason he would want to leave is to assist what the owner of the DeWitt is trying to accomplish," Waite said.

Nicci signed a 15-year lease in 2003, before See Why Gerard purchased the property for $5.3 million. At the time, the building contained 400 apartments that catered to low-income residents. Those tenants have been evicted.

Ausch has said the building, located on State Street near the Capitol, is well positioned for conversion into a hotel. He says the redevelopment cannot begin as long as Nicci's businesses remain.

Still, Richard Weiskopf, Ausch's bankruptcy attorney, said he and his client supported the dismissal of the bankruptcy case, as it was proving to be an ineffectual tool.

"The goal here is to get the tenant out," Weiskopf said. "We weren't really getting anywhere in the bankruptcy process."

City officials, including Mayor Jerry Jennings, have expressed support for the DeWitt Clinton redevelopment, partly because of the site's high visibility and symbolic importance.

Albany developer Columbia Development Cos. has announced plans to redevelop a row of buildings immediately to the east, with stores, apartments and a 14-story office tower.

http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories...sdate=5/6/2008

[kznyc2k]

Columbia Development proposes $15M building near Albany Med

The Business Review (Albany) - by Michael DeMasi
Friday, May 16, 2008

New Scotland Avenue near Albany Medical Center would look much different in four years under plans being pursued by the hospital and Columbia Development Cos.

A host of projects on the drawing board or recently completed will add tens of thousands of square feet of medical, office and retail space to the street between Holland and Madison avenues.

Separately, Winn Development of Rochester has finished the first half a $13.5 million, block-long renovation of 18 rundown homes nearby on Knox Street in the Park South neighborhood. The units are being converted into 47 apartments for income-eligible residents.

"There's a lot going on there," said Michael Yevoli, the city's commissioner of development and planning.

The biggest piece is the $360 million, six-story expansion that Albany Medical Center wants to build at the corner of New Scotland and Myrtle avenues.

The expansion would boost the hospital's capacity from 631 to 747 beds to meet a growing number of admissions. The addition would be linked through a glass-enclosed pedestrian bridge to a new, 1,750-space parking garage on the grounds of the Veterans Administration Medical Center.

Albany Med is seeking permission from the state Health Department for the project. If approved, it would be built by 2012.

Even with the planned expansion, the hospital needs more administrative space off the main campus, said Greg McGarry, spokesman.

As a result, Albany Med is negotiating to lease space in a five-story, 77,000-square-foot building that Columbia Development would build at the southeast corner of Myrtle and New Scotland avenues. The hospital doesn't yet know the amount of space it needs, McGarry said.

The $15 million, five-story building would be constructed at 22 New Scotland Ave.

A medical office there, Capital District Dermatology, would be demolished and the practice moved to 147 S. Lake Avenue to make way for the new building, said Columbia Development President Joseph Nicolla.

Parking for the new building would be provided in the hospital parking garage or elsewhere on campus.

The Albany Board of Zoning Appeals has granted variances because the building lacks on-site parking and wouldn't meet setback requirements from the street, Yevoli said. The city planning board was set to review the site plan May 15.

Columbia Development last year opened a 129-room Hilton Garden Inn across from the hospital that includes a restaurant, Starbucks and bank on the ground floor.

The company is also pursuing an 80,000-square-foot to 120,000-square-foot mixed-use development on the east side of New Scotland Avenue between Myrtle and Dana avenues. A row of houses and other properties would be demolished.

The tenants in the new development could include Rite Aid, Nicolla said, replacing Chazan Pharmacy across the street.Columbia Development bought the land where Chazan is located and Rite Aid purchased the business, he said.

"We'll have, in pretty short order, cleaned up everything all the way down past Morris Street," Nicolla said. "Then we have some plans for another potential building between Morris and Dana avenues next to Stewart's."

http://www.bizjournals.com/albany/stories/2008/05/19/story7.html?b=1211169600^1635915

[kznyc2k]

$250M Rensselaer waterfront project gets underway

The Business Review (Albany) - by Michael DeMasi
Monday, May 19, 2008

Pieces of the former junior-senior high school in Rensselaer, N.Y., fell to the ground today, the ceremonial start to a $250 million to $300 million residential, retail and office development along the waterfront.

The demolition of the school will clear a 24-acre parcel that a developer intends to turn into a marina, promenade and 1.28 million square feet of condominiums, townhouses, stores, offices and hotel space called de Laet's Landing.

The project, expected to be built in stages over eight to 10 years, will transform a gritty part of the city off Broadway near the Amtrak train station into a luxury mixed-use development with views of the Albany city skyline across the Hudson River.

"It's going to be astounding," said Jeff West, vice president of U.W. Marx and of Marx Properties Inc., in Troy.

The marketing materials depict a horseshoe-shaped harbor with yachts and sailboats; a large hotel with a rooftop garden; a curving, multi-story office building and tree-lined boulevards fronting boutique stores, offices and upper-floor residences. (A note warns the artist's rendering "may not be depiction of actual site.")

The development is named for Joannes de Laet (pronounced DELAY), a geographer and one of the founding directors of the Dutch West India Co. in the early 1600s. The land where the proposed development sits was called de Laet's Burg when it was claimed by explorer Henry Hudson for the Netherlands, according to Marx Properties.

A cornerstone for the junior-senior high school was laid on the property in 1969 and thousands of students graduated from there since then. Several years ago the land was sold to Marx Properties as part of a complex deal in which a new school campus was built elsewhere in the city. The 550 students were moved to the new buildings in January.

City and school officials said that while it was sad to see the demolition of the old junior-senior high school, they were looking forward to the new waterfront development.

"This starts the revitalization of Rensselaer," Mayor Dan Dwyer said.

Al Picchi, general manager of Realty USA, the exclusive commercial and residential broker for the project, said the housing would appeal to workers who commute to downtown Albany, first-time buyers and empty-nesters who want maintenance-free living.

With 630,000 square feet of residential space, 250,000 square feet of Class A office space, 165,000 square feet of retail and 236,000 square-feet for a hotel, it's the largest single project Realty USA has brokered in upstate New York, and perhaps the biggest it has ever done, Picchi said.

Although the national housing market is struggling and the local market has slowed, Picchi said demand is still relatively good.

Realty USA agents will be pitching the retail space at this week's convention of the International Conference of Shopping Centers in Las Vegas, the largest retail real estate convention in the world.

The credit crunch in the commercial lending market could hinder the project somewhat, West said, but the company owns the land debt-free and will focus initially on just 200 residential units, 90,000 square feet of retail and 360 parking spaces.

The target date for initial occupancy is fall 2009.

Meanwhile, the city of Rensselaer plans to beautify the street that will be the main route to the property from the Interstate 787 off-ramps.

A $7.2 million upgrade of Broadway should begin next year, including new sidewalks and street lights, followed by a $2 million rehabilitation of the Broadway Viaduct bridge, said Marybeth Pettit, city planning director.

The city is also in the process of assembling parcels to create a bike path along the waterfront connecting Rensselaer to Troy, she said.

http://www.bizjournals.com/albany/stories/2008/05/19/daily7.html?b=1211169600^1637943

[kznyc2k]

http://www.uwmarx.com/waterfront/newsite/index.htm

[kznyc2k]

U.W. Marx targets fall 2009 for first tenants in Rensselaer riverfront project

The Business Review (Albany) - by Michael DeMasi
Friday, May 23, 2008

Do hundreds of people want to live, work, shop and play in a fancy riverfront community with views of the Albany skyline?

U.W. Marx of Troy will find out as it begins marketing de Laet's Landing on a piece of land in Rensselaer, an industrial city that doesn't conjure visions of yachts, tony stores or pricey condominiums.

The $250 million to $300 million development would rise over the next eight to 10 years on a 24-acre parcel under plans that Marx Properties Inc. and Realty USA unveiled May 19.

When fully built, de Laet's Landing would consist of a horseshoe-shaped harbor, marina, promenade and 1.28 million square feet of condominiums, townhouses, stores, offices and hotel space. The marketing materials show a large hotel with a rooftop garden; a curving, multi-story office building and tree-lined boulevards fronting boutique stores, offices and upper-floor residences.

"It's going to be astounding," said Jeff West, vice president of U.W. Marx and of Marx Properties, in Troy.

Marx Properties bought the land off Broadway near the Amtrak train station as part of a complex deal with the city school district. A new K-12 school campus was built elsewhere in the city, freeing up the riverfront property where the junior and senior high schools have been located since 1969. Demolition of the old school buildings should be finished by September.

City and school officials said the old buildings held many memories, but they are looking forward to the new waterfront development.

"This riverfront property has been a diamond in the rough for a long time," said John Mooney, school board president.

West said the credit crunch in the commercial lending market could hinder the project somewhat, but said the company owns the land debt-free and will focus initially on just 200 residential units, 90,000 square feet of retail and 360 parking spaces. The target date for initial occupancy is fall 2009.

Al Picchi, general manager of Realty USA, the exclusive commercial and residential broker for the project, said the housing would appeal to workers who commute to downtown Albany, first-time buyers and empty-nesters who want maintenance-free living. Prices for the housing have not been set.

With 630,000 square feet of residential space, 250,000 square feet of Class A office space, 165,000 square feet of retail and 236,000 square feet for a hotel, it's the largest single project Realty USA has brokered in upstate New York, and perhaps the biggest it has ever done, Picchi said.

Although the national housing market is struggling and the local market has slowed, Picchi said demand is still relatively good.

The city of Rensselaer plans to beautify the street that will be the main route to the property from Interstate 787. A $7.2 million upgrade of Broadway should begin next year followed by a $2 million rehabilitation of the Broadway Viaduct bridge, said Marybeth Pettit, city planning director.

http://www.bizjournals.com/albany/st...774400^1639367

[Ex-Ithacan]

^ All I gotta say to that project is WOW.