City Hall relocation plans spark usual debate

Current City Hall on 5th floor of the Hedley Building. / LoopNet photo

Get ready for Troy City Hall to move again. And, for political fireworks to accompany the process.

Mayor Carmella Mantello has informed the City's landlord, First Columbia, that the City "will not be renewing our lease at 433 River Street as we finalize negotiations on a new, permanent home for City Hall. This is a necessary and procedural step forward in delivering on our promise to provide Troy with a City Hall that reflects the pride and potential of our community."

While declining to announce the intended new location, citing ongoing negotiations for the facility, the mayor's announcement did say it "will be fully accessible, efficient, and fiscally responsible. By moving away from a costly rental situation, we are taking meaningful action to lessen the burden on the taxpayers, while investing in a long-term solution that benefits every Troy resident. I look forward to sharing our plans within the coming weeks.” 

The longtime City Hall building on Monument Square was demolished in 2011. Offices were briefly relocated to a onetime Verizon building near the Troy Police Department on 6th Avenue, then to its current fifth-floor space in the Hedley Building at 433 River Street.

The Republican administration's communications director Alex Horton said the City plans to be in a new home by January 1, 2017.  However, any plans for a new home must be approved by City Council and, in typical Troy political style, the battle lines immediately have been drawn along party lines.

City Council President Sue Steele, a Democrat, has scheduled a special Finance Committee meeting for Thursday, June 5, to discuss the matter and along with fellow Democrats on the Council issued a statement saying:

“Terminating the City’s lease for our current City Hall location without a clear, concrete plan for the city’s workforce and operations is premature and deeply irresponsible. We are united in our opposition to the mayor’s announcement and urge her to hit pause until additional details are shared with the full council and taxpayers. We have asked the mayor to disclose details of negotiations, including the property location and owner. With serious issues around financial transparency, missing quarterly reports and unpaid rent during Mantello’s term so far, there are simply too many unanswered questions for us to support this secretive, backroom process.”

What the statement did not address was the requirement in the current lease for the City to notify First Columbia by June 1 -- this Sunday -- if it wanted to vacate the lease before 2029.

City Hall built in 1875. / Reditt photo

The now-demolished City Hall on Monument Square. / Wikimedia Commons photo

In addition to the Monument Square and 6th Avenue locations, Troy has had numerous other administrative locations over the years. Here's a quick history:

• 1845: The first City Hall was located in the Troy Athenaeum. 
• Post 1845: City Hall was located in the former Great Northern Hotel. 
• 1875: A new City Hall was constructed at State and 3rd streets. It burned down in 1938.
• 1973-2011: A new City Hall was built at 1 Monument Square.
• 2011-2012: After the 2011 demolition of 1 Monument Square, the City moved into the former Verizon building on Sixth Avenue. 
• 2012-Present: The City has been operating from the Hedley Building at 433 River Street.

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Pesticide application scheduled for lawns

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This is one of the periodic notices from Vinmar Solutions, which handles all  pesticide/herbicide/etc. treatments for private and community lawn areas of the Terrace.

Please be aware that the latest pesticide application is scheduled for next Wednesday (June 4). Please exercise caution when walking (yourself or your pet) that day, and please be sure you do not have any outdoor furniture in areas that will be affected.

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Will we have a Dollar General across the street?

The Dollar General in Lansingburgh. / Google Earth photo

A Connecticut developer is seeking permission from the Town of Brunswick to construct a 9,100-square-foot Dollar General store on Oakwood Avenue opposite the entrance to Highpointe.

The project plans call for construction at the north end of the existing Diamond Rock Plaza shopping strip at 291 Oakwood Avenue. 

A public hearing on Calito Development Group's plans has been scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, June 5, in Brunswick Town Hall at 336 Town Office Road.

According to a notice from the Brunswick Planning Board -- dated May 20 but not received until today by "all property owners within 300 feet of [the] project site" -- copies of the Calito  application and supporting documents "are available at the Brunswick Town Hall, and are available for public inspection during regular business hours. All interested persons will be heard at the public hearing."

Business hours run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, according to the town's official website.

The person behind the project is Thomas Murley who, in September 2023, made an abortive attempt to make use of part of the same parcel as a school bus depot. A number of Terrace residents testified against the project at a Brunswick Planning Board hearing. Murley eventually withdrew the proposal as he has done over the years with other proposed projects on nearby parcels on both sides of Oakwood Avenue.

The Dollar General chain already includes nearby locations, including one in Lansingburgh (2nd Avenue) less than a 10-minute drive from the proposed Oakwood site, as well as in Latham (Columbia Street Ext.), Mechanicville (Price Chopper Plaza), Hoosick Falls (Route 22), and elsewhere in the Capital Region. 

The chain earlier announced plans to shutter more than 100 of its locations this year as part of a company makeover.

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Thursday traffic alert

If you plan to head into downtown Troy on Thursday (May 29), be alert to a temporary traffic disruption.

Specifically, there will be a lane closure from 6 .m. to 5 p.m. on River Street from the Green Island Bridge to Fulton Street to facilitate repairs on a wall at Riverfront Park. 

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Memorial Day once more

 

In grateful memory of those who lost their lives in support of our nation over the generations.

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Brunswick road to be closed for 3 months

Marker shows affected area. / Google map

A traffic alert has been issued in the Town of Brunswick. If your travels will take you in the general direction of Poestenkill, you'd better plan ahead.

Effective on Monday, State Route 351 (Farm to Market Road) will be closed for approximately three months to allow work crews to undertake a culvert replacement effort. The portion of the highway affected runs between White Church Road and Settlers Lane,

According to the state Department of Transportation, detour routes are: For cars, State Route 355, County Highway 19, and State Route 2 on the Rensselaer Plateau, and for trucks, State Route 66 instead of County Highway 19.

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Downtown Troy bar fire extinguished

The El Dorado Bar at 121 4th Street in Troy. / Google photo

A fire broke out in the El Dorado Bar on 4th Street in downtown Troy on Wednesday night.

As reported by WRGB Channel 6, "According to the Troy fire chief, a bar employee reported flames coming from the back of the bar shortly before 10 p.m. When crews arrived, they found heavy smoke from the bar was traveling up to the second- and third-floor apartments. 

"The bar was open at the time, but just one employee was inside the bar. The employee, as well as those in the apartments above, were safely evacuated. Firefighters say the fire was put out in about 10-15 minutes, and no one was injured. The bar suffered smoke and water damage, but crews believe it is salvageable."

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Trees added to Troy Water Plant grounds

 

Photo courtesy of the City of Troy.

Workers from the Troy Public Utilities Department's Quality of Life Action Crew pause for the camera during the planting of trees at the Troy Water Plant located just north of the Terrace.

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Latham Circle roundabout to close

Today's rain bought motorists a day's respite from the temporary closing of a major local traffic intersection.

The Latham Circle roundabout traffic circle intersecting State Route 2 and U.S. Route 9 had been scheduled for closure today to allow for repaving. Now, the work has been rescheduled.

The circle will instead be closed to all vehicles from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, according to the state Department of Transportation. The road running underneath the roundabout should remain open. Vehicles will be detoured to State Route 155, I-87 (Northway), and Delatour Road.

Motorists are advised to plan alternate routes for both days.

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Powers Park concert series lineup set

 

Just down the hill from The Terrace is Powers Park, located at 420 2nd Avenue in Troy's Lansingburgh neighborhood.

Among numerous other public activities there is the annual Powers Park Concert Series, which this year begins on Saturday, July 12. The whole schedule:

• July 12, The Refrigerators –- dance music, Top 40 hits, 6 to 8:30 p.m. 

• July 19, Tame the Rooster -- country music, 6 to 8:30 p.m. 

• July 26, Lucid Street -- rock, pop music, 6 to 8:30 p.m. 

• August 2, Neon Avenue -- psychedelic rock Grateful Dead tribute band, 6 to 8:30 p.m.

• August 9, Legacy Music Group -- soul, R&B, Motown 6 to 8:30 p.m. 

• August 16, Run For Cover - progressive rock band performing a tribute to Rush, 6 to 8:30 p.m. 

• August 23, Adirondack Muscle Car Show -- at 1 p.m. One 18 (mixed rock). at 3 p.m., Ginger Geezus (classic rock, blues), at 5:30 p.m. 12th annual Veterans’ Night, benefitting the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association (CVMA) 19-2 organization and their efforts to support veterans in need.

The shows are free to attend and open to the public. 

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