TROY, N.Y. — Residents packed the black box theater in the Arts Center of the Capital Region on Thursday evening to hear and provide suggestions for the new proposed housing on the former Uncle Sam’s parking lot
“I was expecting to see five people,” said Dean Marotta, part of RJ Valente who won the bid for the lot. “We really do listen, despite what you might think…The fact of the matter is that we’re gonna try to do our best to get, like Carmella (Mantello) said, the most people on board.”
The lot was sold a few months ago in a sale by a holding company. The city never owned it and did not have the money to buy it, said Mayor Carmella Mantello.
Representatives from RJ Valente and Mackenzie Architects took questions and criticisms from the audience for about an hour after an overview presentation of the housing complex. They and Mayor Carmella Mantello emphasized that the project is in its early stages.
Mantello said the point of having the community meeting when the project is at a “20,000-foot” view was to let residents know about and comment on the project before it reaches planning or zoning. They all want something that’s good for Troy.
Architect Lana Stief presented the 250-unit complex and answered the brunt of the questions and concerns. The six-story building would feature studios, one bed and two bedrooms.
Marotta said they don’t have cost estimates on the apartments but presentation slides said there would be both age-restricted and market-rate apartments. It would also have completely hidden parking as well as a courtyard facing Third Street and several amenities on multiple floors.
Stief said the exterior of the building — which took several criticisms from the audience — was meant to blend with the historic buildings in Troy while not hiding the fact that it is modern. More than 80% of the units have a river view and there are no plans currently for a commercial space on the lower levels of the building.
As the presentation concluded, the initial public reaction was an insistence that they didn’t want a building on the space at all. As people pointed out that they had had a building on the space for many years and never had a view of the waterfront, the criticisms moved to more specific input on the site.
“This could be Miami,” said one attendant about the exterior. “I don’t want Miami.”
They don’t need a “Disney facade” on the building but it could be more interesting. Lowering the height or just having some variety to the levels would lessen the imposing feeling many people got from the designs, a few people said. They don’t need false friezes.
The dark gray wall between Third Street and the courtyard also felt prison-like, a few people commented. Several people proposed adding trees to the heavily trafficked area.
Considering Stief talked about making spaces for multi-generational housing, people also said including three or four-bedroom units would be hugely beneficial. Many families who want to stay in Troy need those larger spaces.
Making the space mixed-use also was asked for and spoken against several times. While discussing it, Stief asked the crowd what they needed in downtown Troy and got dozens of responses.
Folks threw out a grocery store, a rooftop bar, a gym, a non-profit space and more. When it came to some of the suggestions — like a restaurant — the designers said they saw plenty of local businesses already downtown and didn’t want to detract from them.
Jamie Magur, a business owner and a board member for the Downtown Business Improvement District, said they should put more floors on it and add more units. The biggest crisis facing downtown Troy was getting butts in seats.
This will bring lots of people right to downtown with easy walking access to the bars, restaurants and businesses outside of the Saturday rush with the Farmers Market, Magur said. Other business owners and attendees agreed.
As far as pedestrian traffic, Marotta said there would be a traffic study and safety study, as required by the state. With the heavy amount of walking that happens year-round, they would need to be sure the new residents of the 250 apartments could reach downtown safely.
Stief said they considered the crime rate with the design of their structure, but one speaker raised loud applause by saying he felt safer in Troy than in Schenectady or Albany. They would also feel safer if there were more people downtown which would happen if this housing project moved in.
Stief, Marotta and other representatives took all the advice and critiques. Stief said the conversation was exactly what they had hoped to achieve with the community meeting. The people of Troy know Troy, so they wanted to come to them.
“Don’t think what was said tonight wasn’t heard,” Mantello said at the close of the meeting. “This is what the meeting was for, to hear you, to get input.
“This is the heart of our downtown. It is the main gateway.” she continued. “It’s near and dear to all of our hearts.”
