What follows are impressions of and notes by some SAVE members who attended this meeting. This is not an official report, and we encourage you to attend these interesting meetings and form your own opinions and conclusions. Official minutes are taken and are eventually available on the PEDD website.
All board members, attorney and PEDD director were present. New PB member Chip Ashworth was welcomed.
Century Hill Plaza, First Columbia, owner
15 & 16 Plaza Drive
Application for Final Review: APPROVED
A new 3 & 4 story, 150,000 sq ft buiding(s) and a 4 story 66,688 sqft building
Presented by Advanced Engineering’s Nick Costa, and Kevin & Chris Bette
TDE – “Skip” Francis from Barton & Loguidice
“TDE Letter” discussed but not available to the public. “Fortune 500” tenant(s) not revealed. Traffic congestion sure to be an issue due to these two large office buildings with a required 1,000+ parking spaces, but not mentioned or discussed. Kevin Bette mentioned approaching CDTA concerning a park & ride situation due to expected “sufficient density” in this area. Bette mentioned tenant wants LED sustainable building, walking pathways. Much discussion of parking spaces needed, required, &/or to be banked. Confusing on-the-spot parking calculations consumed much time, with an eventual waiver granted. Question whether the plans actually showed all matters being discussed; Chairman Stuto chastised TDE, PEDD & developer for failing to provide final plans to PB lately…”The PB is not accepting plans not final anymore…they should catch that stuff.”
Aside: Add these 1,000+ cars to the 1000+ cars at AYCO for more than 2K new vehicles at Rt 9, Rt 87, Rt 9R intersection during drive hours, and you have the definition of gridlock. Or not? What does PEDD say???
Stewart’s Shop, Stewart’s Corporation, owner
406 Albany Shaker Road
Application for Concept Acceptance: APPROVED
Redevelopment of existing facility constructing a new 3,336 store with 6 fueling stations
Presented by Advanced Engineering
TDE – Joe Grasso, CHA Companies
TDE Grasso’s Jan 11th letter discussed but not available to the public. Stewart’s has obtained required Special Use Permit to locate w/in 200 ft of residences. Will add landscaping , sidewalks; will move both entrances further from the intersection; will contribute to structural improvements to intersection identified in Corridor Study, such as: marked crosswalks in all directions, pedestrian signals, eliminating the second westbound lane (and the second left turn lane at the top of Everett?), and perhaps installing some sort of decorative “gateway to Colonie” structure. This is a SEQRA Type 1 action due to historic Audi home (and ancient 18 ft tree?), PB to be lead agency. PB Heider questions the stated 350 gpd water usage figure, safety of left turns onto Everett. Current design reduces size of shop and number of pumps from 8 to 6 (that’s 3 fueling sites under one large canopy.) No public comments were invited or entertained, despite one resident’s raised hand and considerable interest at prior meetings on this project.
Loudon Road PDD, Loudon Road, LLC, owner
606 & 608 Loudon Road
Sketch Plan Review - Request for Zone Change (From NCOR to PDD)
Retail, Assisted Living and Senior Apartments uses proposed
Presented by Advanced Engineering
TDE – Joe Grasso, CHA Companies
This appears to be a high end, well-planned, attractively designed mixed use development at the former Hoffman’s Playland property, now vacant & mostly paved 8.4 acre site. Two story retail (“boutiques”)with roof-top space and parking in front, a courtyard “piazza” behind;a 4 story 110 unit rental senior residence, and 3 story 60 unit rental assisted living and 30 unit memory care facility, all with parking and utilities such as dumpsters beneath. Perimeter roadway would connect with signaled intersections on Rt 9. TDE stressed increased density resulting from this project vs current zoning, from approx 38 residential/28 K sqft commercial vs 200 residential units/30K sqft retail. Applicant stressed high end nature of this development & better fit with Newton Plaza & recently built projects to the north. Presentation by SAGE Life & TGX was very detailed and professionals; certainly raised the bar for Town of Colonie applicants. (Senior project developer SAGE Life has similar projects near Philadelphia, in Maryland, and in Southern NJ. TGX LLC [Jon Grant] has apartment complexes before the Albany City Planning Board.)
PB Austin “wished” he could afford to live there, but doubts the project would accept Medicaid; hopes the project is designed well for the benefit of nearby higher end neighborhoods. There were no ideas presented about the necessary “public benefit” to be provided to town residents to, as it were, compensate for increased density and negatives of such a project. Heider: “work with Joe for a public benefit.” Senior living developer SAGE Life has developed similar properties throughout the nation. Projected price of assisted living unit: $5 K per month; base for independent living: $3500/mo.
There will be opportunities for community input as review of this project continues. Suggestions might include fewer units (ie less density), practical shops for seniors’ needs in the retail space such as pharmacy, grocery market, etc.