Schenectady
From high atop the Trans-finder building on State Street, Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul got a bird’s-eye view of sparkling new buildings that have altered the downtown Schenectady landscape.
And Hochul seemed impressed by what she saw Tuesday while taking a tour with Mayor Gary McCarthy and Transfinder owner and CEO Antonio “Tony” Civitella.
The visit to Transfinder and the Paul Mitchell School was part of the lieutenant governor’s tour of small businesses to highlight state investment and revitalization efforts.
She described the Schenectady-based bus-routing software company to reporters as a “role model for what we want to see more of and how we want to spend our economic development dollars in the state.”
“We are so proud of not just the physical building, which is going to set a new standard for downtown redevelopment, but also the philosophy behind it, which involves protecting people and taking care of the children who are transported in buses all across our country,” Hochul said.
From Transfinder, Hochul took a stroll down State Street with McCarthy to the Paul Mitchell School, where she was greeted and given a tour by the cosmetology school’s owner and dean, Giuseppe Veglio.
Hochul spoke about the $480 million casino harbor project on the former ALCO site.
“What it’s going to do is draw people here to visit, but they’re not just going to stay at the casino; they’re going to want to come downtown and see the amazing character of this downtown corridor which has gone through an amazing transformation,” said Hochul. “There’s so much life and vitality here in downtown Schenectady, so I believe people are going to take a second look, and young people are going to be drawn here because of jobs and opportunities and the excitement factor that the casino is going to bring.”
The casino is expected to generate on average between $8 million to $10 million per year for host communities.
• pnelson@timesunion.com • 518-454-5347 • @apaulnelson
Paul Buckowski / Times Union On a picture-perfect spring day, Mayor Gary McCarthy, center, talks with Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul on the patio atop Transfinder’s building.