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Land Reutilization Corporation of the Capital Region 105 Jay Street, Room 14 Schenectady, NY 12305 518.382-5049 |
For Release: Immediate
Date: April 15, 2015
PRESS RELEASE
Capital Region Land Bank Issues RFQ for 17 Properties
9 Properties to Be Demolished, 8 to be Prepped for Resale and Renovation
Neighborhood Revitalization Efforts Move Forward
Schenectady, N.Y., April 15, 2015 — The Capital Region Land Bank has issued a bid for 17 blighted properties in Schenectady and Montgomery County with nine buildings slated for demo, while eight others will be prepped for resale and renovation. The Land Bank continues to assist with neighborhood revitalization efforts in both Schenectady and Amsterdam. The goal is to improve neighborhoods by removing blighted properties that are beyond repair while renovating and repairing others.
Mayor Gary McCarthy said, “Our Land Bank is moving forward with this bid to remove blight in our neighborhoods. This will be followed by a City bid using HUD funding to remove and renovate even more properties using the largest Land Bank grant awarded in New York State last year and $3 million in HUD funding we secured in partnership with Senator Schumer.”
Richard Ruzzo, Schenectady County Legislator and Chairman of the Capital Region Land Bank said, “The Land Bank is moving forward in partnership with both cities and Schenectady County to make a difference in our neighborhoods. By attacking blight and abandoned properties through focused demolitions and rehabilitation projects, we are encouraging home ownership and strengthening neighborhood revitalization efforts throughout our community.”
Amsterdam Mayor Ann Thane said, “The Land Bank is helping us turn blighted properties into renovated properties in our City.”
Schenectady received $2.5 million from Attorney General Eric Schneiderman’s Land Bank Program while Amsterdam received $500,000.
In Schenectady, four demolitions will occur in the Eastern Avenue neighborhood as part of the targeted effort to revitalize this key corridor. Three are part of a joint effort with Habitat for Humanity to bring new housing units to the Northside neighborhood with the Land Bank handling demolition and Habitat building new homes after demolition is complete. Two demolitions are slated in Rotterdam Junction for homes damaged by flooding during Hurricane Irene.
The Land Bank is also planning to remove asbestos and perform other environmental improvements on eight properties which will be the first step to rehabilitating the properties to offer them for resale and return to the tax rolls. Five of the properties are in the Eastern Avenue neighborhood, one is in the College Park neighborhood, one is in Rotterdam Junction and one is in the City of Amsterdam. The Land Bank is hoping to start environmental remediation work in May with demolitions to follow.
Demolitions
843 Eastern Avenue
101 DeGraff Street
99 Prospect Street
105 Prospect Street
1683 Carrie Street
1695 Carrie Street
1702 Carrie Street
8 Isabella Street (Rotterdam Junction)
1299 Main Street (Rotterdam Junction)
Prep for Renovation and Resale
27 ½ Columbia Street
762 Eastern Avenue
795 Eastern Avenue
840 Eastern Avenue
706 Vale Place
1051 Barrett Street
3011 Caroline Avenue (Rotterdam Junction)
10 Ellsworth Street (Amsterdam)
The bid is available on the Land Bank’s new website: www.capitalregionlandbank.org.
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