What's going on in Troy & vicinity?

What's going on in Troy and adjacent communities this weekend? Here's a sampling excerpted from our Terrace Times calendar.

THROUGH SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 26

• A Breath of Fresh Air: Takeyce Walter, Arts Center of the Capital Region, 265 River Street, Troy

FRIDAY - SUNDAY

• Bacchanalia Arts & Music Festival, various downtown locations, Troy

SATURDAY

• Troy Waterfront Farmers Market, Monument Square area, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Rufus Wainwright, Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, 30 2nd Street

• North Mississippi All-Stars, Cohoes Music Hall, 58 Remsen Street

• Muscle Car Challenge Car Show, Hudson Shores Park, Watervliet

• Sipping & Sampling: A Taste of Rensselaer, Doane Stewart School, 199 Washington Avenue, Rensselaer

SUNDAY

• Waterford Harbor Farmers Market, Hurst Harbor Center, 1 Tugboat Alley

• Cohoes Car Show, Canal Square Park, Cohoes 

If you haven't yet gotten in the habit of checking the Terrace Times calendar, just click on it and bookmark it for easier access.

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Have you submitted your 4th quarter dues?

A last reminder: fourth-quarter THCA dues are due by today, September 30.

As always, you can drop your checks in the Association mailbox located just below the bulletin board in our postal gazebo. That's convenient because you can deposit checks there without wasting a postage stamp. In fact, you don’t even have to address the envelope, or even use an envelope. Treasurer Jerry Gordon is the one who gets everything in that mailbox.

As always, you also can use that mailbox to deposit any suggestions, comments, or questions you may have for the THCA Board. 

Of course, if you’re paying from out of town, you still can use the good old U.S. Postal Service to send your checks to:

Terrace at Highpointe Community Association, 35 Hyland Drive, Troy, NY 12182

A reminder: If your house number is not printed on your check, please write it in the memo field. 

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Section of Congress Street to be blocked

The City of Troy has reissued a traffic advisory for Congress Street between 4th Street and 5th Avenue for utility work on Friday (September 30) from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

That section of Congress Street will be closed to vehicular traffic for utility work, although 4th Street and 5th Avenue in the vicinity of Congress will remain open. 

Vehicles coming down Congress Street may detour up 6th Avenue to Broadway to 3rd Street. Traffic delays are expected. Motorists are asked to reduce speeds, and use caution in the work zone to keep workers safe. Local emergency services have been notified of traffic restrictions. 

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Pothhole patching on the Terrace

Roadway Upgrades, Part 2 (Part 1 was the recent resealing project): 

A City of Troy road crew arrived this morning to patch some of the worst potholes on the public roads leading into and around the Terrace. Please exercise caution when walking near the patches.

These temporary repairs are not a perfect solution, but they should be sufficient to get us safely through the winter.  And, we've been told we will be put on the City's "to-do" list for replacement paving. No assurance on when that will happen, but it's another step forward.

As always, thanks to Ned Alaskey and Susan McCabe for nudging the City administration along. Here are some other images provided by Bill Dowd and Susan.

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Fall Festival at Bruno Stadium family-friendly weekend

 

Looking for a family-friendly, seasonal event? The Tri-City ValleyCats professional baseball team has a free one coming up at Bruno Stadium on the campus of Hudson Valley Community College.

It's the 3rd annual ValleyCats Fall Festival, scheduled for Friday and Saturday, October 21-22. Parking and admission are free, but advance registration is mandatory for admission. (Click here to sign up, or call 518-629-2287.)

The event will include 7:15 p.m. screenings of the Disney movies "Hocus Pocus" on Friday and "Encanto" on Saturday on the stadium’s big video board, as well as trick-or-treating around the ballpark. Other Fall activities will be provided, and food/snack packages may be  ordered in advance.

Gates will open at 5 p.m. on Friday, with trick-or-treating commencing at 5:15, with groups every 15 minutes until 7 p.m. Gates will open early on Saturday for a special performance by The Accents. Trick-or-treating will start at 4:30, with groups every 15 minutes until 7 p.m.

Costumes are encouraged by all attendees, adults or kids. Attendees can bring blankets or lawn chairs to enjoy the movie from the outfield.

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Part of the 'Burgh nominated for historic status

Proposed historic area.

A portion of our 12182 ZIP code could become an official historic area. 

The City of Troy is nominating a part of the Lansingburgh neighborhood for designation as a National Register Historic District. Such a designation is an effort to support neighborhood revitalization efforts.

A "National Register Designation" provides tax credits for property investment. A "National Register Listing" places no burden on property owners unless they wish to access tax credits of up to 50% of rehabilitation costs. 

The neighborhood, officially called the "Central Lansingburgh Historic District," includes properties from 110th Street to 120th Street. The nomination, prepared by Neil Larson & Associates, the Kingston-based historic preservation consultant, was funded by the City and the Troy Redevelopment Foundation, with oversight and assistance from the New York State Office of Historic Preservation.

If approved, the designation will offer property owners the option to seek incentives through tax credits to rehabilitate their properties.

The City awarded the designation study to Neill Larson & Associates last fall, and field work has been under way since then with consultation with the nearby New York State Historic Preservation Office.

The public is invited to attend a presentation scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, October 11, at a Lansingburgh Neighborhood Association meeting at the Boys and Girls Club, 501 4th Avenue in Lansingburgh. A repeat presentation is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, November 15.

More information about the proposed designation, including a map and schedule of meetings, is available online by scrolling down to "Lansingburgh Historic District."

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The Politician & The Pothole(s): Fixes promised

Mayor Patrick Madden

The Terrace's ever-vigilant "road warriors" have something new to report.

Sue McCabe and Ned Alaskey, who regularly petition the City of Troy to repair our crumbling, pockmarked streets -- sometimes with success, sometimes with delayed promises -- tell us they had a visit this evening from Mayor Patrick Madden and a City Court candidate. (Yes, it's that season.)

Our neighbors took advantage of the serendipitous occasion to inform the Mayor they had repeatedly contacted the City Engineering Department and been told we're on "the list" to get some remedial work done, although that has not yet happened. They also made a point of giving him a first-hand tour of some of the bad spots on our streets.

A promissory result: The Mayor promised the pothole work will be done.

A tangible result: If you see a city crew doing that work -- preferably before Election Day on November 8.

Meanwhile, thank Susan and Ned next time you see them.

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Traffic advisories: Troy, Cohoes

Any time we come across official traffic advisories from the City of Troy and adjoining communities, we'll post them on The Terrace Times.

• TROY -- City officials have issued a traffic advisory for Congress Street between 4th Street and 5th Avenue for utility work. On Friday (September 30) from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., that area will be closed to vehicular traffic for utility work. However, 4th Street and 5th Avenue in the vicinity of Congress Street will remain open. Vehicles coming down Congress Street may detour up 6th Avenue to Broadway to 3rd Street. Traffic delays are expected. Motorists are asked to reduce speeds, and use caution in the work zone to keep workers safe. Local emergency services have been notified of traffic restrictions.

• COHOES -- A road work notice has been issued by the city for Masten Avenue, between Cherrry and Elm streets. That portion will be closed starting at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday (September 28). The road will reopen once construction work is complete. Drivers are advised to seek alternate routes and use caution when traveling in the area.

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In memoriam: Salvatore 'Tory' Clemente

Salvatore "Tory" Orazio Clemente passed away on Sunday. He was 92. Although he did not reside on the Terrace, Tory was the owner of No. 2, Hyland Circle and, thus, was a member of our community

Tory was born in Troy on October 7, 1929, in Troy, son of Italian immigrants Orazio and Maria Ambrosacchio Clemente. He was a Manhattan College graduate, U.S. Army veteran, professional engineer, and co-founder of both Troy Sand & Gravel, Inc. (1957) and Bonded Concrete, Inc. (1964). 

He was preceded in death by his wife of more than 64 years, Anne Marie Corbett Clemente,  and is survived by eight sons and two daughters: Matthew, Thomas (Nancy), Andrew, Philip (Mary), Jude (Linda), Luke (Marianne), Carl (Ann), Brendan (Roberta), Jessica Churan (Mark), and Rebecca Hessinger (Raymond). He also had 32 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. 

Calling hours will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at the McLoughlin & Mason Funeral Home, 8 109th Street, Troy. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held in St. Augustine's Church, 25 115th Street, Troy, at 10 a.m. Saturday.

Tory's official obituary is available online. 

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Lawn Care Advisory

Over-fertilized grass.

Jeff Mauro of Elite Lawn Care today advised the community that it would be best for the health of our lawns to ease off any further fall fertilization. 

He said sometimes too much fertilization is as harmful as too much watering, and that the scheduled professional fertilization we have done is sufficient. Otherwise, you can wind up with burned-out patches which then impede regrowth.

Thanks for your attention. 

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What's happening? Our calendar will tell you

(Originally posted 9/13/22)

If you want to stay in the loop about everything local from food festivals to blood drives to public festivals to government meetings and lots more, we've added something to The Terrace Times you'll like.

It's the TROY AREA EVENT CALENDAR, available on its own page on this website. Just look over there on the right and you'll find the entrance to it. Or, click here and bookmark it for easy regular access.

By the way, if you belong to, or know of, an organization planning any sort of public event from plays to potluck dinners in Troy and its immediate environs, feel free to email me the information on it well in advance and I'll add it to the calendar.

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Before and after the blacktop touchup

Today was spruce-up day for some parts of the Terrace -- repairs and sealing of the "eyebrow" parking area on Hyland Circle, and cleanup and sealing of the mailbox parking area and Hyland Court common area.

After a slow start -- a truck breakdown in the morning -- CW Sealcoat arrived and promptly got to work removing encroaching weeds that were breaking the blacktop, cleaning and sealing cracks, and top-coating all areas. Now, it's a matter of thorough drying out, so we ask that you please avoid walking or driving on those repaired areas until the orange traffic cones are removed.

Special thanks to Grounds Committee chair Ned Alaskey and the tireless Susan McCabe for arranging and overseeing the effort. And, thanks for the cooperation of all whose homes are adjacent to the work areas for keeping them clear of traffic. The orange traffic cones will be removed sometime on Monday. The Postal Service had been notified several days in advance of the project.

Meanwhile, here's a look at some of the day's labors.

Hyland Court completed and cordoned off.

Mailbox gazebo area being sealed.

The "eyebrow" before ...

... and after.

The crew begins the prep work.

Note posted several days in advance to our USPS carriers.

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Missing the meeting? Send a proxy

As announced on September 11, we will hold our annual THCA meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, October 17, at Faith Lutheran Church.

For those of you who do not plan to attend, you can create a proxy so your vote will be counted on any matters brought up for a group decision.

Under our Bylaws (Section 3.04 Proxies), "All proxies shall be in writing or communicated electronically and submitted to either the Association Secretary [Ellen Gordon] or President [Bill Dowd] prior to the meeting at which the same are to be used. Such proxies shall only be valid for such meeting or a subsequent adjourned meeting thereof. A notation of such proxies shall be made in the minutes of the meeting."

We ask that if you wish to be represented by a proxy, you submit that desire in writing or by email by Friday, October 14. The submission should specify whether you want a particular member to cast your vote on your behalf, or wish the Board to cast your vote for you as it wishes. If you do not specify, it will be assumed the Board will cast your vote. In any instance, you will be recorded as "attending via proxy," and counted toward the presence of a quorum.

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Reminder: Parking area repairs on Saturday

Us, as seen from on high.

A reminder to Terrace residents that we're having repairs done on about 9,000 square feet of common parking surface this Saturday (9/17/22). 

What that means for parking is the need to keep Hyland Court, the mailbox gazebo area, and the eyebrow next to Nos. 30 and 31 clear on Saturday. Also, it would be helpful to let potential visitors and/or service vendors know in advance about the project. (A notice was posted today for our USPS carrier.)  

Those of us affected can park on any of the public streets of the Terrace, although we ask that you avoid blocking driveways or fire hydrants, or interfering with access and egress for Moneta Overlook. 

We're not sure what time the work will begin, so unless you're an up-at-dawn person, it might be best to park away from those areas on Friday night. When the work is completed and the contractor advises us how long we need to stay off the repaired areas, we'll spread the word. 

Thanks in advance for your cooperation as we tend to this very necessary maintenance. 

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Parking area maintenance on Saturday

We have scheduled some long-delayed maintenance and repair work for the community-owned parking areas and Hyland Court this Saturday (9/17).

To facilitate that work, we ask that you do not use those areas over the weekend. And, please forewarn any visitors and/or service vendors so they do not park in those areas and inadvertently interfere with the project.

Thanks go to Susan McCabe and Ned Alaskey for working with the sealcoating company to arrange this work.

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Troy traffic alert: Major detours, delays

The City of Troy issued the following traffic advisories today for High Street between the Troy-Menands Bridge and Mill Street. Crews will be milling and paving the roadway over several days. The schedule:

• Thursday, September 15, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., crews will be milling High Street between the bridge and Mill Street.

• Friday, September 16, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., crews will continue milling work on High Street.

• Saturday, September 17, from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., crews will be paving all of High Street between the bridge and Mill Street.

During the project, High Street will be open in both directions at all times, but traffic delays are expected. 

Morrison Avenue between Vandenburgh Avenue and High Street will be open to local traffic only. Vehicles will be detoured down Vandenburgh Avenue to Mill Street to High Street. Vehicles coming down Stow Avenue to High Street will be detoured up Morrison Avenue to Vandenburgh Avenue to Mill Street to High Street.

Traffic delays are expected. Motorists are asked to reduce speeds, follow posted detours, watch for flaggers, and use caution in the work zone to keep workers safe.

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What's happening? Let us tell you

If you want to stay in the loop about everything local from food festivals to blood drives to public festivals to government meetings and lots more, we've added something to The Terrace Times you'll like.

It's the TROY AREA EVENT CALENDAR, available on its own page on this website. Just look over there on the right and you'll find the entrance to it. Or, click here and bookmark it for easy regular access.

By the way, if you belong to, or know of, an organization planning any sort of public event from plays to potluck dinners in Troy and its immediate environs, feel free to email me the information on it well in advance and I'll add it to the calendar.

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Expert: Time to stop watering your lawns

'Tis the season to shut down the sprinklers.

It's the time of year to ease off the lawn watering. 

That's the advice from Elite Landscape Services, our grounds maintenance vendor.

"People can stop watering with sprinklers," said Jeff Mauro of Elite. "In the fall you don't need sprinklers. Between rain and dew, it's plenty."

"If the lawns get too much water the roots are shallow. Roots stay where the water is. We need the roots to go deep to strengthen the turf. Right now, roots are shallow from all the water," Jeff advises.

And, he points out one more practical item besides water conservation and turf rebuilding: "Skunks are looking for grubs." And, they like digging in water-softened soil.

P.S. Jeff sends his thanks for everyone removing the yellow pesticide warning flags from their lawns. It helped facilitate today's mowing.

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Quarterly dues are due by October 1

It may only be early September, but fourth-quarter THCA dues are due in just 17 days.

As always, you can drop your checks in the Association mailbox located just below the bulletin board in our postal gazebo. That's convenient because you can deposit checks there without wasting a postage stamp. In fact, you don’t even have to address the envelope, or even use an envelope. Treasurer Jerry Gordon is the one who gets everything in that mailbox.

As always, you also can use that mailbox to deposit any suggestions, comments, or questions you may have for the THCA Board. 

Of course, if you’re paying from out of town, you still can use the good old U.S. Postal Service to send your checks to:

Terrace at Highpointe Community Association, 35 Hyland Drive, Troy, NY 12182

A reminder: If your house number is not printed on your check, please write it in the memo field. And, if your bank sends payments automatically from your account, please move the due date up one week to accommodate the often-slow mail delivery.

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Please collect the yellow lawn flags

 

Elite Landscape Services has us scheduled for lawn mowing Monday or Tuesday (9/12-13), weather permitting. 

To help facilitate the work, please be sure you have removed the yellow lawn treatment flags from your front and/or back lawns that were placed there last week by Vinmar Solutions, our pesticide/fertilizer vendor. 

Thanks for your help.

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In-person THCA meetings to resume

We have had several years of Terrace at Highpointe Community Association meetings via Zoom because of ... well, you know. But, we're about to resume our annual in-person gathering.

We'll begin at 7 p.m. Monday, October 17, at our traditional site -- Faith Lutheran Church, located at 50 Leversee  Road opposite the Troy Water Plant, just around the corner from our community. Plenty of free parking, although car pooling is encouraged.

Anyone who wants to arrive a few minutes early to help set up the chairs and stay a few minutes afterward to put them away will be welcomed.

Please circle the date on your calendars. We're especially looking forward to welcoming the residents who have joined the Terrace since we last met in person. You know who you are!

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Traffic advisory for Oakwood, 15th Street

The City of Troy today issued traffic advisories for two roadway repair projects on 15th Street and Oakwood Avenue on Saturday, September 10. 

Crews will be patching sections of roadway that had been excavated for water main repairs. From approximately 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., 15th Street between Hutton and Hoosick streets will be closed to vehicle traffic. 

Northbound traffic on 15th Street will be detoured to Peoples to Burdett avenues to Hoosick Street. Southbound traffic on 15th Street will be detoured to Hoosick Street to Burdett Avenue to Peoples Avenue. 

Oakwood Avenue between Fairview and Frear avenues will be closed to vehicle traffic. Northbound traffic on Oakwood will be detoured to Park Boulevard to 15th Street to Frear Park Road, Southbound traffic on Oakwood will be detoured to Frear Park Road to 15th Street to Park. 

Traffic delays are expected. Motorists are asked to reduce speeds, follow posted detours, watch for flaggers, and use caution in the work zone to keep workers safe. Local emergency services have been notified of traffic restrictions.

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Stay alert for stopped school buses

 

• The Troy Police Department just issued this statement on school bus safety.

Beginning this week, students from the Troy City School District, Lansingburgh Central School District,  and several other schools within the City of Troy will begin classes. We would like to stress the importance of remaining observant to the many school buses that will be on the roadways both in the mornings and afternoons. 

Failure to stop for a school bus that is picking up or dropping off students is a serious violation of the vehicle and traffic law:

"VTL § 1174(a), a driver who meets or overtakes a school bus (from either direction) that has stopped to receive or discharge any passengers, and which has at least one flashing red signal lamp, must stop their vehicle before reaching said school bus."

We would also like to remind drivers of the school zones within the City of Troy that require a reduced speed while operating your vehicle. Failure to abide by this vehicle and traffic law is also a serious offense. 

Thank you for keeping the safety of our youth a top priority. We are looking forward to a great school year and we would like to wish all of the students within the City of Troy the best of luck.

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Section of 15th Street washed out

• A driver caution was posted on social media today by Sidewinder Photography, which covers the Troy scene in great detail:

"City of Troy: Large section of the road on 15th Street between Hoosick Street and Hutton Street has washed out from the torrential rain. 

"The roadway was only filled in with crusher run from a previous construction project. Drivers should use caution as the holes are over three feet wide and some of them over three feet deep. Your vehicle will be damaged in this location if you do not go slow through the area. 

"Vehicles that are low to the ground should seek alternate routes."

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Meet Uncle Sam's 4x great granddaughter at Oakwood on Saturday

Helen Painter

Terrace residents, if you're interested in local history, the upcoming Saturday (September 10) event at historic Oakwood Cemetery should interest you. 

The Veterans of Lansingburgh Inc. will host the annual service in Oakwood at 10 a.m. to commemorate the 256th birthday of Uncle Sam. A flag-raising will be performed by the Troy Detachment Marine Corp League. A wreath will be presented by the Disabled American Veterans. 

This year’s guest speaker will be Helen Hambuchen Painter of Conway, AR. She is a great-great-great-great granddaughter of Samuel Wilson, the Civil War era meatpacker who is widely believed to be the forerunner of the Uncle Sam character.

The graveside ceremony is a rich tradition. Each year since September 13, 1958, a group of veterans and citizens have honored Samuel Wilson at his graveside. Originally sponsored by the Tibbits Cadets, the ceremony now is sponsored by the Veterans of Lansingburgh, with assistance from the staff of Oakwood Cemetery. 

For those unfamiliar with the Uncle Sam character, Wilson was known to have stamped barrels of meat shipped to federal troops during the War of 1812 with "U.S." They became referred to as provisions from "Uncle Sam," and artists based their characterizations on him.

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City offices closed on Labor Day weekend

If you need to call or visit City Hall on any urgent business, don't plan on doing it on Monday.

In fact, the city offices located in the Hedley Building on River Street will be closed Saturday, Sunday, and Monday for the Labor Day long weekend.

However, the city website offers lots of links to general information, forms, contact numbers and so forth. You can access it by clicking here anytime day or night.

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