Mar 28, 2024
2nd quarter THCA dues are due
Mar 21, 2024
Troy Savings Bank Music Hall plans $14M expansion
TROY — The Troy Savings Bank Music Hall plans to invest $14 million in an expansion project that will allow it to hold performances during the summer months, provide additional space for programming, add parking and transform parts of the exterior.
“I’m excited. It’s a demanding project for us to take on. It’s transformative,” Jon Elbaum, executive director of the music hall, said Wednesday, putting the project price at $14 million.
Work could begin in a month with asbestos abatement, Elbaum said. Completion is expected by the end of 2025 with the possibility of the first summer performances in 2026.
Careful planning has been done to preserve the music hall’s acoustics, which are considered a treasure, and draw performers to the venue for the sake of recording their music.
Dash Chrisner of Architecture+, a firm based in Troy representing the music hall, said that an acoustical engineer has been hired and is evaluating the project. Each time a step is taken, the impact on the acoustics is considered to ensure the hall is protected from vibrations and sounds from the HVAC equipment and other changes, Chrisner said.
The Planning Commission began reviewing the project Wednesday night at its March meeting at City Hall. The commission declared itself the lead agency for environmental review. The commission set a public hearing for April 17 at its next meeting.
Plans submitted to the Planning Commission call for the creation of the Music Hub, the upgrades to the HVAC system to permit summertime performances, and remaking the parking lot across State Street from the music hall, which is located at 30 Second Street.
The music hall’s plans call for making use of the closed banking space. Elbaum said the bank has been empty for about a decade.
Mar 18, 2024
How to push the City to fix Terrace roads
 |
| A Troy road crew at work. / photo provided |
Thanks to the persistent intercession of Susan McCabe in the past two years, we've been able to get some temporary patchwork from the City. But, that's less than needed overall.
Luckily, under new Mayor Carmella Mantello and her Quality of Life Action Task Force that is a centerpiece of her administration we may be able to get even better results.
Today March 18) marked the beginning of her Troy's Operation Pothole (TOP) initiative to proactively address the post-winter potholes throughout the city. The TOP team was out in full force early this morning to beginning a city-wide bounty on potholes.
As explained by Mantello, "Each team is driving up and down the city streets, locating potholes and large cracks along the way. For the next month, two crews will be out each day, blowing debris out of existing holes and filling them with hot asphalt.
“We are going street by street, and alley by alley,” Mantello said. “This is another piece of our Quality of Life Action Task Force. Thank you to our wonderful crews for addressing this issue and we request residents' patience as we continue working toward a better Troy.”
The paving schedule will be announced in the near future. Meanwhile, residents are encouraged to report potholes through the city website.
That said, the THCA is encouraging residents to use that mechanism to report the need for pothole repairs on Hyland Drive and Hyland Circle, the two city streets on The Terrace. The more we can push this, the better our chances for repairs.
"While the issue may not be addressed immediately," Mantello said, "Operation Pothole intends to fill every crack and crevice throughout Troy."
Let's take advantage of that pledge.
Mar 14, 2024
Yet another sign of spring!
Plenty of residents were out and about, taking advantage of the "balmy" day, but don't get too used to it. The long-range forecast is for a return to temperatures in the 40s next week.
Spring arrives on March 19 this year. Usually, it's March 20 or 21, but because it's a Leap Year and February gets a 29th day, the season moves up a bit on the calendar.
Curbside bulk-item pickup begins next week
A City announcement said the service will begin on Monday, March 17. The trouble is, Monday is March 18. (Maybe the extra calendar day for Leap Year confused someone.) But, let's assume it is this coming Monday.
The announcement also said, "Mayor Carmella Mantello and the Quality of Life Action Task Force have been hard at work cleaning our streets and arranging disposal of bulk items. We are excited to announce the commencement of curbside pickup for the season. Residents now have the opportunity to schedule bulk pickup right at home. The revitalization of our neighborhoods is a huge priority for us.”
Those in need of bulk pickup services will need to schedule an appointment with the Department of Public Works (DPW) prior to placing items outside. Pricing begins at $25 per two cubic yards, plus additional itemized fees.
Given the implementation of curbside pickup, the Alamo no longer will be available for dropoff. More information is available online.
Plan your travel during bridge closing
 |
| Scheduled for brief closure. |
The Green Island Bridge, seen above, will be closed to traffic from 7 p.m. Tuesday until 5 a.m. Wednesday, according to an announcement by the Village of Green Island.
The closure is to allow bridge inspectors to conduct regular examinations of the bridge structure. Not a bad idea even though the present bridge isn't all that old. Its predecessor collapsed into the river 47 years ago tomorrow -- March 15, 1977. It took 4½ years before the current bridge opened, on September 12, 1981.
Mar 11, 2024
Guess which holiday is coming up next?
Our Beautification Committee does an excellent job of keeping up to date with all manner of holidays with decorations of every sort. The latest example, seen above: The recent Valentine's Day adornments are gone, replaced by shamrocks and other traditional touches as we near March 17, St. Patrick's Day.
It seems only fitting to mark this holiday, started generations ago in Ireland then imported and vastly expanded by its immigrants to the U.S.
And in New York State, which county has the largest percentage of folks claiming Irish heritage? According to the U.S. Census Bureau, you're living in it.
Our very own Rensselaer County, despite its Dutch name and heritage, has 26.1% of the residents claiming Irish roots.
The state's top 20 Irish counties by population:
Trash is gone with the wind -- to someone else's yard
And, that serves as a reminder for all -- please be sure to pick up your trash when it begins blowing around. We have seen many bushes, gardens, and lawns festooned with paper, plastic, and cardboard waste that didn't originate with the residence where it wound up. Please be kind to your neighbors.
You can guard against trash being unwantingly distributed by the wind by simply being sure you don't overcrowd your recycling containers and/or being sure any loose items in them are at the bottom with heavier throwaways on top to keep them in place.
Thanks for your cooperation.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)