All Over Albany

Troy gets money for Proctor's redevelopment

The other Proctors

The Paterson Administration announced a bunch of "Restore NY" grants today. And Troy's Proctor's Theater got $4 million. Although, in this case, restore means "fix the facade, tear the rest down and rebuild." From the state press release:

Proctors Theatre, vacant since 1977, together with adjoining structures located immediately to the north of this building, form a critical anchor to the Fourth Street area of Troy's historic downtown. Through this Restore NY project, the historic Proctors facade will be restored, abandoned auditorium and office space will be demolished and reconstructed and hazardous materials will be removed. Facade restoration and rehabilitation activities will also be undertaken in a vacant commercial office building located at 70-76 Fourth Street. The project will yield more than 100,000 square feet of retail, office, incubator, and technology space and will utilize the existing dramatic entrance of Proctor's Theatre. The project will create more than 300 new jobs.

Harry Tutunjian tweeted that he's "thrilled" about the grant. It probably won't go over so well with the group trying save the theater in its original form. The group recently proposed a plan for bring the theater back as a performance space.

In all, the Capital Region got a little more than $15 million in Restore NY grant money. Descriptions for projects in Albany ($5 million) and Schenectady ($4 million) after the jump.

descriptions from state press release

City of Albany - Arbor Hill Reclamation Project
Grant Total: $5,000,000
The Arbor Hill Reclamation Project proposes to redevelop anchor properties along two commercial corridors in the Arbor Hill neighborhood. This includes the rehabilitation of the former St. Joseph's Academy (41,448 square feet) on North Swan Street into a cultural art center, business incubator and 25 artist apartments. The project also includes the rehabilitation of four residential homes and two mixed use buildings (first floor commercial, second floor apartments) along Henry Johnson Boulevard and Clinton Avenue. All housing units will be offered at affordable rents.

City of Schenectady - ALCO Industrial Site Redevelopment
Grant Total: $4,000,000
The ALCO Industrial Site Redevelopment Project site is located at the former 60-acre ALCO
manufacturing facility adjacent to downtown Schenectady and the Mohawk River. The project will entail the demolition of existing dilapidated industrial structures, the redevelopment and renovation of vacant and underutilized industrial buildings, significant site infrastructure improvements, the construction of a new mixed use commercial and residential complex and the creation of a waterfront public park.