All Over Albany

Another rehabbed building in downtown Troy, and a restaurant for Slidin' Dirty

9 First Street in downtown Troy.

The owners of the popular food truck Slidin' Dirty announced today that they're opening a restaurant in downtown Troy. They're taking the space on the first floor of 9 First Street, a historic building which is currently undergoing a total overhaul that includes residential upstairs.

"We just sort of outgrew the truck," said Tim Tanney, who owns Slidin' Dirty with his wife, Brooke. "This space is going to allow us to do more with the truck, so the truck's not going to miss a beat, and then we're going to have this space."

The Tanneys started Slidin' Dirty in 2012 after deciding the startup costs for a fixed-location restaurant were, at the time, a bit too daunting. They renovated a former FedEx truck and put together a menu of interesting sliders and sides (such as avocado fries). They've since gained a strong following through regular presences at area events and spots such as the Empire State Plaza.

"Troy was absolutely the place we wanted to land," Tanney told the crowd gathered today for the building's tour. "We're thrilled to be in downtown Troy, and the direction it's going."

The projected opening date for the restaurant is later this year. The restaurant space still needs a lot of work, and the Tanneys said they'd be sharing more details as things get closer to an opening.

9 First Street

As mentioned, the building at 9 First Street, which is right next to the Rice Building just off River Street, is currently undergoing a total renovation. It was built in 1864 and originally served as a book store and bindery. It's been vacant since 1996.

The developer behind the project is Sequence Development, which is headed by Jeff Buell, a former Troy city official in the administration of former mayor Harry Tuntunjian. Like so many buildings in Troy, 9 First Street has some great space, it just wasn't in shape for modern use. On Friday Buell called the building "a diamond in the rough," and talked about some of the challenges in bringing it back.

They've made a lot of progress. The first apartment upstairs will be occupied soon, and the other apartments will be occupied by the end of the summer. Buell said they're aiming to have the restaurant space in shape by this fall.

Sequence is also involved with the redevelopment of three buildings at the corner of First and State streets. Buell said those projects, along with 9 First, will represent a $2.4 million investment in the block.

There a handful of photos from the building above in large format -- click or scroll all the way up.