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Schenectady, N.Y., June 17, 2020 — The Capital Region Land Bank Board last night approved adding two more blighted buildings to its current demolition contract.
“The most recent fifteen demolitions completed by the Land Bank went so smoothly that we are able to add two more blighted buildings to the demo list,” said Richard Ruzzo, Chairman of the Capital Region Land Bank. Mr. Ruzzo is also a member of the Schenectady County Legislature. The two additional demolitions include 1856 Foster Avenue in the Northside neighborhood and 431 Schenectady Street in Hamilton Hill.
The Land Bank Board also accepted four properties that are being transferred from the City of Schenectady. The four properties were all sites where the Land Bank successfully completed demolitions including: 1213 First Avenue; 602 Orchard Street; 109 Irving Street, and 929 Crane Street. The vacant lots at 1213 First Avenue and 602 Orchard Street will be transformed into new single-family homes in partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Schenectady County.
“We are pleased to be able to work with the Mont Pleasant neighborhood to remove the blight that once occupied these properties and move forward with new homeownership opportunities in partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Schenectady County” said David Hogenkamp, Executive Director of the Land Bank.
The property at 109 Irving Street will be sold to a neighbor as part of the Land Bank’s side lot program. A neighboring business owner will purchase 929 Crane Street.
In other developments in the effort to support neighborhood revitalization, members of the Land Bank staff will be hanging sheet rock today at a renovation project sponsored by Habitat for Humanity at 760 Eastern Avenue. Earlier this week, the City of Schenectady released a bid to demolish seven condemned buildings. Bids are due before 10:30 am on July 1st. The seven properties are located in Hamilton Hill, off of State Street near Vale Park and in the Central State neighborhood including: 1009 Strong Street; 19 Close Street; 34 Henry Street; 66 Linden Street; 804 Locust Avenue; 1852 Albany Street, and 310 Schenectady Street.
The Capital Region Land Bank is administered by the Schenectady County Metroplex Development Authority as part of the County’s unified economic development team.