Schenectady, N.Y. — The Capital Region Land Bank today announced that it will coordinate 27 demolitions of blighted and vacant buildings this fall to make way for new investment in Schenectady neighborhoods. This latest round of demolitions by the Land Bank directly supports new investments totaling $157 million in Schenectady neighborhoods.
“This is our biggest round of demolitions ever and certainly the most meaningful as clearing these blighted, vacant buildings will pave the way for $157 million in new investment in Schenectady neighborhoods,” said Richard Ruzzo, Chair of the Capital Region Land Bank, and a member of the Schenectady County Legislature.
“We are proud to move these critical neighborhood investments forward and we thank the Land Bank for clearing the way by removing long-vacant blighted property making these new investments a reality,” said Mayor Gary McCarthy.
Nine demolitions will commence shortly, making way for an investment by AIK Property Group and MLB Construction in 41 new townhomes on Summit Avenue. These nine demolitions are funded in part by NYS Housing and Community Renewal via a grant to the Land Bank. The Summit Avenue townhome project is a $13 million investment.
Ten demolitions will occur along Albany Street and State Street for the Hamilton Hill Redevelopment project including the former Mohawk Auto Center building. The demolitions will help prepare the site for new housing and retail development totaling $80 million.
Four demolitions will take place at the corner of State Street and Brandywine Avenue, clearing the site for a new $37 million SCAP Campus project to include daycare and new housing.
A single demolition will occur at 928 Pleasant Street which is directly behind the Mosaic development on Crane Street, a two-building, $27 million investment in new housing. The Pleasant Street demolition will clear a long-vacant structure in the rear of the new Mosaic complex that will open in 2025.
Other demolitions slated for this fall include a zombie property at 2 Landon Terrace just off Eastern Avenue near miSci and two buildings on the Erie Boulevard corridor including 143 South Church (which faces Erie) and a vacant garage located at 1650 Erie Boulevard across from Mohawk Harbor.
The Land Bank is administered by the Schenectady County Metroplex Development Authority. A complete list of demolitions follows:
Summit Avenue Demos:
417 Summit Avenue
420 Summit Avenue
422 Summit Avenue
502 Summit Avenue
504 Summit Avenue
546 Summit Avenue
549 Summit Avenue
528 Summit Avenue
550 Summit Avenue
Hamilton Hill Redevelopment:
308 Schenectady Street
746 Albany Street
748 Albany Street
752 Albany Street
758 Albany Street
779 Albany Street
783 Albany Street
785 Albany Street
742-758 State Street
764 State Street
SCAP State/Brandywine Demos:
1113 State Street
1115 State Street
26 Brandywine Avenue
40 Brandywine Avenue
Mosaic/Crane Demo:
928 Pleasant Street
Zombie Demo:
2 Landon Terrace
Erie Boulevard Corridor Demos:
143 S. Church Street
1650 Erie Boulevard