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Schenectady Foundation Grant Boosts Project
Schenectady, N.Y., October 20, 2016 — The Capital Region Land Bank today announced that the Schenectady Foundation will provide a $100,000 grant for the new Tribute Park currently under construction on Eastern Avenue in Schenectady.
Richard Ruzzo, Chairman of the Capital Region Land Bank and a member of the Schenectady County Legislature said, “The Schenectady Foundation’s generous support will help us make Tribute Park a centerpiece of our efforts to revitalize the Eastern Avenue neighborhood. The Land Bank’s core mission is to help revitalize and restore the strength of our neighborhoods. This grant provides a major boost to our efforts to improve and enhance the quality of life for neighbors on Eastern Avenue.”
Robert A. Carreau, Executive Director of the Schenectady Foundation said, “The completion of Tribute Park is critical — certainly for the residents of the neighborhood — but also because it demonstrates how we can revitalize the community through collaboration, resident engagement and creative utilization of public and private resources. It’s a great model for what can happen elsewhere in the city.”
Phase I of the new Tribute Park is currently under construction including lighting, new sidewalks and a walking path along with new trees and plantings. New utilities are also being installed to allow for lighting and water lines to serve the park. The work that is currently underway is being paid for under a $100,000 grant from the Wright Family Foundation, $15,000 from the Carlilian Foundation, and funding from Attorney General Eric Schneiderman’s Land Bank program. The Capital Region Land Bank, in partnership with Metroplex and the City IDA, demolished two blighted buildings on the site where the new park is being built.
The Schenectady Foundation grant will help the Land Bank add amenities to Tribute Park including a splash pad, park benches and other features. The Land Bank is also working with the City to develop a plan to connect Tribute Park to Vale Park, a 40-acre greenspace that borders the Eastern Avenue neighborhood and downtown Schenectady.
Extensive efforts are underway to revitalize the Eastern Avenue neighborhood by the City of Schenectady, Metroplex and the Capital Region Land Bank. Over 25 blighted buildings have been demolished. Another ten buildings have been renovated. A coffee shop/community gathering place is replacing a closed bar. A former church has been renovated and will be reopened with a ground floor restaurant and an event hall. Tribute Park is designed to continue revitalization efforts in the Eastern Avenue neighborhood.
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Contact Information:
Capital Region Land Bank
Richard Ruzzo – (518) 388-4772
Schenectady Foundation
Robert Carreau – (518) 956-1500