HAFs Position on the Proposed Stewarts
/Historic Albany believes that the new application does not address any of the previous concerns by the community or Planning Board, which initially caused the Planning Board to deny the project. The project still involves the demolition of two occupied, structurally sound residential structures on a residential corridor, and demolition of a structurally sound commercial building. In a city plagued with vacancy, frequent emergency demolitions of structurally unsound vacant buildings that create pockets of developable land throughout the City, the proposed demolition of sound and perfectly useable structures sets poor planning precedent, adds needlessly to the landfill, and perpetuates “disposable culture” which has no place in a City striving to be sustainable.
In addition, this project is not consistent with the USDO, would certainly cause negative fiscal and environmental impacts on adjacent properties as well as those across Colvin and Washington Avenue not directly adjacent to the project, would have a direct negative impact on traffic flow, and does not provide any services that are not already readily available across the street or one block away.
