AVillage...Inc.

AVillage...Inc.
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7/24/2019

South End Priorities

South End Priorities
(Developed at June 28 SECC Meeting in response to the AC Land Bank’s cluster development proposal)

1.      Mixed income housing
    1. Homeownership
    2. Rental
2.      Local employment opportunities
3.      Mixed-use development (with local retail opportunities)
4.      Opportunities for local residents to buy shares in the developments
5.      Community benefit agreement.
6.      No currently vacant buildings should be- left vacant at the end of the process. (Either rehabbed or deemed too far gone and demolished).
7.      Save historic buildings where possible, use to enhance new developments.
8.      Commercial corridor that has clear and welcoming entrances
9.      Crime deterrents through improved infrastructure
    1. Address overgrown trees that block streetlights.
    2. Improved and upgraded street lights
    3. Deteriorated sidewalks
10.  Increase public trash receptacles
11.  Green/energy efficient developments- SUSTAINABILITY
12.  INTERCONNECTED - Smart City

NOTES: Our chance of success with this list depends in part on finding a developer who is willing to work with the community. The more specific we can be about how to achieve the goals on this list the better our chances of success. Specifically:
1.      Housing: What is the mix we desire of rental and owner occupied, and what is the mix of income levels? Numbers will be welcomed by developers even if they come back with their own.
2.      Employment: Write a plan to employ local people using the pipeline being established by current actors, including City of Albany youth programs, City School District and Mission Accomplished, BOCES and others. Can our work group take this on? Again, numbers help.
3.      Retail: If this is a demand, what is the appropriate retail for the Second Avenue area, and what has a reasonable chance of success? What is the developer’s role beyond building an appropriate space? Can we find an owner/operator for the business?
4.      Shares/Ownership: This is David Craft’s proposal and he is working on specifics.
5.      Community Benefits agreement can encompass any of the other items listed here.
6.      Vacant Buildings: The idea is that within the designated development area, the developer takes responsibility for all vacant buildings, including buildings not yet owned by the land bank (where feasible). The city now has the capacity to assess all vacant buildings as to future viability, and decisions on each building should be made in partnership with the Building Department, residents of the area and the developer.
7.      Rehab of difficult buildings should be more feasible because the project is in an historic area and the scale of the project is large enough to allow the developer to access state and federal tax credits.
8.      Crime Deterrent through physical improvements. It will be in the developer’s best interests to have these things done by the city. This is not untypical in new developments, and we can tell the developer we will work with him to insure the city commits its resources.
9.      Trash Receptacles (and improved street cleanliness): Ditto.
10.  Sustainability: There are lots of opportunities to plug into existing energy efficiency programs. (NYSERDA, Green and Healthy NY, Solarize Albany, etc.) Can somebody research what is available, put together a package?
11.  Interconnection: This section of the South End is a candidate for implementation of the city’s initiative to install Wifi on lighting polls, connect residents with the city. With the neighborhood’s support, a developer can ask the city to make this one of its contributions to the project.
Not Discussed:
School 17: This building on Second Avenue is currently in private hands, but could be crucial to the overall success of the project, providing space for both residential and commercial and even community space. Do we want to include a proposal for reuse of School 17?


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