SALE DETAIL

We'll take another look at the City Hall land swap later this week. In the meantime, Chet Hardin at Metroland has an online article on the sale. He spoke with a number of well-informed sources that offered some fairly brilliant insight into this whole scheme.

City Spokesman Jeff Buell was quoted:

Jeff Buell, the director of Public Information, is quick to point out to Metroland, however, the city has not designated City Hall surplus property. At least not yet.
The City of Troy has not designated City Hall as surplus property. When a lease is signed with Judge Development for 1776 Sixth Avenue, only then will City Hall be surplus property.

The City also claims Judge will demolish City Hall and the parking garage.

We guess Mr. Buell is correct. The City has not determined City Hall to be surplus property. Rather, it has inventoried and assessed City Hall to be vacant, abandoned or surplus, so much so that the building and garage should be demolished. But, the property was not 'designated' as surplus.

Of course, the above Legal Notice must be read in conjunction with the notices required by the Restore NY grant application. According to the Restore, NY grant rules, the City has to list the properties that will benefit from the grant funds and then conduct a public hearing (after running said notice in the newspaper for 3 consecutive days).

If we aren't using the grant money to demolish City Hall, why are we applying for grant money to demolish City Hall?

Has anyone seen the grant application? The deadline for applying for the Restore, NY money was in September.

Has the City Council approved the grant application? According to the Restore NY rules, the City Council has to approve the application.

Will Judge receive the grant money for demolition?

To quote a Lansingburgh resident: We like axing questions.