The City of Troy, New York, "Where Henry Hudson Turned Around."

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

WELL...

THAT WAS USEFUL

Last night, the Republican caucus hosted a soirée for 1 Monument Square.  Republican Council members attended (black tie only) and were serenaded by We Care About the Square.  Mr. Mistur opened the show for WCATS.

"Only the six Republican council members attended. They heard an hour-long presentation from Russ Brooks and Mark Mistur, an architecture professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, about WCATS’ position on what Kirchhoff has proposed in its $24.3 million project..
“We believe development should be properly and according to the rules,” Brooks said.

Earlier Monday afternoon in an interview, Jeff Kane of Kirchhoff Companies said it wasn’t a proper time to appear before the City Council until the Planning Commission responds."

There were some eye-opening moments for the Republican caucus. For instance, the caucus learned that We Care About the Square are opposed to the current contractor and current design for the building that will replace the former city hall site.

Mistur call the proposal a “substandard building.”  He said the proposed building doesn’t fit with Troy’s architecture and history.

“Troy is an extremely special treasure of a place with a wonderful scale,” Mistur said. “This was a great industrial city that lost its economic engine and identity.”

The council members said they were glad to hear the presentation.

The city is expected to bill the Council and WCATS for use of public property for a private rally. An utterly useless exercise.

We don't disagree with Mr. Mistur, although the current plan is not a "substandard" building. They just don't like it. We're not crazy about it either.  The building does not fit with Troy's architecture or history? Agree. Under that theory, a building that resembled an iron foundry would be acceptable.

If WCATS and the Council can find a developer that will submit plans for a building(s) that fits with Troy's architecture and history we'll back them all the way, with one caveat:.  the initial plans cannot be altered once submitted. Do that, and you'll have the full force of the Troy Polloi behind you (and not in a weird way).

Lets get this going. We're thinking, a smaller Troy Music Hall type building. Or better, a design based on the original Troy City Hall. Now, take your broken wings and  lets do this thang!



82 comments:

Anonymous said...

This project will move forward. But not with Bill Dunne. The envelop please.....and the winner is.....Troy.

Anonymous said...

Saw Mark shinning Carm's shoes last night. Must eat him up to be her bitch. Wait for it. The angry man will explode soon and go his own way. Mark has told people he wants a shot at the top job but not while he's Carm's automaton.

Anonymous said...

If what I'm hearing is true then I'm very disappointed in Pat Madden. May I remind you Pat, Bill Dunne worked tirelessly to get you elected and this is how you show your gratitude by getting rid of him? Backing down to a thug like Mark McGrath? Part of being a leader is showing loyalty Pat. Rodney, I'm sorry I didn't vote for you, it was a mistake. Please run for council next time and mayor again. We'll make sure there's no Ernie Everetts or Sabos to block you from running this city the right way.

Real Democrat

Anonymous said...

Kirchoff's building plan is INDEED substandard. Maybe not by city code but certainly for all other ways it could be evaluated. That piece of real estate and Troy deserve a whole lot more. This is the 21st century and we need to build for the future & not to imitate the past. Troy is NOT a Victorian theme park even though there are those who are obsessed with trying to make it one. There should be a competition for architects NOT developers for this spot. Developers are cookie cutters who are looking to make big money and have little taste. Let's make Troy a unique destination and not some pathetic shopping mall/tourist trap. Build a building that will get a Leed's energy rating!

Anonymous said...

You all are very, very generous--with someone else's money! Whoever puts a building there has to make it economically viable given the rents obtainable in downtown Troy, NY circa 2016. So no, you aren't getting a Frank Gehry designed building.
Deal with it. You don't have to choke on junk but be realistic.

Anonymous said...

9:22 I bet you don't live in Troy. Your just a friend of the sanctuary.

Anonymous said...

@10:07...

Exactly. Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. After all, we would not be in this mess had Harry torn down a good, not perfect building.

Anonymous said...

Bills Dunne and this blog goes silent. Boom.

Anonymous said...

Let's see the person who was so caviler with other's money I would say was Tutunjian. He misused his power to destroy the former city hall and sign a most irresponsible contract for a building that did not even suit the needs of the city government. He should have been arrested for that alone. All he cared about was his legacy of changing the water front and pocket a bunch of cash along the way. His desperate last minute destruction of the old city hall has brought the city to this point. Since we the taxpayers have had to endure his insult to the city, we have every right to be as particular as we want with what gets built on the focal point of the plaza. F the developers, this property belongs to the taxpayers.

Phana24JG said...

10.37 makes some great points. However, since a nice chunk of taxpayer monies are involved, I guess they deserve some sort of hearing. My concern is more with the business model. I understood it to be Farmer's Market/commercial with residential and public parking. Now it will be the library/private parking? How does this attract more people downtown? I suspect we will also get dinged for more library dollars, and then deal with a vacant library building.

Anonymous said...

Can we stop talking about Bill Dunne please. he's really not one of ours. Looking back I never liked him. I swear, it wasn't my idea to keep him. It was Monica.

Pat Madden

Anonymous said...

Everyone should look for the story in tomorrow's Times Union by Ken Crowe. It will shed some light on the sudden bloom off the Bill Dunne rose. He has other things to worry about.

Anonymous said...

Doesn't the leader of WCATS own a building on River that he's done nothing with? Not Mistur, but the other dude? Maybe he can get that building up and running first.

Anonymous said...

Don't lie to the FBI!

Anonymous said...

Well......no funny stories today?

Anonymous said...

The old City Hall was a mess when it was built and was a mess when it was destroyed. Anyone pining for it is simply not practical.

Anonymous said...

Nothing will come of this investigation other than a fine, at most. Spinning their wheels.

Anonymous said...

@ 9:25, OK

Anonymous said...

Saw the story. No mention of Dunne.

Anonymous said...

What a coincidence the FBI shows up at a new administration front door the day after a letter is sent to the entire city council stating that Mr Dunne would be with the city till Febuary 28 and he gets the pink slip on Monday morning. Your right though his name was not in the story. But even Ray Charles and Stevie wonder can see the correlation.

Anonymous said...

I just purchased a Gehry rookie card. Had it mounted next to my Buell.

Anonymous said...

Buell is total HACK.

Anonymous said...

Bill Dunne is now irrelevant.

Anonymous said...

Seeing that Mr. Dunne was informed that he would not be staying on in a Madden administration before Christmas, then yes, it is a coincidence.

Mr. Dunne has not done anything wrong. He had nothing to do with King Street or anything illegal. You have been attacking him with all sorts of rumors and they are never true. The only thing that may happen and its doubtful, is that the EPA fines the City, or the contractor, for lack of air monitoring at King Street. There is no 'there' here.

Will you apologize when this investigation is closed and nothing happens. No, because character assassins never do.

Anonymous said...

If you read the actual article instead of just headlines it is quite clear that the issue is asbestos abatement. That is what contractors are paid for. It is the responsibility of the contractor, which is why they are bonded. If anyone should be called to task, it is Garrett for allowing demolition with people in Bombers. That's not criminal, it is negligent and may violate a host of codes and regulations. It has nothing to do with Dunne, Ryan et al. If you understood how the criminal wing of the EPA operates, you'd know this.

Anonymous said...

7:07-7:16 it was malcontent Monday that's all. Boom.

Anonymous said...

It's funny. Bombers paid back their loans. The building owner is paying the taxes. Harry's IDA projects, the publisher and that market, belly-up, loans not paid back.

Then the Tutosaur BBQ: Harry gives a company partly owned by George Soros a huge break. I'm not even sure they pay anything in taxes. I lke the Dino and glad its here but does George Soros need help from Troy.

Dunne takes a lot of shit but when you speak with many developers, they wanted him to stay on. A few assholes hate him. That's because he was a thorn in Tuts side for 8 years. Never lost re-election and had had a good four years in City Hall.

Good job Bill. Madden should have kept you on.

Anonymous said...

It might be that there will be more coming down than simply a fine for "air monitoring" or the lack thereof with the King Street properties. It is doubtful that the FBI would be concerned about air monitoring. The real question is who had the most to gain by the teardown and who made it possible? Perhaps that will be the focus as it is now obvious that this investigation is still ongoing.

Unknown said...

Is it practical to spend millions of tax dollars renovating the Verizon building, and paying rent for our own city hall? The old city hall was far from perfect but it was ours. See since you brought up practicality, wouldn't it have been practical to spend the money used to fix up a building we didn't own instead use it on the old city hall to make it better and usable until a future permanent city hall was built or found? Why would you demolish a building when there wasn't a permanent alternative yet. More ass backwards decisions by ass clowns

Anonymous said...

Bill Dunne is a good guy. I take one Bill Dunne over 50 Tuts any day of the week. Not sure why Mcgetsnoassclown is so obsessed with what Bill Dunne is or isn't doing or where he's working or not working! If you have a problem with anything Bill Dunne has done while working for Troy, yet you have ZERO problems with how Tut and company ran this city then that just makes you a hypocrit and a shill, that's it!!!!

Anonymous said...

His constituents sure thought so. 4-4. Never close. The threw everything they had at him. Shame Madden has no loyalties to Dems. Tutunjian kept a guy like Mitchell? Lou should have used Dunne for political advice as well. He could have avoided those blunders. That's Democrats for you.

If Franco, Crist and Co. don't like him, that all I need to know. If you're judged by your enemies, Dunne is fine with me.

Anonymous said...

The amount of institutional knowledge that will leave the city with Bill Dunne is staggering. I give it two weeks before they are bothering him with questions nobody else has the answers to. And he has enough class and love for our city, that he will likely answer. McAsshat and McGrath are stupid twit bullies who think Dunne is the smart kid they have to rough up in the lunch room. Except they're no longer in high school. No question Bill will land on his feet. And Troy hasn't seen the last of him.

Anonymous said...

11:27 agreed. A few a-holes who never had the balls to step into the political arena attack Dunne but he survived their bullshit, got re-elected until term-limited out and then went on to be a damn good Economic Developer for Troy. If Madden wants to go in a different direction, that's is right. If he's buckling to a few malcontents, shame on him.

Anonymous said...

This is fucking great. Bill Dunne and Cooper going toe toe toe defending Dunne. Dunne is now the Victom. He even thinks they will not survive with out him. Please point out what Harry was invested for by the FBI. Bill this "attack" that you and Cooper are crying about came from a democratic Mayor. One last thing you and Cooper need to let some of these post sit out there for a while before you 2 start to answer yourselfs. I said you would never make it till the end of Febuary and I was right.

Unknown said...

I agree, Bill is a good guy who never bought into the bullshit. We need more Bill Dunnes in Troy and less Carmella

Anonymous said...

8:01 I get your point and it's valid. But the article did say the EPA, not the FBI. So, at least here, its probably an air quality issue and what was done or not. We can wait and see about the FBI.

Anonymous said...

5:39 Dunne may be abrasive at times but I never knew him to play the 'victom.' Not sure if Harry was ever 'invested' by the FBI. Don't see where Dunne is either. Your obsession with one person is disturbing. Get some help.

Dunne and his office was very helpful to me when I was starting my business. I didn't accept any loans but they were very helpful and always ready to answer questions. That's my experience and many people's experience. You can spread your rumors but the facts remain the facts.

Anonymous said...

5:39 Since his last day, and it has been since before Christmas, is the end of February, you were decidedly wrong. Have you ever met the man? Didn't think so. Think Monica will be better? Hahaha. Bill has a lot more friends than enemies and just look at his enemies. As someone said, Tut, Crist, Franco and friends.

Anonymous said...

Listen there's only 3 of us here. Me Dunne and Cooper. The bullshit about "he help me open my business" that's bullshit. Notice that this blog has gotten a little stagnant since Bill was thrown out on his ass Monday? You tried Bill. You tried to stay you went to the fundraiser you carried petitions hell you even started this Democratic blog back up but you can't overcome YOU. Own this latest sad chapter of your life. You've been here before. Embrace it. Again.

Anonymous said...

You are correct that Dunne was 4 for 4 in his district. B-Doh is three for three. the question is What's wrong with that district?

Anonymous said...

Dunne is still employed by the city. Not sure where your info is coming from.

Anonymous said...

Politics makes strange bedfellows. Coop now aligned with Dunne? Must have gotten dumped by McRat and Cox.

Anonymous said...

6:40 Wow, you know so much. Sounds like your the one dumping on Dunne with one or two others. Your irrational hatred will eat you up. Get some help.

Anonymous said...

Nothing stupider than a Troy Republican. What's a Victom? Investigate in spellcheck for yourselfs, dude.

Anonymous said...

7:09 and you can't get lower than that.

Anonymous said...

7:20. You're stretching, Bill. Aren't you busy packing up?

Anonymous said...

the same way your obsessed with tut???

Anonymous said...

this really goes to show that you have no idea what your talking about, ask the business owners about Bill Dunne.

Anonymous said...

I'm starting to get weepy eyed over Bill. But then it hits me like a ton of bricks. It a democratic mayor sending him packing. Could he possibly get the doorman job in the Nitzel building. That's ready for occupancy isn't it? Bill will melt down like the ice cream in city hall by next Tuesday. He will never finish the week. We have a pool going in city hall.

Anonymous said...

I can't decide if "Investigate in spellcheck for yourselfs, dude." is intentionally or unintentionally funny.

Anonymous said...

I'm sure you can't. Don't hurt yourselfs thinking.

Phana24JG said...

It takes a liberal moron to question the intelligence of Republicans and say "Investigate in spellcheck for yourselfs(sic). Just thank God for your govt job.

Anonymous said...

Et tu, Phana? I see the literary device of parody is lost on you. But thanks for proving the point.

Phana24JG said...

LOL...trying to defend the twit with a claim of "parody?" Get in line with the rest of the double-digit Wechsler crowd.

Unknown said...

I don't allow other people's opinions of others to dictate how I feel about someone (you should try that) Bill is a stand up guy who got the shaft! Perhaps Mr Madden could use a lesson on loyalty

Unknown said...

Despising someone because they are rotten to the core doesn't make you obsessed, it makes you smart. People rarely obsess over irrelevant has been living off the county teet

Unknown said...

Perhaps Bill Dunne is not liked by Harry and the cheeseburgers because he wouldn't sign off on the rotten cable franchise deal created by Vic Christopher and the city spokesman, his name escapes me, causing a complete and utter meltdown by Vic Christopher at a finance meeting. It was a classic, and fireable meltdown caught on tape. Bill is a good guy who did a good job, why isn't that enough to keep his job. Politics is grimy

Anonymous said...

do you really know the real Bill Dunne?? Not the one who kisses ass on your page. have you ever had any business dealings with this man.

Anonymous said...

No obsession is a thought that continues to preoccupy your personal mind which is basically where your at. So get some help!

Anonymous said...

Really who are you loyal to?? oxy?

Anonymous said...

@5:39 AM, hysterical, and spot on

Unknown said...

No, the person.who brings them to me, he used to work for you. Yes my mvp. My weed dude too. Live life looped!

Anonymous said...

11:18, funny how you just mentioned people answering their own texts, when you just did that with that post. Don't be bitter because you are now considered a scumbag! Don't be mad at the true Trojans who call out every mistake you ever made, after all they are just the messengers delivering your pitiful behavior. You're a washed up pile of garbage. Coop wants to know if he's invited to your grand opening of Chubbys, with a name like that you are really the only person who should buy the building. Harry Ho Ho

Unknown said...

So you need to do business with someone before you can respect or like them? Is that what your implying? I've never done business with my best friend of 30 years, should we not be friends?

Anonymous said...

I guessing it's not a "them" who writes about Dunne every day it's one sad, pathetic Mcgetsnoassclown who writes those things. One person with all that time on his hands and no friends!

Anonymous said...

He's got friends. Jim "TRO" Franco is one. I guess he won't like Dunne until Dunne's girlfriend gets a restraining order. Or someone filed a Human Rights Complaint. Or some calls 911. Those are Lil Kev's friends. None of those things happened to Dunne but Dunne's the creep? McTaxman does not have the balls to call them out or pay his way.

Anonymous said...

Go get 'em Coop.

Anonymous said...

Harry, Mirch, Crist and their top-notch smear machine threw everything they had at Dunne. He beat them. That's why they two or three people (wonder who they are) blast Dunne.

Mirch fleeced the tax payers by triple-dipping. Harry can't get elected president of Harry Tutunjian fan club and Crist thanks god every day that Abelove somehow got elected. Those are the people who hate Dunne. Dunne wasn't a pussy and hit them hard and could take a punch.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like they are wrapping things up. Doubtful anything will happen
at this late date. They've had almost three years.

Unknown said...

That's why unlike and respect Bill Dunne, he didn't buy the bullshit being shoveled every day by those no talent assclowns. He stood up to them on behalf of taxpayers and threw the shit shoveled his way right back at them. His ONE critic says people who he worked with didnt like him, I don't believe that for one second, but if that's the criteria of not being a nice person then Harry Ho Ho has Bill Dunne beat by a mile. Besides Ho ho's friends that he took care of, find, me ONE person who liked ho ho or the job he did as mayor! FIND ME ONE!!!!!!!!

Unknown said...

Sorry, just bored

Anonymous said...

Lots of missing posts,truth hurts. Randall Cooper should be mayor. Brilliant and a honest man. The voice of the new democratic party. How's that democratus? Will you post that?

Anonymous said...

The internet and social media is great isn't it? everyone is relevant, even the most moronic deadbeats. so sad.

Anonymous said...

I liked harry!!!

Unknown said...

5:39, what are you even talking about. Go shovel your bullshit over on tailspin. Just because you write something doesn't make it true or make anyone believes you! Luckily there's a bunch of smart people who read this blog, well smart people and you 3 has been. Blow me

Anonymous said...

Coop needs to stop using himself in 3rd person when writing on this blog

Anonymous said...

Their too notch smear campaign machine was run by Dwarf Pirro, an absolute no talent loser who also couldn't find a decent job on his own once he got fired as spokesmen. But luckily their pal over at dinosaur threw midget Pirro a bone and hired him as a dishwasher. If you stood up to those corrupt assholes they would lose their minds and, panic and slander people. Pathetic bullies who couldn't take the constant botch slapping they kept taking

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Obsess much

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Truth Hurts said...

Funny how NoCashion and Harry and his loser flunkies come here to piss and about the blog and the comments, but they're still here, reading it obsessively every single day. If it's so bad and so off base, why do they care so much? Answer is pretty obvious.

Anonymous said...

"Lots" of missing posts? How would 8:44 know there is"lots" of unprinted posts unless he was the one writing them+ A total fool