TROY COMMUNITY LAND BANK RESOLUTION APPROVING A BUS RAPID TRANSIT NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN WHEREAS, Section 1608(g) of the New York Not-For-Profit Corporation Law (the Land Bank Act) permits the Troy Community Land Bank (Land Bank) to acquire property and enter into agreements to purchase real property consistent with an approved redevelopment plan; and WHEREAS, the Comprehensive Plan for the City of Troy adopted a certain plan for a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project on River Street; and WHEREAS, the Land Bank staff has proposed its own BRT development plan for River Street and said BRT development plan is attached to this Resolution as Appendix “A”. WHEREAS, said BRT development plan has been submitted to the Land Bank Board for its review; and WHEREAS, the Land Bank Board wishes to approve the BRT development plan; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Land Bank Board that: 1. The proposed BRT Development Plan that as attached to this Resolution as Appendix “A” is hereby adopted. 2. This Resolution shall be effective immediately upon passage. ADOPTED by the Board and SIGNED by the Chair on the 28th day of February, 2018 ____________________________________ Chair ATTEST/AUTHENTICATION: __________________________________________ Secretary North Central Bus Rapid Transit Redevelopment Concept Plan (Preliminary Draft) Purpose: Redevelopment of four parcels situated at the northwest corner of West Glen Avenue and River Street to create a mixed use development to provide affordable housing, daily commercial and institutional uses, transit access, and recreational opportunities to serve residents of the North Central neighborhood. This redevelopment plan is also intended to be appropriately accessible to pedestrians that are within a one-half mile radius of the proposed redeveloped site. Background: As economic conditions have declined during the post WWII era, cities have experienced continually reduced populations and economic vitality. This has resulted in a downward cycle where household income has turned continually lower. As a result, businesses have closed or relocated due to a reduced viable customer base, while the ability of households to purchase cars to access commercial, institutional and other uses has been an increasing challenge. Many households that can no longer afford to own a car depend solely on alternative transportation. Depending on the need and challenge to access the use sought, alternatives have either been by foot, bike, bus, or other means. While transport by foot or bike allows access to nearer-by uses, they are insufficient to access other vital uses within other areas of the City of Troy, or the greater Capital Region. Such access is most usually and effectively gained by bus transport. Redevelopment Plan: Redevelopment would involve the four parcels bordered in red in the figure below. Ownership information is shown below. Information highlighted in yellow are properties presently privately owned; highlighted in green is owned by the TCLB; and highlighted in blue is owned by the City of Troy. Address 871 River 102 W Glen 779 River SBL 90.54-1-17 90.54-1-18 90.54-1-15 881 River 889 River 893 River 90.54-1-14 90.54-1-10 90.54-1-9 Fname Tara Queen David Lname Pompey TCLB Conyers City of Troy SNS Prop Smith Class 481 201 210 Assessment Use $110,000.00 Commercial - Bar $9,000.00 Commercial lot $65,000.00 Single family 411 482 220 $76,000.00 $35,000.00 $65,000.00 Vacant 4 unit Apartment Parking lot 2 Family The Capital District Transportation Authority (CTDA) has a Bus Rapid Transit in other areas of the region and is progressing to expand the system along River Street. The following is an excerpt of a report that provides background details: The following figure delineates CDTA’s BRT, and most importantly the ‘Blue Line’ that extends within Troy from Congress Street to 125th Street, and which identifies a North Central ‘hub’: The area proposed for redevelopment is at an excellent location that could be an important part of the BRT, provided that redevelopment is undertaken to reflect ‘Transit Oriented Development (TOD)’ design. TOD’s are typically used in the creation of new development and focuses on the idea that development provide a transportation hub at its center that maximizes the amount of residential, business and leisure space within walking distance of public transport. However, elements of TOD planning are amenable to improve the functionality of existing development. A half-mile radius circle has become the de facto standard for transit catchment areas for TODs. A half mile corresponds to the distance someone can walk in 10 minutes at 3 mph and is a common estimate for the distance people will walk to get to a transit station. Development of this area of West Glen Avenue and River Street may also be beneficial, or take benefit from, goals outlined for the North Central Neighborhood identified in the City of Troy’s Comprehensive Master Plan. In particular, the following goals (outlined in ‘Part B: Goals, Objectives & Policies, page 38) NC3: Extend the riverfront Trail north into the North Central Neighborhood. - In the short term, development of the trail to the Ingalls Avenue Park and Boat Launch creating 1.5 miles of riverfront trail; - In the longer term, the trail should be extended further north from the Ingalls Avenue Boat Launch to the Federal Dam and beyond; - The City will explore financial methods to support the development of difficult sections of the trail. NC4: Support the Troy Community Land Bank’s work in the North Central neighborhood. - Prioritize property transfers to the Land Bank to encourage owner-occupancy; - Consider reducing or removing Land Bank costs for acquiring city-owned in-rem properties; and - Expand partnership between the City, Land Bank, TRIP, and Habitat for Humanity to co-develop properties in the City. NC5: Identify and plan for a location that will serve as the neighborhood’s new central business district to expand employment opportunities for neighborhood residents. NC 15: With CDTA and the Land Bank, develop a Bus Rapid Transit Station on River Street in the Federal Dam District. Actual redevelopment of the site should include construction of one or more mixed-use buildings that include the following elements: 1. First-floor commercial, institutional, office, and/or other uses that residents of North Central may access on a more-frequently-than less basis, such as: a. Urgent care center b. Grocery c. Bank d. Daily goods provider e. Other similar uses 2. Second and third floor residential dwellings designed to be affordable and to provide the housing needs of the more scarce types of housing in the North Central neighborhood 3. Provision for, or dedicated access to, recreational and other leisure uses presently lacking for North Central residents. Because the proposed redevelopment area neighbors Fallon Apartments, and because the Troy Housing Authority will be planning to de-densify in a manner which may be mutually beneficial to this both plans, it will be important to work closely with the THA to ensure both plans might potentially move forward to best support each other. Implementation: This document is a preliminary conceptual plan. Further refinement will be necessary to ensure that a more robust plan is development. These refinements will evolve as partners who have been meeting continue to meet, and as new partners become involved. Regardless of what a future final plan may look like, for any plan to work, property will need to be acquired and assembled, which would be a core responsibility of the TCLB. At present, the TCLB did acquire one parcel from the City and demolished the building that previously existed. The remaining properties, including one owned by the City, will need to be acquired and buildings demolished to prepare for the assembly of the entire redevelopment area.