Shillin'


By DIA, Section News
Posted on Sun Jan 27, 2008 at 06:11:14 AM EST

I've always wondered how it goes down. Do you get used to being a shill? Are you proud of it? Do you teach your kids that there are two types of people in the world - honest people with convictions (aka suckers) and people who are willing to suck up to the powerful and get their little piece of the pie and that the choice is clear about which kind of person daddy is and which kind they should be? Do they enjoy it? Do they feel like they are winning? Or do they just realize that the system in this country is rigged and that there are no honest people with convictions who get invited to the popular parties? And that being honest and doing the right thing often doesn't pay well. And so they excuse their behavior because "everybody does it".

This week Mayor Jennings told us that the economic future of our city is grim, thanks to his 14 years of mismanagement. In the past he has told us that the convention center will lose money (and the city taxpayers will have to pick up the tab) but that he thinks this is a good thing. Twenty five percent of the population of the city of Albany lives below the poverty line. So if we were going to do one thing to help the city, what should it be. Well, according to the Mayor, The Times Union and Fred Lebrun the answer is simple.
So now the fate of the Albany Convention Center -- which remains hugely important for the growth of Albany -- is in the hands of the one man with the power to make it happen.
Fred Lebrun knows that is an outright lie. So does Mayor Jennings. They know they are lying. But they also know that they all will profit handsomely from their lies. And, amazingly, that is all that matters to them.

One other important thing to note. If this project goes forward the taxpayers of Albany will be guaranteeing the profits of the privately held corporate hotel that will be built. If the hotel sits empty, you will be paying more taxes so that they "turn a profit". Now if we were told that we were going to use money to help out those 25% of people in Albany who live in poverty that would be called socialism, or more likely it would be called communism. People would get very angry. But when we give our money to some corporation that is fine and dandy. And just in case you are wondering who supports this concept.

The Breslins
Mayor Jennnings
Jack McEneney
The Times Union
Fred Lebrun
Governor Spitzer
Joe Bruno
A majority of the Albany Common Council
A majority of the Albany County Legislature

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Shillin' | 9 comments (9 topical, 0 hidden)
no one's fault (none / 0) (#1)
by albany layman on Sun Jan 27, 2008 at 08:44:18 AM EST
This line jumped out at me:

Foremost, those spiraling numbers reflect the simple fact the convention center has taken far too long to get off the ground. Through no one's fault, really, certainly not Leveille's.

As a general statement, it's fascinating to hear a paid columnist say "it's no one's fault!"  That is some keen insight and analysis right there.  These things just happen, apparently.

But beyond that, exactly how would we have avoided these spiraling development costs?  Maybe LeBrun wanted to do down and break ground as soon as the idea was announced?  Oh wait - he probably won't be paying tax money towards the debt payments - so, yes, he probably did want to break ground right away.

Here's an idea (none / 0) (#2)
by Corruptany on Sun Jan 27, 2008 at 10:00:39 AM EST
I am no economist, that's why I am sure my theory is correct since it's void of voodo science. I would think with the housing/commercial prices in NYC, Albany could benefit by attracting employers up the Hudson. That section in Downtown Albany seems ideal for a new development with promise of jobs and prosperity.

I realize most of Albany lives in poverty, but after living in some cities that were once like Albany (Cambridge, Somerville, Newark) I see that new blood is needed here. I would think it would be in Albany's best interest to try to attract progressive companies. When I say progressive, I am talking about companies who see value in enriching the lives of their employees and communities. Many of these exist, and they love and thrive cities like Albany.

I say this because Albany has old architecture, history, streets great for walking and biking, a vibrant arts scene, and proximity to nature. If I were the mayor, I would work to attract these companies from places like NYC and Boston to come to Albany. I would make the case that its cheaper and on the verge of rebirth. I would highlight the fact that a family can move here and afford a turn of the century brownstone. They can own a home and still have money to spend.

I would then work to develop that parcel of land where the convention center is and turn it into an example of green living. When I say this I mean green buildings with commercial and residential space all next to each other. People could live, work and shop all in one place saving on gas. Doing so would put Albany on the map for innovation and also bring in people who care about their community and the future as apposed to some big company who sees Albany as a bunch of suckers who will pay them to put up a useless building.

I am sure my idea is all fantasy, but it sure beats the status quo.

[ Parent ]

opportunity cost (none / 0) (#3)
by DIA on Sun Jan 27, 2008 at 10:17:42 AM EST
There are currently 5 large projects proposed for downtown Albany.  All 5 include some type of residential components (Wellington Row, Quackenbush Square, Cap Rep building conversion, Cap Heights condos and the big ammonia cube conversion).  The projects are encouraging and certainly could help make albany a more livable downtown.   A convention center will do ZERO to make downtown more livable.  That chunk of land could be used to provide the one thing that is sorely lacking in downtown which is the necessary retail businesses to support people who will be living downtown.  Like a grocery store.  

Albany has a huge opportunity but our leaders all want to waste it by doing exactly what every other city in the country is doing exactly at the wrong time to do it.  

yeah!!  We can be like Hartford!!  

condos (none / 0) (#4)
by albany layman on Sun Jan 27, 2008 at 12:09:09 PM EST
This may be more of a general impression than actual fact, but it seems to me like these new condos that I've read about are pretty upscale.  Nothing wrong with that, if you've got it, spend it.  But I always wonder - in a government town like Albany, who has that kind of cash?  Are the lobbyists and lawyers in this town doing that well and are they clamoring for downtown living?

It's hard to see a civil servant getting into one of those places.  I wonder if there will be any downtown development geared towards the typical state worker.

What?! (none / 0) (#5)
by Uncle Sam on Sun Jan 27, 2008 at 02:54:29 PM EST
There doesn't seem to be any new condo development for state workers?!

You can buy a house with a credit card in West/Arbor Hill and there are over 800 properties on vacant registry.  Don't want to fix something up?  You can buy a home in Mansion Hill, Center Square, or Washington Park vic for mid $100s.  

If I remember correctly, the new building they're pitching over by Quackenbush is starting at $185k?  Affordability is not keeping gov't workers from moving downtown.

For some reason, the vast majority of employees who work downtown think it makes good economic sense to drive a 10mpg SUV over 20 miles in stop & go traffic from Clifton Park...then lurk on my street as they wait for someone to pull out of their space in the morning...with engine idling.

That $400/mo in gas is probably about $75k in buying power on a 30 yr mortgage in the mid 5% range.

If the business case says 100 $300k condos will sell downtown, then bring them on and give the tax rolls some relief!

uncle (none / 0) (#6)
by DIA on Sun Jan 27, 2008 at 02:59:28 PM EST
you're going to have to wait a long time for that tax relief.   Sometime if you are feeling up to it, take a look into tax deals these developers are getting for the condo projects.  I wouldn't expect any tax benefit for the suckers (us) until at least 10 years after the projects are completed.    

[ Parent ]
comment from Dan Van Riper of AlbanyWeblog (none / 0) (#7)
by DIA on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 03:06:32 PM EST
Posting this for Dan


Why not build a model urban community on the site, as Corruptany
suggests?  This would be the best way to make the City solvent, by
making someplace to attract taxpayers, which would in turn
automatically attract and create businesses which would collect money
from these taxpayers.  And the people who provide jobs tend to locate
near the people who hold jobs.

In all modesty I would like to remind people that I discussed this
very idea in detail last summer:

http://www.albanyweblog.com/2007/07_Jul/07-01-07.html

But I think that the longer we wait to build the stupid Con Center,
the more likely it won't get built.  Personally I think that would be
a good thing, so let's encourage delays.  Right now, I understand
that everything is being held up because a certain landowner is
refusing to let the archeological people onto his land to make a
review.  This lack of an archeological review has delayed the issuing
of a project report which was due in September, and as long as the
project report is delayed the state will not release the first batch
of money.  At least, that's what I hear.

And to answer Albany layman, there are plenty of upscale people
living in downtown Albany right now, even in my South End
neighborhood, where they tend to be low key.  There would be a lot
more upscale people downtown if they had places to live.  And we
might be looking at a situation a few years up the road where only
upscale people will be able to afford to live anywhere downtown.

By the way DIA, you forgot to mention the housing initiative deep in
the South End at the former Jared Holt factory site. This is a
combination of apartments and owner occupied housing, built with a
view to being mixed income.  All the money has been acquired through
the efforts of Darren Scott and others at Albany Housing Authority,
and they are looking at breaking ground in March.
Vision for my hometown (none / 0) (#8)
by Corruptany on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 08:17:10 PM EST
I agree with him somewhat. I think there could be a demand for housing in Albany but its not there yet. I know allot of young people who live in NY and Boston would jump at the chance to live in a place like Albany only if they knew it existed. The problem with Albany is that its not well known outside of the northeast, and it has a bit of a bad rep as an old boring city.

Downtown needs something sexy downthere, and that's not a convention center. I invite you all to come to where I live in Massachusetts. Ever been to Cambridge, it looks just like Albany. Difference between Albany and Cambridge is that Cambridge has high paying jobs while Albany just has the state. Come down to Kendall Square and look at Technology Square near MIT. Its pretty ugly in my opinion and a bad urban planning move since their is no retail and less housing.

I would propose doing the exact opposite in Albany by making a technology square in that parcel of land by designing something that mixes old with new. Something that uses land for office, retail and business. Now people would say I am crazy, but if Albany provides a carrot to come, its plausible.

I have always had big dreams for Albant, its a shame I had to leave due to the corruption. In Albany we will put some hack in a planning/economic development position with no vision, just someone collecting a paycheck and building their resume so one day they can be a yes man making $100,000.

I also imagine light rail in Albany, another thing that will bring it into the new millenium. Imagine a light rail line going from SUNY Plaza to Downtown Schenectady. With the coming gas crunch and housing crunch, wouldn't Albany be the best place. The housing market in big cities is a disaster waiting to happen, and the fact that you need to live an hr outside of the city to live makes it worse with the gas crunch.

When this happens, imagine Albany, a city with plenty of housing thats cheap and a brand new light rail system connecting the region so people don't need to drive. Its possible, that would transform the area in my opinion.

[ Parent ]

Vision for my hometown (none / 0) (#9)
by Corruptany on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 08:17:13 PM EST
I agree with him somewhat. I think there could be a demand for housing in Albany but its not there yet. I know allot of young people who live in NY and Boston would jump at the chance to live in a place like Albany only if they knew it existed. The problem with Albany is that its not well known outside of the northeast, and it has a bit of a bad rep as an old boring city.

Downtown needs something sexy downthere, and that's not a convention center. I invite you all to come to where I live in Massachusetts. Ever been to Cambridge, it looks just like Albany. Difference between Albany and Cambridge is that Cambridge has high paying jobs while Albany just has the state. Come down to Kendall Square and look at Technology Square near MIT. Its pretty ugly in my opinion and a bad urban planning move since their is no retail and less housing.

I would propose doing the exact opposite in Albany by making a technology square in that parcel of land by designing something that mixes old with new. Something that uses land for office, retail and business. Now people would say I am crazy, but if Albany provides a carrot to come, its plausible.

I have always had big dreams for Albant, its a shame I had to leave due to the corruption. In Albany we will put some hack in a planning/economic development position with no vision, just someone collecting a paycheck and building their resume so one day they can be a yes man making $100,000.

I also imagine light rail in Albany, another thing that will bring it into the new millenium. Imagine a light rail line going from SUNY Plaza to Downtown Schenectady. With the coming gas crunch and housing crunch, wouldn't Albany be the best place. The housing market in big cities is a disaster waiting to happen, and the fact that you need to live an hr outside of the city to live makes it worse with the gas crunch.

When this happens, imagine Albany, a city with plenty of housing thats cheap and a brand new light rail system connecting the region so people don't need to drive. Its possible, that would transform the area in my opinion.

[ Parent ]

Shillin' | 9 comments (9 topical, 0 hidden)
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