SCHENECTADY – On Monday evening, the Schenectady City Council approved a resolution authorizing a new cooperation agreement between the City of Schenectady and the Capital Region Land Bank to evaluate 34 additional blighted properties for renovation or demolition.
“We are excited to continue work with the Land Bank removing additional blighted buildings from our community,” said Mayor Gary McCarthy. “This is part of a comprehensive and focused effort on demolitions, renovations, and home sales that will continue to add value in our community by putting properties back on the tax rolls, and enhancing our efforts to strengthen neighborhoods. Last year we sold a record number of city-owned properties and I look forward to continuing to build upon that progress.”
“The Land Bank continues to assist and encourage the revitalization of our city neighborhoods with the help of our municipal partners,” said Richard Ruzzo, Chairman of the Capital Region Land Bank and member of the Schenectady County Legislature. “This next group of 34 properties has been assembled with input from our neighborhood leaders and continues to support the goal of fighting blight and boosting neighborhood development. Our mission is to strengthen, revitalize and fortify our community by removing structures that deter our forward progress.”
Of these 34 properties, 21 are in the Mont Pleasant neighborhood and six are in the Eastern Avenue neighborhood. These properties are in addition to the eight properties that were announced for demolition earlier this month.
In partnership with the Capital Region Land Bank and Metroplex, the City has demolished nearly 200 blighted buildings in recent years as part of an aggressive program to increase investment in city neighborhoods. There has been over $200 million in new investment in Schenectady neighborhoods with more on the way, McCarthy added.