Stratton declares war on blight

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Mayor Brian U. Stratton is declaring war on the boarded-up, falling-down vacant buildings that can be found in every corner of the city.

In his State of the City address Monday, he said he will funnel much of the 2007 surplus into a new fund to demolish the 50 worst buildings in Schenectady.

He will spend nearly $875,000 on the job in the first year, hoping to knock down almost half the buildings on his 50-worst list at once.

“Fifty is only scratching the surface. We probably have a couple hundred — or more,” he said. “You see streets where maybe there’s one or two beautiful houses and every other building on the block is boarded up.”

Stratton has been trying to get rid of such buildings for years, but the high cost of each demolition has stymied his ability to make serious progress. He set aside $150,000 for demolitions last year but found that the demolitions averaged $35,000 each — meaning his fund could only take down five buildings.

“Now I’m proposing significant additional funding,” he said. “I didn’t say we can demolish them all in the first year — I’m hoping for not quite half.”

He doesn’t want the demolished houses replaced, either.

“We have too much housing,” he said. “I’d like to cull them out and create green space.”

The space could become side yards for nearby houses, community gardens, or even small parks. But the main benefit would be removing the blighted building.

“There’s some homes that could be even more valuable” if they weren’t next to a burnt-out house, Stratton said.

He acknowledged that the proposal will have long-term financial effects. “To what extent are we giving up property taxes?” he said. “It’s a balance.”

But he said it’s worth it.

“It will be a giant first step toward our goal of improving the quality of life for our residents,” he said.

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The plan was based on similar programs in Buffalo and Youngstown, Ohio. Such plans have been praised in Washington, where Congress is considering a bill to offer $100 million in grants to cities for demolition of vacant, derelict or blighted buildings. Stratton hopes to pay for some the future years’ demolition work with a grant if the bill passes.

In his address to the City Council, Stratton also promised to create a new neighborhood coordinator position to ensure that the proposed comprehensive plan is actually enacted. The plan includes detailed proposals for each neighborhood, and planner Margaret Irwin warned that unless someone is paid to work full-time on the proposals, they may never come to fruition.

“We will not let three years of hard work simply gather dust on the bookshelf,” Stratton said. Funding for the new position will be included in his 2009 budget proposal.

He also wants the Metroplex Development Authority to invest at least $5 million in “key neighborhood business corridors,” which he defined as Van Vranken Avenue. Crane Street, Albany Street, State Street from Veeder Avenue to Brandywine Avenue, and Broadway.

“These neighborhood business corridors, once the center of our local neighborhood commerce activity, can thrive again as they benefit from newly paved streets, sidewalks and curbs, new street lighting and other improvements that are essential to attracting new business growth,” Stratton said.

Council members said they will support the 50-worst program, which they praised as a necessary beginning.

“I am particularly encouraged by it,” said Councilman Mark Blanchfield. “We can’t be everywhere at once. I think focusing our energies on the 50 worst is a wonderful step.”