Construction nearing completion on Schenectady apartment complex

PHOTOGRAPHER: Stan Hudy

The complex last week

SCHENECTADY — With construction in its final stages, tenants are expected to begin moving into downtown’s newest apartment complex at the corner of State and Clinton streets by the end of the month.

The $15 million State and Clinton mixed-use complex is the latest in a long line of development projects undertaken in recent years by Redburn Development Partners, a Schenectady-based real estate company that operates dozens of apartments across various properties throughout the city.

The latest project, in the works since 2019, features 65 one- and two-bedroom units spread out over four stories and includes 4,000 square feet of ground floor retail space that will be home to a Mediterranean style restaurant, expected to open sometime next spring, according to Elizabeth Young Jojo, executive vice president for Redburn Development.

“We expect most of the building to be complete right around the end of the month and we’re hoping to start moving tenants in right around Oct. 15,” she said.

Images: A look around the new apartment complex at State and Clinton in Schenectady (10 photos)

A temporary chain-link fence will remain in place as crews work to install new sidewalks and reinstall portions of the building’s brick and plank facade, but Jojo said passersby should expect to see some noticeable change in the coming weeks.

Inside, construction crews were busy Monday plastering walls and completing the remaining finishing work throughout the 65,000-square-foot building that sits between Clinton and Barrett streets.

The property was once home to a vacant bank, which was razed in 2020 with the support of the Metroplex Development Authority of $295,000. The project also received $2.75 million in state aid as part of the city’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative.

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Jojo said the company only began marketing the building a few weeks ago and units are still available, but expects things will fill up quickly given the building’s downtown location, which sits just footsteps from Proctors Theatre and restaurant and retail outlets that dot the Jay Street pedestrian corridor and State Street.

“The reception we’ve been getting has been really wonderful,” Jojo said.

Rent will vary based on unit, but a one-bedroom will begin at $1,000 a month, while a two-bedroom unit will be priced at $1,795, according to Jojo, who said the prices are in line with what similar units go for throughout the city.

Utilities, including high-speed internet, cable, electricity and heating and cooling, will be covered by a separate $250 monthly fee.

Each unit features 12-foot ceilings and light flooring throughout, along with a bedroom walk-in closet and spacious bathroom. The kitchen includes granite countertops and stainless steel appliances, including a dishwasher and all in one washer and dryer unit that is housed in a separate closet.

The building also includes several shared amenities, including a courtyard, fitness facility and dog wash station, Jojo said.

“We believe in the power of bringing residents into downtown and that downtowns are neighborhoods,” she said. “We really believe that the more people you bring to live in a downtown the better everyone survives and thrives.”

The construction of the State and Clinton complex is outside the typical scope of work for Redburn Development, which specializes in rehabilitation and not new construction.

But Jojo said the building’s prominent downtown location, coupled with the company’s familiarity paved the way for the project. Redburn is headquartered nearby on Lafayette Street and owns the adjacent medical office building at 500 State St. and The Fitzgerald Building at 144 Clinton St., next door to the new location. Both buildings are fully occupied, Jojo said.

The company also operates several apartment units throughout the Stockade.

Images: A look around the new apartment complex at State and Clinton in Schenectady (10 photos)

Redburn’s latest project is the latest in a growing number of apartment complexes that have either been completed or are in the works throughout the downtown area.

City planners have approved dozens of new apartments throughout the downtown area in recent months, including a new five-story, 46-unit apartment complex at 31 Lafayette St., and 80-units for 271-277 State St. as part of plans by Cass Hill Development Co. to restore the Wedgeway building at the corner of State Street and Erie Boulevard.

Highbridge Prime Development also received approval to construct a 24-unit apartment complex along State Street, adding on to the 104-unit Electric City Apartment Complex the company completed in 2019.

Contact reporter Chad Arnold at: [email protected] Follow him on Twitter: @ChadGArnold.