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Action Alert!


Residence Inn Hotel Proposal is Back!

UPDATE: The City of Albany has appealed Save the Pine Bush's win of the hotel case to the Appellate Division. The oral arguments for the case will be heard Friday, May 30 at 9:30 AM in the Appellate Division (click here for directions).

Everyone who is interested in hearing the case should plan on attending. Lynne Jackson will be walking to the court and leaving her house at 8:30 AM. There is plenty of parking at Lynne's house, and you would be welcome to join her. To make arrangements and for directions, email Lynne.

UPDATE: February 4 , 2008 at 7:00 PM, City Hall, 24 Eagle Street, Albany

The Honorable Dominick Calsolaro has introduced a resolution asking the corporation counsel of the City of Albany to not appeal Save the Pine Bush's win of the hotel case in NYS Supreme Court.

Mr. Calsolaro's resolution.

For more information see:
Stop the Hotel! - Ask the Governor and the Mayor To Do the Right Thing, Jan/Feb 08
City Can’t Decide! - More about the Hotel Case, Jan/Feb 08

Here is a pdf of the resolution. Attend the meeting or call or email your Common Council Member and ask them to support this resolution.

UPDATE January 12, 2008: Honorable Dominick Calsolaro, Ward 1, introduces legislation to require the City of Albany withdraw from Appealing Save the Pine Bush's win of the hotel case.


Important meeting held at City Hall on October 9, 2007

Read what is missing from the Hotel SDEIS

Read about the current hotel proposal

Read the missing USFWS letter

Call or email your Common Council Member.


The Common Council Planning, Economic Development and Land Use Committee will meet to discuss the proposed hotel SDEIS on
Tuesday, October 9, 2007 at 5:30pm
Albany City Hall, Room 209, 2nd Fl

Public comment will be accepted at the meeting. The only topic will be consideration of whether to accept the proposed hotel SDEIS as complete. The public is welcome to attend.

The complete resolution is:
Resolution number 61.92.07r
Resolution of the Common Council regarding completion of a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) and scheduling a public hearing in accordance with article 8 of the environmental conversation law (SEQRA) and the regulations promulgated thereunder in connection with the Tharaldson Development Company’s application for rezoning of 124-128r Washington Avenue Extension.

Download and read the
proposed Supplemental Environmental
Impact Statement (document is 5.1 MB)


Save the Pine Bush Wins!

Save the Pine Bush wins against the City


Save the Pine Bush
Wins Standing!

Read summary of Judge Ferradino's decision, September 1, 2006

Proposed Hotel in the Pine Bush

Theraldson Group, the largest hotel owner in the US, has proposed a hotel adjacent to a colony of Karner Blue butterflies in the Pine Bush.

Update as of 5/1/06: Save the Pine Bush Sued in March, 2006


WAMC news story about Residence Inn and
proposed office complex

Contact Common Council Members


Court papers file in Hotel Case


Let Your Voice Be Heard

The Albany Common Council will vote on re-zoning for this proposed Residence Inn Hotel.

Citizens may speak for 5 minutes during the Public Comment period.

Date: Monday, December 19, 2005
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Second Floor , Albany City Hall, Eagle Street, Albany, NY
Who should attend: Everyone who wants to see the Pine Bush protected

Everyone who opposes re-zoning this land should attend and make their voices heard.


Summary of Issues

  • The FEIS should NOT be accepted until the US Fish and Wildlife Service is allowed a site visit. The US Fish and Wildlife Service, in a letter commenting on the DEIS, requested a site visit. However, this letter appears to have been lost and was not included or responded to in the FEIS.
  • Proposed Hotel would be 200 meters from Karner Blue site, which is considered "occupied habitat" according to the Federal Karner Blue Recovery Team.
  • In 1998, this land (owned by Pryamid Crossgates Mall), was illegally bulldozed. Now, the developer has come back to say, well, the land has been bulldozed so there is no environmental impact if we build a hotel.
  • The City of Albany needs to decide what its policy on extinction of species is. If built, this hotel would have a significant impact on the ability of the Karner Blue to survive.
  • There are no accommodations for pedestrians or bicycles (see SPB Comments and then the developer's repsonse, "walking or bicycling . . . should be discouraged.").
  • The developer has not said whether or not they will apply for the 485b program of tax deductions (this was not included in the DEIS, it is unknown as to whether the developer answered this question in the FEIS).

Time Line as of November 29. 2005

  • Final Environmental Impact Statement adopted as complete by the Albany Common Council on Monday, November 21
  • Next step is for the Albany Common Council to hold a hearing on whether or not the land should be re-zoned. The hearing is scheduled for Monday, December 5.

Read More

Read Save the Pine Bush Comments on the
Draft Environmental Impact Statement, written April 29, 2005

See Photo of proposed site

Proposed Hotel in the Albany Pine Bush, April 05
Crossgates Casts a Dark Shadow Over the Pine Bush Dec 03/Jan 04
Crossgates Wants to Build a Hotel in the Pine Bush, Will they never go away?,
Sept/Oct 04
Crossgates Hotel Proposal in the Pine Bush -
Scoping Document, Oct 04

Save the Pine Bush Wins Second Round - Win on Hotel Case Upheld by Supreme Court, Aug/Sept 07

 


Want to Get Involved?

Email Lynne Jackson at lynnejackson@mac.com

 

This page last modified April 22, 2008
Contact Save the Pine Bush at pinebush@aol.com.