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NEWS
City Anticipates Looking at Updated Affordable Housing Proposal in Late Spring by Thomas Dimopoulos Saratoga TODAY
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The city council anticipates revisiting in June an affordable housing proposal seeking the development of two 96-unit apartment buildings near Saratoga Casino Hotel. Liberty Affordable Housing Inc., a not-for-profit developer headquartered in Rome, N.Y., sought to develop the buildings on a currently vacant 30.27-acre parcel near the Saratoga Casino soccer fields. City Accounts Commissioner John Franck reported last week that the “public hearing” remains open to provide the public time to comment on the project. The council requested advisory opinions from the city and county planning boards last June. The city board came back with an unfavorable opinion, while the county approved it with comment, Franck said.
Initial plans called for the two four-story buildings each housing 96 apartments and consisting of two and three-bedroom units that would contain mixed income households targeting 50, 60 and 90 percent AMI. AMI, or the Area Median Income for a family of four in Saratoga County is about $84,000, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Based on this structure, the rent would equate to annual earnings of approximately $42,000, $50,400, and $75,600, respectively, for a family of four. Issues raised regarding the proposal include the project’s density and foliage, as well as the need of addressing sidewalks and lighting in future drawings. Public meetings regarding the plan are expected to be scheduled to take place in May, Franck said, in advance of the council evaluating its options in June.
Week of March 15 – March 21, 2019
League of Women Voters Saratoga County to Host Local Meetings on March 20 & March 27 SARATOGA SPRINGS — Preparation for Lobby Day in Albany will be one of the topics discussed at the League of Women Voters Saratoga County upcoming “Meet Up,” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 20 in the Community Room of the Adirondack Trust Building located at 31 Church St.
The second topic will be the newly developed Civics Education program and its implementation in school and community forums. The event is free and open to the public. LWV of Saratoga County will also host an event at 7 p.m. on March 27 at Caffe Lena, where 12 volunteers will present their
perspectives on various aspects of making democracy work. Topics include: immigration, financial overhaul, third parties, the arts, privacy, and voting, among others. Presentation is free and open to the public. For additional information, call 518728-5201 or email: president@ lwvsaratoga.org.
Northeast Woodworkers Showcase at City Center on March 30-31 SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Northeast Woodworkers Association is hosting its 28th annual Showcase presentation at the Saratoga Springs City Center March 30-31. The event takes place 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. each day. Admission fee is $15; children under 12 admitted free. The premier NWA show, the largest of its' kind in the country,
will present over 600 exhibits reflecting the art of woodworking - from fine furniture, to exquisite turnings, carvings, intarsia, scroll work, sculpture, toys, accessories, musical instruments, and all things wood, offered on a background of oriental rugs and plants. Exhibiters, both amateur and professional, travel from several Northeastern states for the
opportunity to show their works of art and compete for coveted NWA award ribbons in multiple categories, including Best of Show and People’s Choice. The NWA Showcase normally attracts 5,000 people over the two-day event, many who come to attend the Totally Turning symposium, dedicated to the art of wood turning on a lathe.