The biggest development deal and the talk of the town for quite some time in both Bethlehem and New Scotland is getting ready to break ground, according to plans from the developers of the Vista Technology Park in Slingerlands.
Developers say they have pieced together a plan for the first phase of construction after three years of preparation and visits to Bethlehem and New Scotland town, planning and zoning boards.
Developers told the Bethlehem Planning Board at its Wednesday, Sept. 16, meeting that construction on Vista Boulevard will begin this fall and that ground breaking for the technology campus’ first building can commence in the spring.
The last update the planning board received from Vista developers was on June 19, 2007, but revised plans were presented to the Town Board earlier this year.
No wetlands will be disturbed during the construction of Vista, which is slated to eventually build out to 1.4 million square feet when completed, according to the current development plans.
The initial phase of construction is expected to see 250,000 square feet of construction, as well as the construction of Vista Boulevard.
Dan Hershberg, of Hershberg and Hershberg in Albany, told the Planning Board the Vista project will begin on the property by grading the entrance to the eventual technology park and installing a sewer pump station.
We propose to move a significant portion of soil here and move it to the other side of the site, Hershberg said. `We’re going to be installing the entire Vista Boulevard and a pump station.`
The new road will connect to the roundabout off of the Route 85 extension that was built last year, according to plans. It is to be heavily buffered and have a wrought-iron fence and gate at the entrance to the campus.
Hershberg said finalized plans are hard to create at this point because not all of the space available have tenants ready to move onto the site.
`We certainly don’t have complete plans, but we’re working on them,` Hershberg told the board.
The plans also show a `paper road` on the map which has the potential to eventually create a new road from the back of the site heading towards Voorheesville, but would need significant engineering work to complete because of the valleys and un-level topography involved.
`We’ll let our grandchildren work on that one,` said Planning Board Chairman Parker Mathusa, who said he was glad to see the plans designed land for future infrastructure if it was needed.
Planning board member Nicholas Behuniak asked about plans for any pedestrian pathways.
Hershberg said there are currently plans for a shared bike lane on the road and footpath for possible hiking around the site.
`We have committed to putting one in,` Hershberg responded to Behuniak.
There were some concerns by potential tenants about security and protecting `trade secrets` that could arise from having public pathways around the site, according to the developers, but that more details would be coming as the project progressed.
`Those are concerns I can certainly respect,` Behuniak said when told about the security issues.
Developers also told the board that, although it had been considered originally, there would be no cell phone towers constructed on the site.
Assistant Director of Economic Development and Planning Michael Morelli said that although Vista has `an aggressive schedule` slated for construction, that the infrastructure and planning are in place to make it `very doable.`
The developers also denied some concerns about a possible `big box store`, as one Vista representative said, `A big box building was never in the plans for Vista. I know that there are rumors that there are. It’s not suited for that purpose.`
Developers say they want to begin the work on the boulevard this fall and begin construction on the first building by spring.“