A few more high-end apartments are coming to Guilderland after developers opted to demolish a single-family home abutting the state Thruway.
The Guilderland Zoning Board of Appeals approved granting a special use permit to demolish a single-family home and construct 16 apartments across 71 and 75 Schoolhouse Road, along with a variance relating to its buffer area to a business. There are some changes from the original proposal, which property owner Carl Breitenstein said were made based on feedback from local officials and residents.
“I am really happy with the way things turned out,” said Breitenstein. “We were able to come up with a design that really meets everyone’s best interest.”
Breitenstein said the growth of nanotech locally has lead to an increased demand for temporary housing and high-end rental units, which are about 1,700 square feet with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. He hopes to have the foundations installed before this winter and start renting out units in the spring.
Instead of being four buildings with four units each, there will be eight, two-unit buildings. Breitenstein said the switch is better for him and neighbors.
“This reduction in size reduces the visual impact of the building and reduces their size to a more appropriate scale,” said Zoning Board Chairman Peter Barber.
A sidewalk was also added across the length of the property, which the town had sought. The town plans to connect this to the sidewalk being installed along Western Avenue. There will be no parking allowed on Shady Lane, which is across from the property.
Thomas Remmert was the only board member voting against Breitenstein’s application.
“I think we’re trying to put 11 pounds of stuff in a 10-pound bag here,” said Remmert.
Donald Reeb, president of the McKownville Improvement Association, said building eight buildings on a 2.2-acre property was “more than what’s reasonable.”
Barber pointed out the density ratio is proposed to be reduced in the new town code, but currently allows up to a dozen units per acre. The revised code is seeking to lower it to six units.
Barber has also said applications cannot be held up to see what zoning changes the Town Board approves.
“This is what you can do on this property,” said Barber.
Several residents surrounding the proposed apartments have previously spoke out against the development, which includes potential traffic impacts and fitting in with the community’s character.
“We as a residential neighborhood have slowly been losing this neighborhood feeling, as we are continually encroached upon,” Jean Finnegan said in an email to the town in April. “At times, it is even difficult to pull on to Schoolhouse Road, as there is so much traffic and many of these cars are not abiding by the speed limit.”
Several residents complained about trees already chopped down on the property and claimed traffic noise from the Northway has increased. There will be new trees planted as the zoning code requires for multiple residential properties.
“At present, the site is vacant with mature trees having been removed. While those trees may provide a visual impact they would play little or no role in masking the sound from the Thruway,” said Barber.
The town-designated engineer for the project said the applicant had done as much as possible to reduce traffic noise.
Barber said he reached out to the state Thruway Authority to learn why sound barrier walls were not installed behind the Schoolhouse Road property during the recent reconstruction of I-87.
“They said because it was vacant land and nobody asked,” said Barber. “They don’t plan on any future development.”
