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Nov 10, 2023

» Abandoned Rankin Avenue warehouse in Schenectady proposed for Habitat project

A proposed deal would see Schenectady sell an abandoned warehouse at 715 Rankin

A proposed deal would see Schenectady sell an abandoned warehouse at 715 Rankin Ave. to Habitat for Humanity to be turned into affordable housing.

SCHENECTADY — An abandoned Schenectady warehouse is set to be converted into affordable housing by Habitat for Humanity of Schenectady County in a proposal set to appear before the city council.

The warehouse sits on overgrown property at 715 Rankin Ave. in the middle of a residential neighborhood, with the site formerly used to store car parts before it was vacated three decades ago.

Schenectady County Legislator Richard Ruzzo, who also serves as the Chairman of the Capital Region Land Bank, said the sale would be beneficial to the surrounding neighborhood.

"It's 17,000 square feet of an abandoned warehouse in the middle of one of the city's neighborhoods," he said on Friday. "So taking that down and removing that properly and re-parceling the single plot into three that we then give to Habitat in a shovel-ready manner and they’re going to put three homes there. They’ve got donor families that are lined up that want to do the Habitat model where they put in sweat equity and then they get an affordable home and a place to raise a family and create memories of their own."

Under the proposal, the city-owned property would be sold to Habitat for Humanity for $3,000, with the existing building on the .84-acre site set to be demolished by the Capital Region Land Bank.

Under the deal, the city would be relieved of the $150,000 expense of taking down the warehouse on its own, with the land bank utilizing funding it recently received from the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal to carry out the demolition work.

The demolition work, which will be performed by Jackson Demolition under the supervision of the land bank, is projected to begin later this summer.

"I am asking the city council to transfer this vacant, blighted property to Habitat for Humanity of Schenectady County so we can demolish it and ready the site for new home ownership opportunities for three families," Schenectady Mayor Gary McCarthy said in a statement.

Habitat for Humanity is also set to rehab a blighted property at 1012 Eastern Ave., with plans to convert the site into affordable housing.

"First-time homeownership provides strength, stability, and security to our neighborhoods," Kathy Fernandez, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity, said of the Rankin Avenue project in a statement. "Habitat for Humanity of Schenectady County is pleased to partner with the City and Land Bank to provide safe, affordable homes to three more families in Schenectady."

Contact Ted Remsnyder at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @TedRemsnyder.

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