Haskell School housing plan hits bump in Troy
Plans to convert the former Haskell School on Sixth Avenue in Troy to apartments are on hold after a fire last month.
Dillon Nash, owner of ST8 Realty and Development, bought the property in May, and hoped to build 20 affordable apartments, following the removal of asbestos and a complete renovation. But on June 20, the roof caught fire after neighbors reported fireworks going off nearby, causing fire and water damage to the structure.
Nash said the companies he’s asked to do the asbestos removal won’t enter the building until the roof is rebuilt, but the state Department of Labor won’t allow any work to proceed unless the asbestos is removed. Nash said he was left with two companies willing to do the work - one doubled the price after the fire; and the other recommended demolition.
“Tearing it down isn’t my first or fifth option,” Nash said.
Prior to the fire, Nash expected construction to begin in the fall. The building was a school from the time it was built in 1894 until 1975. It has beautiful architectural details, arched windows, decorative brick work and stone carvings around the entrance. But inside, even before the fire, the sky was visible from the main floor because much of the roof was gone. Renovation plans include installation of an elevator, a security system, solar panels, off-street parking for 28 vehicles, and new landscaping.
Nash said he will ask the
Labor Department to allow for roof repair before the asbestos is removed, and he is also applying to the state Department of Environmental Conservation for financial assistance.
Expansion at Saratoga Springs subdivision
The Beechwood Organization announced Tuesday that 53 new homes will be built at Oak Ridge, a subdivision between Meadow Brook and Dyer Switch Road, near Fish Creek.
Beechwood, led by father and son Michael and Steven Dubb, bought the remaining lots in the subdivision. Pre-construction prices for single-family and estate homes on 1-acre lots are $850,000 to $2 million plus.
IN THIS ISSUE
The new section will include three design styles. The Carriage option for lots up to one-third of an acre, will be 2,200 to 3,200 square feet and have large front porches and rear garage entry. The Woods and Ridge options are for the 1-acre lots and will have 3,000 to 6,000 square feet of living space.
Beechwood was founded in 1985 and has completed more than 65 communities and 7,500 houses in New York. Leader Michael Dubb is a thoroughbred owner who has been coming to Saratoga since he was a teenager. His company built a day care center at Belmont Park in 2001 as a donation and is at work on a similar facility on the Saratoga backstretch.
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