WATCHING IT GROW
Lieutenant governor tours Capital Roots facility
TROY, N.Y.» New York Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul paid a visit to the Collar City on Monday, and took the opportunity to tour and learn about local nonprofit Capital Roots.
Founded in 1975 as a community service project, Capital Roots is now a large organization with a mission to nourish healthy communities by providing access to fresh food and green spaces for all.
Executive director Amy Klein and the Capital Roots team welcomed Hochul to the organiza- tion’s Urban Grow Center, a regional food hub located at 594 River St. in North Central Troy.
“This is amazing,” Hochul said upon arrival at the Urban Grow Center, noting that the organization’s model has potential
to be replicated in other regions. “What great vision,” she commented. “I think everybody should have something like this.”
The River Street facility was opened in 2014 with the help of state funding through the Capital Region Economic Development Corporation, which contributed approximately $386,000 to the $2.8 million project.
Capital Roots recently received another CREDC grant of $700,000 toward its upcoming second phase, which is estimated to cost around $8 million.
During her tour, Hochul got to see first-hand what’s going on at the Urban Grow Center, including its public produce market, the food hub, and its sustainable technologies like the green roof, water reuse and runoff reduction.
Capital Roots operates a total of 12 programs, such as the Community Gardens, Veggie Mobile, Squash Hunger, Urban Greening and Healthy Streets.
“It’s incredible what you’re doing here,” Hochul said to Klein after hearing about all of these initiatives.
The lieutenant governor also got to learn about what the future holds for the Urban Grow Center. Phase II is slated to include three green houses (two hydroponic), a new larger produce market, a second food hub specifically for institutional clients and a commercial kitchen that is anticipated to serve as a local business incubator.
“We’re going to be taking up an entire city block,” Klein explained to Hochul. “It’s going to be an exciting effort all the way around.”
Phase II of the Urban Grow Center has been part of the plan since the project was first conceptualized about 12 years ago.
With variances recently approved by the city’s zoning board, it is currently awaiting final approval from the planning board.
Klein said she anticipates breaking ground late this summer, and the project phase is predicted to take more than a year to complete.
After touring Phase I of the Urban Grow Center, Hochul declared, “It’s going to be transformative.”
Deputy Mayor Monica Kurzejeski, the city’s former economic development coordinator, was also present for Monday’s event with the lieutenant governor. “Anytime that we can show off a major treasure of this city to our high elected officials is an opportunity to showcase what we’re doing in the city,” she said.
“Amy and the team here at Capital Roots are doing tremendous things. They’re bringing innovation to the city. They’re being able to touch a portion of population with fresh food, educa- tion, outreach. It hasn’t been done before and it truly is creating a model that can be replicated throughout the country,” Kurzejeski continued, adding that the city is proud of Capital Roots and looking forward to its future expansion.
Following her stop at Capital Roots, Hochul also toured the nearby Troy Innovation Garage, an entrepreneurial coworking facility that is another local recipient of CREDC funding. More information about Capital Roots is available online at www.capitalroots. org.