A transforming mixed-use development that’s a stone’s throw away from the Hudson River, a quick ride to the Capitol, and a short walk to a train station that will take you efficiently to the heart of New York City, Boston, Montreal or other urban centers in the northeast and mid-Atlantic. This is the vision expressed by the De Laet’s Landing developers as they close in on creating real smart growth.

The revival of transit-oriented development is crucial to the success of New York State’s urban centers. In 1968, the City of Albany, in response to massive federal and state investments in highways and other automobile infrastructure, chose to redirect passenger rail lines across the Hudson River into the City of Rensselaer. Albany’s inspiring Union Station was lost and replaced with an unremarkable rail station in Rensselaer. This 1968 station, lacked inspiration and practicality, as passengers no longer could walk easily from the train station to their final destination in the City of Albany.

Despite the disinvestment in rail, over the years, demand for service in the Capital corridors has remained high. In 2002, the 1968 station was replaced with a new, two-story signature rail station. Built of red brick and rich with natural light, this multi-modal mixed-use station is now the tenth busiest station in the country, with more than 750,000 passengers a year.”[i] This investment came just in time for an additional wave of interest in passenger rail, including “especially strong 2009 gains for the Capital Region trains, with as high as 13.8 percent and 13.4 percent increases in ridership to Toronto and Montreal”.[ii]

The 2002 Albany-Rensselaer Intermodal Station: A Focal Point in Rensselaer

The public investment in the new Amtrak station has provided a real opportunity for the private sector to realize the demand for transit-oriented, mixed-use development in the Capital Region. The development company, U.W. Marx, appears to be the first to capitalize on this interest with their proposed $300 million mixed-use development that links the new inter-modal station to the Hudson River. De Laet’s Landing is described as a “dramatic re-connection of the city fabric of streets and blocks from Rensselaer’s downtown, and the new train station, into an authentic mixed-use
development”.[iii]

U.W. Marx, based in Troy, envisions that this mixed-use project will not only bring people back to Rensselaer’s waterfront for the first time in 150 years, but also lead to a revival of the existing Broadway corridor. The project calls for multiple phases of development, with the first phase focusing on creating “New Broadway”. The necessary infrastructure supporting this extension will be publicly owned and privately maintained.[iv] By including this provision, The City of Rensselaer will generate exciting public space, including a planned harbor and pier, a “Broadway Public Square”, and a “Blue Loop” transportation and exercise path, while limiting the upkeep and maintenance costs usually funded by local government. The second phase of the project, planned to be built as market demands allow, calls for roughly 200 new residential units and 40,000 square feet of retail. Additional phases detailed in the Final
Generic Environmental Impact Statement (FGEIS) include additional retail, office space, and a 300 room hotel. According to the FGEIS, at “final build-out, the project will generate an $8 million increase in local tax revenue.” [v]

Charles Moore, a lifelong resident of the City of Rensselaer and a member of the Planning Commission, is thrilled to see a renewed interest in his city. Mr. Moore discussed with Empire State Future a childhood where the only way to access the historic Hudson River was by jumping fences and railroad tracks. By leveraging the new Amtrak Station and improving access to the waterfront, Moore envisions a fresh interest in living in a city that has hemorrhaged population over the years.

Despite the challenging economic climate, Moore remains extremely positive because “the hard part of the project has been completed with all of the studies and permits already in place.” As of March 2010, the final site plan for the project has been approved by the City’s Planning Commission. Moore details how the project will offer a whole new type of housing stock, including multi-family homes and rentals, which will offer young adults and empty-nesters an enjoyable place to live, work and play. Moore applauds the developer for expressing interest in building in a way that complements the historic nature of the area. He feels that too little is being done to highlight projects that revitalize our Upstate cities. He exclaimed that developers need to know that “we want this type of development to succeed as much as they do!”

U.W. Marx first proposed this project in 2004.  The site was previously home of the city’s high school, which was rebuilt at a new location in 2008. In response to a recent inquiry for updates on the project, U.W. Marx has informed us that they remain committed, detailing that they have millions of their own money invested, and are not too concerned about the delays resulting from current market conditions that aren’t overly conducive to a project this size. U.W. Marx is in the position of having no debt on the project, and is determined to allow market conditions drive the project forward. Although the City of Rensselaer has given their green light to the development, construction has
been held up awaiting a DEC permit for storm sewers. U.W. Marx expects that this final permit will pull the trigger on the balance of the permits, allowing for construction on Phase I of the project, which is roughly half the site. Addressing concerns expressed by the DEC regarding the impact of the marina, a new lower impact design is being developed. U.W. Marx says that they are still hopeful that road infrastructure can start this winter, pending DEC approval. Building construction is on track to start in the spring, with roughly seventy high-end rental units along the south-end (closest to where the development intersects with Broadway).

De Laet’s Landing is just one example of mixed-use development that will enhance our existing cities, and provide a fulfilling living experience by increasing density where public infrastructure already exists. In many places throughout the state, “SWOG” (Sprawl without Growth) continues to be built. Development that is oriented around transit, like De Laet’s Landing, serves as an example of development that will improve rather than compromise New York’s quality-of-life.  More information on De Laet’s Landing can be obtained at the developer’s website

[iii]
U.W. Marx. (2010, July 17). De Laet’s Landing. Retrieved September 15, 2010,
from Rensselaer Waterfront Development:

http://www.uwmarx.com/waterfront/newsite/index.htm