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| (Rob Yasinac photo) |
Having completed the transformation of an old factory in Lansingburgh into the 18-unit Powers Park Lofts condominium and purchased the little Lansing Plaza shopping strip on Second Avenue near the 112th Street bridge in the 'Burgh with an eye toward upgrading it, J.W. Pfeil now has turned its attention to the former Stanley's department store building in downtown Troy.
Work on the building, across from the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, means temporary closure of some traffic lanes and sidewalks, but it's for legitimate work.
True, the Pfeils will end up making money on the project, but they also will be improving the city, attracting new residents, and paying a chunk of taxes.
Meanwhile, around the corner on Fourth Street, the desolate hulk that was Proctor's theater remains wrapped in ugly scaffolding with no sign of life.
As I have noted before, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, which owns the building, may be a good citizen in many ways, but by its steadfast refusal to take serious action on this eyesore it continues to thumb its nose at the city and its residents who are serious about continuing the rebirth of downtown.
Figuring out what to do with Proctor's may not be easy, but given the brainpower on the RPI campus and the huge building projects going on there as evidence of what that brainpower can conjure up, fixing the Proctor's mess should be a snap.
If RPI cares to do it, that is.
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