City of Rensselaer to Hold First Public Workshop for “Rensselaer Rising”
The City of Rensselaer will be holding its first Public Workshop Meeting for the “Rensselaer Rising” Plan on March 7th from 6-7:30PM at the Rensselaer City School, located at 25 Van Rensselaer Drive, Rensselaer, NY 12144.
The event will begin with an information session reviewing the planning process, key components of the work completed so far, and a summary of project survey results. This will be followed by an interactive session to gather input and feedback to guide recommendations for the plan.
The City of Rensselaer recently began a year-long planning process called “Rensselaer Rising” to attract investment and funding opportunities to the City through a comprehensive vision for Rensselaer’s future. The plan will include setting a vision and goals, along with an implementation strategy to guide the successful development of strategic areas within the City. The plan is in its early stages and the workshop will provide a great opportunity for members of the public to identify their priorities and goals for the City and its future.
The plan is being funded through an $85,000 Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA) Program grant from the New York State Department of State. While historically focused on brownfields, the program has evolved to take a more general look at opportunities for investment and revitalization of underutilized, abandoned, or vacant sites. Our “Rensselaer Rising” project adds an exciting new chapter to the investment, interest and growth currently occurring in our city. DeLaet’s Landing is thriving after a recent expansion; new apartments are being developed at Barnet Mills and the old St. John’s High School and plans underway to revitalize other buildings as well,” said Mayor Mike Stammel. “The City Planning Department is reaching out to the community through the “Rensselaer Rising” process to determine how to best utilize the space that we have left in the City of Rensselaer to develop a plan to attract new businesses and spur economic growth,” concluded Mayor Stammel.
Funding was provided by the Department of State to engage LaBella Associates as consultants to guide the planning process and facilitate community engagement throughout the year. LaBella will also develop recommendations for investment and revitalization based on community input. A Community Steering Committee has also been formed to provide input on all facets of the planning process.
A visioning survey to gather feedback from community members will remain open until the end of February. The survey is available on the project website and at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6WTLDHJ.
“This is a great opportunity for community members to have input into Rensselaer’s future. I encourage everyone to complete the survey and participate in the workshop,” said John DeFrancesco, Rensselaer Common Council President.
For more information about Rensselaer Rising, visit the Rensselaer Planning Department’s website: https://www.rensselaerplanning.com. This website will be updated with plan information as it develops. Community members are encouraged to check the site for future event dates, plan updates, and general information throughout the year. Interested parties can also contact Thomas Hulihan, City of Rensselaer Planning Director, at 518-462-4839 x 1527 or [email protected] or Norabelle Greenberger, AICP, Senior Planner at LaBella Associates at (518) 824-1922 or [email protected].