Student housing construction to start in spring

Pat Gareau

Editor-in-Chief

Developers believe student housing for Hudson Valley will be open for occupation by fall 2016. The first phase of the project will be the asbestos abatement and demolition of the Hy Rosenblum building on the corner of Morrison and Vandenburgh, which will clear the site for the new building.

According to developers, this is set to begin in March 2015.

Omni Development and Sequence Development are partnering to build and maintain the housing on land leased from the college. A building permit was granted by the city of Troy last week.

Initially, the developers hoped to start demolition between the fall and spring semesters. “We might have had too aggressive of a schedule, but that happens,” said Tim O’Byrne, project manager at Omni Housing, a division of Omni Development.

The project raised concerns from local residents during a series of public hearings held throughout the year. Among these concerns were an increase in traffic, disruptive construction and the preservation of a historical cemetery on the property.

“We’ve spent a lot of time addressing some of the city’s concerns,” said O’Byrne.

The terms of the lease have not yet been finalized between the developers and Hudson Valley. Omni and Sequence will finance the construction and pay the college to use the land.

According to O’Byrne, the demolition in March will not mean more traffic jams for Hudson Valley commuters. “There’s really no issue there,” he said.

Construction will increase during the summer of 2015 and continue throughout the following year.