SUNY approves sale of college property
Managing Editor
Over 30 acres of property were approved for sale by SUNY last week, pushing Hudson Valley’s hopes of moving student housing forward.
Two weeks ago, a post was made on the college’s site requesting a proposal. In an appraisal report by Conti Appraisal & Consulting LLC on Oct. 26, the property was projected to sell within 12 to 18 months if “properly priced and marketed.” The Hyman Rosenblum Administration Building property is listed at $645,000 while the remaining property is listed at $195,000.
Last week, the college held a pre-bid conference for the student housing project. Bids are due on Nov. 23. “Of course, we will need to review [the bids] and are seeking approval but, at this point we’re moving forward and trying to get interest in the community,” said Dennis Kennedy, director of communications and marketing.
Less than a month ago, the Rensselaer County Legislature approved the Board of Trustee’s decision to sell the Hyman Rosenblum Administration Center property.
The Board of Trustees voted to sell the property on Sep. 22. after Omni Development struggled to finance the project, “It came to a point where the folks said, ‘We’re not hoping to get the financing put in place but we’re still out there looking and when we do it, we will get back to you’. That leaves it kind of open-ended and I don’t believe the college was willing to do that,” Board of Trustees chairman Neil Kelleher told The Hudsonian last month.
The project would have cost over $20 million to complete. The most recent opening date of student housing was moved to 2017 in August due to Omni Development struggling to finance the project which was originally expected to be complete by Fall 2016.
Aside from the remaining property, the 2,000 square foot pressure house near the Hyman Rosenblum Administration Center will not be sold, because it is still under contract with the New York State Weatherization Directors Association until 2023.