Officials revealed redevelopment plans for the long-vacant Central Park casino in Schenectady on Tuesday.
Democratic State Assemblymember Angelo Santabarbara says the vacant Central Park Casino building will be converted into an environmental education center that will serve as a model for Schenectady's commitment to environmental justice and its role as a Climate Smart Community.
"There is funding coming through my office from the State Assembly, we're working with the city to make this happen, to breathe new life into this building. The amount will be $500,000 towards this project," said Santabarbara.
The 109-year old structure has been vacant for years. Santabarbara says the redesigned building will be carbon-neutral. He adds the project will transform the neglected building into an attraction for youth, a key component of Central Park, where visitors will be able to learn about water quality, renewable energy and other environmental issues.
"So the next generation, you know, kids that are maybe in school now, are the ones that are really going to bring us there, they're going to be able to meet the help us meet these goals and possibly surpass them at some point, because they're going to have new ideas, new innovation, and new things that they're going to be able to bring forward," Santabarbara said. "And it's places like this, educational opportunities like this, that really foster that and bring that out and shed light on what those ideas are, and how, at some point, they're going to be the leaders of this community leaders of this state, and they're going to be able to bring us with new innovation and technology beyond what we're even thinking of today."
Santabarbara says the state funding will launch the project. Fellow-Democrat Schenectady Mayor Gary McCarthy, who is running for re-election this fall, says the final cost, yet to be determined, will rise above the $500,000 figure, depending on the extent of work that needs to be done.
"Angelo's been very generous with a half million dollars, I anticipate that it's probably going to be a little bit over that, I don't know, we have some of the internal estimates might be $100,000, $200,000 depending on what the actual work is," McCarthy said. "So in the budget that I'm going to submit to the city council, in the end of the month, I will put some money in to be able to make sure that we can complete this and have it up and ready and operating next year."
Officials say the center will increase environmental literacy, awareness of climate change and other "environmental crises" while addressing the legacy of environmental injustice that communities of color in Schenectady County experience on a daily basis. City Council President Marion Porterfield:
“It's going to have an environmental safety program right here in the park, where youth throughout the city have access to it. I think it's great. Also bringing community partners like Community Fathers who will also do some programming. I understand that they’ll have food, have a kitchen in there. And so that it's not just the government doing it by providing funding, but the community is involved," said Porterfield.
This would be the first tenant in the building since a short-lived restaurant there failed.
