Here’s the new sidewalk on Water Avenue between Ferry and Broadalbin streets, as it looked Saturday evening. In the background, there are pallets of bricks to pave the street.
Contractors have been working on Albany’s new “plaza street” at the west end of Water Avenue while the CARA urban renewal program is preparing for what may be its final budget.
On Wednesday the city council, acting as the Albany Revitalization Agency (ARA), plans to adopt a two-year budget for 2025-27. The ARA is CARA’s governing body, and its budget amounts to about $29.3 million.
The published budget makes it impossible to tell what most of the money is for. About $4.5 million each is to make payments on bonds and to finish paying for the Waterfront Project, including the work on Water Avenue. But the biggest chunk, about $19 million, is designated as “reserves.”
The council has been told that CARA could still take on about $3 million in debt, an amount it could then spend on projects. These might include parts of the Waterfront Project that were previously dropped.
The extra money might also be spent to cover the cost of putting utilities under ground along the “plaza street.” Past councils failed to provide for this expense as part of the Waterfront Project, or to mention in the planning that the expense would fall to residents paying their electric bills.
Pacific Power estimated earlier that its part of the undergrounding would cost more than $2 million, which it plans to add to the electric bills of all Albany customers over two years. As of last report the actual cost was not yet known.
Even though the overhead electric lines have been removed, the poles were still in place this past weekend. The wide new concrete sidewalk on Water Avenue, between Washington and Broadalbin streets, was built around some of the poles and bypassed others completely.
The council, as the ARA board, could still do the right thing and pay for all expenses of the Waterfront Project from the CARA budget rather then sticking Albany residents and businesses with higher electric bills. But if it wants to do that, so far it has given no sign. (hh)
The power poles along Water Avenue were to come down, but on Saturday they were still there.
Hey, let’s be real.
The “right” thing to do is spend the extra money on grants (free money) for awnings and public art. CARA used to “invest” in these things. Like in the past, these “investments” greatly increased property values. CARA needs to re-tap this windfall.
The “wrong” thing to do is cancel the planned fee on electric bills. Some things are irreversible. Taxes/Fees is one of them.
Just give it directly to Scott Lepman. He owns the buildings just to the rear of the camera. Do you have any idea how much his property taxes are going to rise with all this new construction just behind his back? door. Poor guy.
Nineteen million dollars? Cracks me up how cities always have money for “beautification” and other projects but never for streets. Nineteen million dollars would buy a lot of asphalt.
The council needs to create a FAS (Fix Albany Streets) program. Get rid of ARA.
I agree! They are worried about Water St? That much money can fix quite a few streets! What’s up with that! We get taxed and nothing is done.
Keyes, Oklahoma, a population of 250 is paving their city streets this year, paid for by their City. There are fewer than 10 businesses and downtown is deserted.. Yet, this low income town still has high spirits among the people, a product from those dust bowl years.
Why not use it on the Airport. You all want Historical sites. You know Albany is the, or one of the First airports in Oregon. And Albany wants to trash it
Know more growth