CARA is being asked to give $10,000 to another downtown Albany building venture, but the push for major projects to complete and then wind up the 17-year-old urban renewal program seems to remain stalled.
This bumpy ride has a point
Written February 10th, 2018 by Hasso Hering
Unless you live there, you probably avoid Albany’s Fifth Avenue east of Lyon Street because of of its rough pavement. Camera in hand, I took a ride there Friday to illustrate just how bumpy the surface is.
Edgewater Village: CARA hesitates
Written January 18th, 2017 by Hasso Hering
George Diamond, the developer of Edgewater Village on the Albany riverfront, would like to step up the pace of construction, but on Wednesday the downtown urban renewal board (CARA) had a lot of questions, qualms and quibbles and seemed reluctant to approve a financing change that he needs to get going.
Carousel funding: The final round
Written April 17th, 2016 by Hasso Hering
On the local front, the Albany Carousel is asking for urban renewal money for the third and final time. The request for $339,500 will go before the advisory board of the Central Albany Revitalization Area when it meets at 5:15 Wednesday afternoon at City Hall.
CARA: Out with fancy names
Written September 18th, 2015 by Hasso Hering
Albany’s downtown urban renewal agency wants people to stop snickering and complaining about spending money on frou-frou-sounding projects like a “promenade” or an “esplanade.” So it has changed their names.
Posted in: Commentary, News
Tags: Albany downtown, Broadalbin Street, canal esplanades, CARA, urban renewal
Tags: Albany downtown, Broadalbin Street, canal esplanades, CARA, urban renewal
No bond tax for urban renewal, Albany says
Written August 21st, 2013 by
When Albany voters decide on a bond for new police and fire stations in November, they can be sure that approval of the bond will not benefit the downtown urban renewal district, CARA. Why would it, you might reasonably ask, even though we’ve covered this subject before. Well, money to repay the $20.3 million bond […]
Urban renewal tax fix falls short
Written May 28th, 2013 by
The Oregon House today (May 28) is scheduled to vote on a sensible bill to correct an injustice dealing with property taxes and urban renewal, but it won’t do any good in Albany, at least not yet. The bill is HB 2632-A. It would remove local option levies approved by voters after January 1, 2013, […]
Albany issue: CARA’s surplus
Written April 23rd, 2013 by
Albany city officials should no longer ignore the effect that the city’s downtown urban renewal district, CARA, has on other governmental services in Linn County. According to a breakdown presented by urban renewal manager Kate Porsche, local governments this budget year are forced to give up $2.2 million to the downtown district. In 2013-14, it’s […]
Fixing urban renewal’s levy grab (amended)
Written March 21st, 2013 by
Albany’s downtown renewal advisory board Wednesday heard about a bill which, in the interest of truth in taxation, ought to be passed. But first, it ought to be amended to apply right away. The measure is House Bill 2632, sponsored by Rep. Margaret Doherty, a Democrat from the Portland area. It would allow all the […]
Streetscape benches, a placement dilemma
Imagine the plight of a streetscape designer who’s supposed to place a few benches on the newly rebuilt sidewalks of Albany’s downtown. How to position this street furniture so it is inviting and does future bench sitters some good?
Tags: Albany downtown, CARA streetscape, urban renewal