Friday, July 13, 2012

Here We Go Again

   
Exactly how many 4 story buildings can a small city have before it looks like a large city and loses its small city charm?  Well, just keep your eyes on Saratoga Springs and you’ll see how long.  The landscape has changed so much that if you left the City 10 years ago, you wouldn’t know Saratoga when you came back to visit.

There used to be various contractors that built the monstrosities in the past but under our current Mayor it seems he is pushing these buildings through on a fast track.  Why you ask?  Probably because after this term he will bounce back and forth between Miami, California and some brief visits to Saratoga Springs.  What mentality has spurred the growth and wants to keep it going?  Well, those who have come into Saratoga to make the City home come from largely populated areas and are mostly seniors (not all) who have retired here to get away from the nightmares of big city living.  Are these people responsible for making Saratoga a mini version of the large cities they left?  I will grant you, the arts, museums, a City Center, short access to the Northway etc., etc., etc. (gee, I used one of Mayor Johnson’s most used phrase) make Saratoga Springs a very nice place to live, but at what expense?  Saratoga Springs has lost that quaint charm it once had, are we better off or not?

I feel this rampant growth has to ease up until our infrastructure can handle this growth.  Saratoga Springs has only grown by about 400 people in the last 10 years according to the last census, yet when looking around you would think we have doubled our population.

One business to be built if the developer can get 3 million dollars in tax breaks would be an 11 screen theater with retail and apartments, why can’t those who work in Saratoga Springs live here with all these new apartments?
On the heals of this announcement comes the Congress Plaza giant, a 6 story hotel (the owner says maybe some retail, maybe not).  He already has a hotel chain lined up; at least he plans on additional parking spots.  I wonder if this deal comes with a tax break like the theater?  We need more 5 & 6 story buildings in Saratoga, especially downtown.

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4 comments:

  1. AnonymousJuly 13, 2012 at 6:19 AM

    There is no planning going on. The building department is now a joke. Why even bother getting a permit just build whatever you want.

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  2. AnonymousJuly 13, 2012 at 11:09 AM

    The reason the 400 people who were added to our population seems more, is because of the high density in the areas where those -- or most of those -- have located, downtown.
    As I have said before, and it seems like more people are starting to listen, like the author of this blog, that the streets that Gideon Putname laid out on a map hundreds of years ago, were not meant for this density, the cars, buses, trucks, delivery vehicles, fire trucks ambulances police cars, bicycles, etc etc.

    If we the taxpayers don't get the developers to make the necessary changes to the roadways and infrastructure, then we the taxpayers are the suckers who will be paying for it, and the developers will be basting themselves on a beach somewhere drinking margaritas and living the high life at our expense.

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  3. AnonymousJuly 14, 2012 at 5:15 AM

    Time to run Johnson and Franck out of town! Franck is as bad or even worse than Johnson. Regardless they both are hurting our city. Neither have any care about the people that struggle everyday to make ends meet. They may have grown up with families with modest means but their elitist attitudes are bad for community.

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  4. AnonymousJuly 14, 2012 at 7:59 PM

    In total agreement. John Franck is in it for his own reasons. Doesn't care about the citizens of our city. Just loves to line his pockets. Must be nice living on North Broadway and having the power to assess properties at a bargain price.

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