Community Builders presents 'Mansion Initiative' for Grand Street; planning board grants negative declaration
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Summary
Community Builders proposed four new affordable townhouses and a tenant/community hub at 70 and 108–114 Grand Street, requested an administrative lot‑coverage adjustment, and the board voted a negative declaration under environmental review to move the project forward.
Community Builders told the Albany City Planning Board Tuesday that it plans to build four new affordable, contextual townhouses and a tenant‑management community hub on a cluster of parcels at 70 and 108–114 Grand Street as part of a broader “Mansion Initiative” to revitalize the block.
Bennett Balmer, project manager with Community Builders, said the project would add a tenant amenities hub at 70 Grand Street with laundry, community space and management offices and would replace lots at 108–114 Grand Street, which were the site of a fire about two years earlier, with four new townhouses intended for households at roughly 60% AMI. Balmer said the developer also requested an administrative adjustment to allow impervious lot coverage of 76% where the MUNE district standard is 70%, citing the administrative adjustment allowance in the municipal code.
Planning staff and the board discussed outstanding reviews. Staff said both 70 Grand Street and 108–114 are in the Historic Resources Overlay (HRO) and will require Historic Review Commission review; the submission also included a draft radio‑tower easement and a proposed conditional approval that would require a final easement agreement before construction. Staff recommended adoption of a negative declaration under the state environmental review process for the project; the board moved, seconded and voted to adopt the negative declaration by voice vote.
Balmer said Community Builders already manages 11 historic townhouses in the block and plans refinancing and continued affordability of those units; the project will also renovate three vacant townhouses. He said the Albany Police Department provided a letter expressing interest in establishing a community outreach office in the tenant hub. Board members asked about neighborhood context and confirmed that the project will include required sidewalk and street‑tree work, and that bike access, curb cuts and an ADA parking space are part of the site plan.
