Planning board tables 43 Second Street renovation application pending departmental comments
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Summary
The planning board agreed to table waivers and development‑plan review for a proposed 32‑unit rehabilitation at 43 Second Street until outstanding departmental comments — including sidewalks, street trees and site plan details — are resolved.
The Albany City Planning Board on July 8 agreed to table requests for street‑amenity and street‑tree waivers and the development‑plan review for a proposed 32‑unit rehabilitation at 43 Second Street until city departments’ outstanding comments are addressed.
The applicant described a renovation of a multi‑section, historically significant building into approximately 32 apartments (a mix of studio, one‑bedroom and two‑bedroom units). The applicant said studios will average about 370–390 square feet, one‑bedroom units about 750–780 square feet and several units include mezzanines or lofted sleeping areas; the project does not include an elevator and the applicant said retrofitting an ADA‑compliant elevator is not feasible due to existing historic fabric and grade changes.
Planning staff reviewed the submission and requested several plan updates before final approval, including updated floor plans that identify recreation areas, clearer inclusionary‑housing unit location and sizes, clarified street‑tree and street‑amenity provisions for the Stephen Street and Second Avenue frontages, sidewalk and curb improvements and documentation of mechanical equipment location (staff recommended courtyard wall‑mounts to avoid roof‑mounted equipment visibility). Staff also noted the project is in the Historic Review Overlay and that the applicant is engaged with the Historic Resources Commission.
The applicant said substantial stabilization work and roof replacement have already been completed and estimated the stabilization cost at roughly $750,000; the applicant also said he cleared the site of significant debris after purchase and had previously obtained necessary stabilization permits. The planning board voted to table the waivers and development plan until all departmental comments — engineering, planning and others — have been satisfied; the item will return to a subsequent meeting and was suggested for consent agenda consideration if comments are resolved.
Board members indicated no major policy objections but emphasized that sidewalk, curb and street‑tree details, inclusionary zoning unit locations and recreation space documentation must be supplied before final approval.
