Developers present revised Troy Atrium plan with farmers market and rooftop; commissioners press design, facade and safety fixes

Developers seeking to redevelop the southern half of the Atrium in downtown Troy presented revised plans to the city planning commission that emphasize public activation and a reworked building massing intended to better fit the historic streetscape.

Brian Nostra of Environmental Design Partnership and architect Ken Cybertson (Cyber Reguso Architecture) said the applicant, Bryce Companies, now proposes to break the project into four connected massing elements rather than one large block. The plan would create active, first-floor space fronting Broadway designed to accommodate a farmers market with vendor utility hookups and to improve sidewalks with new trees and seating. Upper floors would hold rental apartments (the applicant described plans for about 99 units) and the corner at Broadway and Third Street is shown as a possible rooftop terrace and partially enclosed activity space, subject to budget and affordability tradeoffs, the applicants said.

Commissioners and staff said the revisions are a clear step forward but pressed multiple design and implementation issues. Key requests included darkening the brick color on the long Broadway block, expanding the horizontal water-table band between the base and upper floors, exploring modest setbacks or balcony opportunities on the top floor to break long elevations, and replacing some intermediate brick infill with charcoal-colored panels to reduce a “popping” color effect. Commissioners also urged clearer, two-sided renderings and full-size elevation details so materials and textures can be assessed in context.

A recurring and urgent concern was the south-facing wall of the existing atrium, which is now exposed by the proposed redevelopment and sits on the property line. Applicants told the commission the wall will have to meet a three-hour firewall rating; the available options include full masonry at materially higher cost or fire-treated insulated metal panels with a carrier system to accept an applied skin. Commissioners said a plain, monolithic wall would be unacceptable for the streetscape and asked the applicant to show more detailed treatments — for example, segmentation, mural art, lighting or planted articulation — and to include associated lighting in the next submission.

Panel members also discussed operations and security for the market area. Commissioners recommended roll-up glass or garage-style doors for vendor bays (rather than permanently open gates) to limit vandalism or litter on non-market days, and asked applicants to show how vendor stalls, gates and pedestrian circulation would work on days when the street would remain open to traffic.

Staff signaled that the project should return with the requested refinements. The commission discussed scheduling a public hearing at the next available December meeting, subject to holiday scheduling and required historic review steps; the applicants said they would incorporate the commission’s requested changes and return for the public hearing and continued review.

The commission did not take a final vote on the redevelopment at this meeting. The next procedural step is for the applicant to submit revised elevations and materials addressing the facade, wall treatment, security for vendor spaces, and streetscape/parking screening so the commission can consider a public hearing and possible action.