TAXPAYER FUNDED STUPIDITY - Rotterdam, N.Y.

Watch Schenectady Legistator Sue Savage, Rotterdam IDA, proudly give taxpayers' dollars away to BBL Construction Company to level a working 30,00 square foot shopping center to be replaced with a 11,000 square foot bar and bank. BBL owns the bar, and probably could own the bank, but had no problem taking taxpayers' money.

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[aipo86t]

That was across the street from the old Bigsbee School. I would sit in class and stare at that shopping center. Oh well, with the Shoporama gone my childhood is totally in the past. So glad I left New York!

[brokkenstar]

@aipo86t Likewise I did quite a bit a staring and day-dreaming in Bigsbee,  especially in Mrs. Habel's 1st grade class; I think you made a good decision in leaving New York.

[Seversonronald8]

You may think that it was "built to last" .. but it was in pretty bad shape and it was

an ugly building.

I am not enamored with much of what was built in the 1950's --- so the plaza's

demolition was no big loss IMO.

[brokkenstar]

@Seversonronald8 Oh it was quite a loss, 30,000 square feet down to 11,000, build with crap materials,  and around 120,000 dollars to help rip it down, and loss of business to long time businesses.

[Seversonronald8]

The Capitol Plaza building was not historic or unique in any way. It was a broken

down, eyesore. It needed to be replaced with something better ..... and it is being

replaced by something better.

[brokkenstar]

@Seversonronald8 Did anybody ask the restaurants in Rotterdam who pay taxes if they would mind using some of the tax monies to help install some competition. The new bank and bar are made of 1st quality particle board that was soaked for several days, atop a concrete pad laid wet cold weather. Those buildings are cheaply made, and the taxpayers got ripped off. When the concrete pad beneath starts to crack, the stream underground will seep in and be a constant problem.

[Seversonronald8]

A number of the businesses have relocated. The old eyesore is gone .. and most

people that I know like what they see rising in its place.

All in all ... the demolition of the old plaza was a good thing.

[brokkenstar]

@Seversonronald8 Ask the several tenants who were forced to move out for the supposed Walgreens if they were unhappy. It was 30,000 square feet of retail space, vintage 1950's, built to last, and taxpayers like you help fund its destruction for a company worth 300 million dollars. Now that's dumb.

[brokkenstar]

@Seversonronald8 As a prior caretaker of an apartment building built in 1896, I do not compute your response. The disrespect of man hours and material put into the prior structure is nothing short of a disgrace.

[Seversonronald8]

The plaza that was torn down was an eyesore in horrible condition.

The new bank and restaurant are a great improvement over what was there.