A Word from Noreen
One Monument Square and Troy Local Development Corp.
At a public meeting at the Arts Center last Thursday (6/11), Mayor Mantello announced the long-awaited redevelopment of One Monument Square, the "hole in the ground" left by the former City Hall. The City will transfer the property to the Troy Local Development Corp. (LDC) to manage the project.
Commercial real estate developer Luizzi Cos. and Troy-based video game company Velan Studios will serve as 50/50 equity partners in the $50 million project. Founded in 2016 by brothers Karthik and Guha Bala, Velan is known for titles including Mario Kart Live and Knockout City. Guitar Hero is one of its earliest titles.
The five-story, 110,000-square-foot building will include 30,000 sq. ft. of office space with Velan as anchor tenant, 20,000 sq. ft. of retail space, 51 apartments, and 100 parking spaces. Developers will also donate waterfront land back to the City for public use.
For more information, visit the City's Facebook page or view the full presentation at troyny.gov/1MSQ.
On May 1st, the Troy Local Development Corp. (LDC) held a special board meeting and approved a non-binding letter of intent for Don Fane of Troy Materials Group to purchase approximately 26 acres of industrial waterfront property in South Troy for $3 million. The parcel includes 16 acres of the former King Fuels site, which has been undergoing environmental remediation for three years and is expected to be completed next year.
The plan calls for relocating the salt pile from the northern section to the southern end, between the jail and the Menands Bridge. This would open the riverfront area where the salt pile currently sits to Sage College owned by Fane for residential and retail development.
As the City Council's representative on the LDC's three-member board, I voted "no". I received very little information about the proposed sale in advance of the meeting, and I did not believe I had sufficient basis to make a responsible decision, particularly given my concern that $3 million is a low price for 26 acres of riverfront property.
At the same meeting, the auditors, Wojeski & Co., presented the 2025 audit of the financial statements and provided an unqualified opinion stating that the "financial statements presented fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the corporation". Without expressing an opinion on internal controls, as part of their audit, they noted a deficiency related to the review, approval and timeliness of journal entries and financial statement preparation at year end. Management addressed the issue and immediately took steps to improve oversight of the duties and responsibilities of its Chief Financial Officer, a contracted position. In addition, I was appointed as secretary-treasurer of the board. Having a strong background in accounting and finance, I will conduct monthly reviews of the financials with the accounting firm, BST.
I can be reached by phone at 518-285-0650 or by email: Noreen.mckee@troyny.gov.
Items to Note
June District 4 Office Hours
June District 4 Office Hours will be held on Thursday, June 25th from 3:00 to 5:00 pm at the Flour Bender Bakeshop (15 2nd St.). As always, I look forward to sitting down with my constituents and hearing your concerns and ideas for Troy.
Please feel free to drop in any time during office hours to introduce yourself as we work together to make a better Troy.
Pride Month Comes to the Collar City
I was honored to join Collar City Pride, members of our community, and other elected officials for the Pride Flag raising on June 1 at the YWCA of Troy.
From storytelling events and film screenings to Bingo Burlesque, the month of June is filled with activities celebrating Troy's diverse LGBTQIA2S+ community, many happening right in the heart of downtown.
Please visit Collar City Pride's webpage for a listing of events and be sure to follow their Instagram.
Recognizing Juneteenth
Celebrated in Texas since 1866, and recognized as a federal holiday in 2021, Juneteenth provides an opportunity for Americans to reflect on the importance of resilience in the face of adversity, and the value of collaboration and community as we work to create a more equitable society.
This year, the NAACP, the City of Troy, and other community organizations are holding a Juneteenth Freedom Crawl on Friday, June 19th, an opportunity to come together, have fun, and celebrate Troy's unique and historic black community.
For more information, please refer to the above image.
Primary Election
Early voting for primary elections began Saturday, June 13th at 500 Federal St, and runs through June 21st before polls open at their regular location and hours on June 23rd.
Early Voting Polls are open:
- Sat and Sun 9 am-5 pm
- Mon and Wed 12 pm-8 pm
- Tue, Thu, and Fri 9 am-5 pm
Democratic voters in District 4 will select from three candidates for NYS Comptroller, among them incumbent Thomas DiNapoli. Elsewhere in the county, Republicans and Conservatives have their own primaries.
To check your voter registration or view your polling place on June 23rd, click here.
World Cup Comes to Troy
Fans of soccer have something to cheer for this month-the World Cup is coming to Troy. Thanks to a grant from Empire State Development with matching funds from the Rensselaer County IDA, the Downtown Troy BID and Italian Community Center are hosting viewings of over 60 World Cup soccer matches in both Riverfront Park and at the ICC, as well as a host of ancillary activities for soccer fans and families.
To learn more information or see a schedule of matches, please check out the BID's Kick It In Troy page.
Community Spotlight: Troy Bike Rescue
Troy's small-but-mighty bike rescue reflects on its first 25 years, and how it hopes to grow in the future.
Interview With Troy Bike Rescue's Founder, Isaac Silberman-Gorn:
Summer is here, and with gas prices near all-time highs, there is no better time to pick up cycling, whether as an option for commuting or a healthy recreational activity.
Since 2001, Troy Bike Rescue has been helping to grow a cycling community in Troy, through advocacy, training, and two locations to help Trojans adopt and maintain bikes in good working order.
This month, I was honored to be at the ribbon cutting for TBR's fifth year at its downtown location (51 Third St) and was thrilled to speak with executive director Isaac Silberman-Gorn about Troy's growing community of cyclists, and plans for the future.
NM: It seems like 2026 is a pretty big year for Troy Bike Rescue. In addition to your 25th anniversary, you just reopened the downtown location for its 5th year of operation. How has Troy's bike community grown since your inception in 2001?
IS: It's amazing how much cycling in the city as well as our organization have grown!
Troy Bike Rescue started really informally- a group of friends working on bikes in backyards and basements. We became a non-profit and bought our building off of City Auction in North-Central Troy in 2011, and hired our first staff person in 2019. From 2019 through 2026, we've grown to 3 part-time staff, including 1 who came up through our youth programming, as well as an amazing volunteer board of 10. During nice weather, we have hours 5 days a week!
Also during nice weather, there are weekly rides organized by Troy Social Cycle, as well as regular rides organized by our younger riders. We're fortunate to have given away and sold thousands of bikes during our 25-year existence, many of which were headed for the landfill or scrap pile. It feels on the ground like more and more people realize that bicycling is an affordable and practical way to navigate the city and surrounding areas. For many of our youth, the bicycle is an incredibly powerful, liberating tool, offering them a free way to navigate further from home, have safe fun outside, and even get to work. It's cool to be part of the growing culture here!
NM: As gas prices continue to rise, many commuters are turning to bicycles and e-bikes as a cost-effective transportation option, though some have fears about safety. Are these valid concerns? What steps can we take to address them?
IS-G: E-bikes are a tricky topic. The market is presently flooded with dangerous, cheaply made, and improperly assembled e-bikes. We recommend purchasing a bike from a reliable retailer that offers a service plan, including our amazing friends at Upstate Bicycle Works. Troy Bike Rescue is not equipped to work on e-bikes for many reasons.
Drivers must take responsibility for respectfully sharing the road with non-cars. Many of us have noticed an uptick in aggressive driving this season. We also must continue to build more shared-use bicycle and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure. We have amazing access to bike paths heading south to NYC, north to Montreal, and west to Buffalo right on the other side of the river, but navigating Troy itself can be tricky! The City could work to build more dedicated lanes within city limits and offer a safe way to get across the river where much of the infrastructure is.
NM: I know TBR has been trying to do more outreach through schools and get kids on bikes safely. This year, you launched a program at the Troy Community School. Can you tell us a little about that? How would you like to expand your presence?
IS-G: We've offered youth programming for 15 years, and 2026 is our first year offering repair support at the Troy Community School. Some amazing allies on staff there were able to raise some funds to cover some of our staff time. We would love to be in many schools, offering safety training and repairs. The limitations are nearly always funding.
NM: You launched an ongoing membership program this year. How do you want TBR to grow as an organization?
IS-G: We have a meaningful track record of offering a ton with very few resources, and are really excited to have launched a membership program to continue to keep our doors open and staff paid! For as little as a dollar a month, you can become a monthly supporter of our work getting youth on bikes for free or low cost. A monthly membership of 10 or more gets you a free T-shirt! We are seeking to continue to grow and offer more good to the community.
To learn more about Troy Bike Rescue, donate, or check out their hours and locations, please visit the Troy Bike Rescue website.
City Council Meeting Recaps
June 4th City Council Public Hearing/Finance/Regular Meeting
Public Hearing-Local Law #3
City Council held a public hearing on my proposed legislation, Local Law #3-Establishing Standards Governing the Use of Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs.) Council has held several public meetings on this topic. Once again, the public showed up and about 20 spoke, all in support of this legislation which will continue to provide law enforcement with this effective crime-solving tool, while simultaneously protecting the privacy concerns of Troy's residents. By providing commonsense regulation for the use, retention, accountability and transparency of automatic license plate readers, we believe it strikes a good balance.
Finance/Regular
Introduced Local Law #4, amending the City Charter to clarify language pertaining to public emergencies and align text with NYS definitions;
Passed Ordinance 19, amending the City Code to eliminate unnecessary towing of vehicles during street cleaning operations;
Council also passed the following resolutions:
- RES 56, declaring Pride Season for the LGBTQIA2S+ community in Troy;
- RES 62, recognizing Juneteenth in the City of Troy;
- RES 58, authorizing the issuance of $2M to finance the purchase of a fire rescue vehicle apparatus;
- RES 59 and 64, honoring the lives and service of Owen Goldfarb and Michael "Pickles" Picarillo, respectively;
- RES 60 and 61, approving appointments to the office of City Clerk, and;
- RES 65, appointing Ian Silverman as Legislative Counsel to the City of Troy.
The next meeting of City Council is its Finance Committee which will be held this Thursday, June 18th beginning at 6:00 pm. Agenda and Zoom link for this meeting can be accessed here.
For previous recaps of City Council meetings, please visit my newsletter archive.