2014 STATE OF THE
NEIGHBORHOOD

In retrospect, the Buckingham Pond-
Crestwood  Neighborhood Association
was organized in the mid-1980's.

Boundaries:  NYS Thruway/Rte 85
Whitehall Rd, Western Ave, South 
Manning Blvd.

Goals:
(1) protect, maintain, improve
  neighborhood residential integrity
  environment and quality of life.

(2) interact with city, county, state
  and federal governments, schools
  Maria College, churches, synagogues
  St Peters Hospital, Sisters of Mercy
  and neighborhood businesses to
  achieve the above goals.

(3) interact/cooperate with other
  neighborhood groups regarding
  issues of mutual concern. 



Achievements:

* Set aside green space, in perpetuity
   SW corner  S Manning at New 
   Scotland. Defeated parking lot plan
   for this site.

* Defeated proposal to convert
   Paul Carroll house to a half
   way house. NW corner New
   Scotland/ South Manning

* Defeated plan to convert
   Mercy Convent to office
   building, thereby retaining
   Convent as a residence for Nuns
   and avoiding traffic congestion.
  

* Blocked egress from expansion
   of CP Center parking lots
   via Pine Tree Ln, Marsdale-
   Harding.  At Hurst/Westford.
   Thereby, maintaining residential
   integrity on those streets and
   streets tributary to them.

* Set aside 1 acre green space
   with conifer tree buffer New
   Scotland at Krum Kill thereby
   making Buckingham Mews
   a more desirable residential
   development.

* Defeated proposal to have
   a PS 19 after school program
   at Bethany Church. This
   would have created traffic
   pedestrian safety problems
   New Scotland at Buckingham
   Lenox, and eroded residential
   integrity of Pine Tree-Maxwell
   cul de sac streets.

* Defeated 2 attempts to build
   a big box store Krum Kill
   at New Scotland which would
   have caused traffic congestion
   and eroded residential integrity
   of Crescent Dr neighborhood
   as well as endangering students
   from St Catherine's School.

* Rezoned Buckingham Pond
   and adjacent shore, Land
   Conservation - LC (parkland)
   thereby creating Buckingham
   Pond Park.

* Blocked attempts to build a
   third middle school Whitehall
   at New Scotland and/or
   on 10 acres of City land
   bordered by Crescent Dr.

* Working with County Legislator
   Nancy Wiley, arranged for
   brownfield cleanup, Whitehall
   at New Scotland.

* Blocked attempts to locate
   commercial development
   at that corner.

* Set aside 3/4 acre pocket
   park as condition for
   approval of Amedore
   Homes.

* Restoration of Crestwood
   Neighborhood shopping
   Plaza.

Led opposition to proposals
in areas adjacent to BPCNA
that would have adversely
impacted our neighborhood.

 * Defeat of luxury housing
   proposal at Albany Muni
   Golf Course. Had it rezoned
   Land Conservation -LC
   (parkland). Creation of
   Hartman Rd Community
   Garden defeating 1/4
   housing that was proposed
   for site.

* Defeat of proposal to build
   a 12 story apartment tower
   and parking garage, Krum
   Kill Rd opposite Ohav Shalom.

   The 7 acre parcel contains
    two small wetlands with
    Indian camp artifacts and
    woods buffer Aspen Circle
    and adjacent parts of W15
    residences from noise and
    air pollution from NYS TW.

    Also, development would
    cause flooding-drainage
    problems in adjacent
    Bethlehem Town residential
    areas.

   This 7 acre parcel should be
   rezoned LC and kept as
   permanent open space. 

* Blocked building a connector
   road between Rte 85 and
   New Scotland in vicinity
   of Holy Names Academy.

* Blocked building six homes
   on former landfill at end of
   Hopi St. Assisted at request
   of adjacent homeowner(s).

Looking Forward- 2014 Agenda.

Read posts Wed, Nov 20 and Weds
Oct 16, 2013. This website.

Neighborhood residents
particularly new homeowners
are invited to become active
in your neighborhood association.

Your neighborhood association
works when you do.

I want to turn over the Association
Leadership to the next generation
of residents who demonstrate that
they have the drive and ability to
build on the goals and efforts of
BPCNA over the past 28 years 

Several vacancies on the Executive
Committee will be filled, as well
appointment of volunteers to
work on elements of the 2014
agenda.

Contact me. 438 5230.

                             Joe Sullivan