Be the Change: HATAS offers mentorship to at-risk teens

"We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give."

--Winston Churchill

Next time you go out for coffee, think about how easy it would be to invite someone else along. You would sit down, talk, listen, sip your cappucino, and maybe even laugh a little, and just that one hour a week can make a huge difference in that person's life--and yours.

Mentorship is an important part of recovery for high-risk teens, said Natasha Pernicka, Program Coordinator with the Homeless and Travelers Aid Society (HATAS).(Located at 138 Central Avenue) Mentors can teens move toward healthy productive lives, just by helping them see past the challenges of their childhood. With this in mind, HATAS has started a new mentorship program, MATAS, "Mentoring Adolescents Transitioning to Adult Services," to provide support and guidance for kids moving into adulthood.

MATAS will deal strictly with high-risk teens and adolescents, Pernicka said. "It's challenging because they're not the cute eight-year old," Pernicka said. "They've had a difficult life and they're in very tenuous situations, and a lot depends on this." But, Pernicka continued, just two hours a week with a mentor can be the lifeline they need.

The program began this month, and there are currently three mentors up an running and 10 youths that still need adults. Mentors will receive full training, and will be matched with teens based on shared interests. Pernicka said. The mentor visits don't have to be elaborate, Pernicka said. They can just be a walk, or a visit to the coffee shop, or a tour of a college campus, anything that exposes the teen to different perspectives. "We want this to be a fun program for them," Pernicka said.

The mentors are not caseworkers, Pernicka stressed. The teens have caseworkers, and they are already receiving counseling and career services. Instead, mentors will be friends to these teens, offering them a "fun and positive adult to be around," Pernicka said.

The program requires mentors to make a one-year commitment because it takes a while to build trust, she said. Mentors can spend 1-2 hours a week with teens or just four hours a month, she said. To learn more about the program, email info@hatas.org or call (518) 463-2124.

Shopping for a good cause: Great Finds provides transition to new life

Everyone knows the right clothes make the man, but do people know that clothes can right the world?

Great Finds thrift store, located at 250 Washington Avenue does just that. The women's clothing store is part of the ClearView Center, a mental health agency serving Albany County, and the store is staffed largely by ClearView clients. Working there teaches the clients new skills, which help them transition smoothly into the community, said Manager Susan Taylor. The Great Finds vocational program is all about "steps toward wellness for them," Taylor said.

The vocational program offers 10 different types of work, and the 16 member staff has opportunities to try each and to cross-train, she said. The big store is a busy place, and it keeps Taylor on her toes. "Hang on just a second, I have some donations coming in," she says.

By partnering with other local service agencies, Great Finds also helps women struggling to rebuild their lives after substance abuse, homelessness, or physical abuse, Taylor said. Taylor works with Equinox, the AIDS Council, America Works, and the Albany School District, offering shopping vouchers to help their clients get their lives back on track. Clients can use these vouchers to buy clothes for job interviews or outfit themselves or their children. Many times, these families have nothing left, and clothes are an important step toward normalcy.

Great Finds also tries to be a place for relaxed conversation, Taylor said, because socialization is an important piece of wellness. The sprawling, sunny store offers many spots to sit and relax, as well as nice music. Once a month, Great Finds participates in the First Friday events, and displays workers' artwork. The community-minded store is a pleasant place to hang out and shop, Taylor said. "We're going back to the old way of doing business," she said.

Great Finds is located at 250 Washington Avenue, on the corner of Washington and Henry Johnson Blvd. Great Finds is part of the ClearView Center at 500 Central Avenue. Great Finds is open 10-5pm Monday through Friday, and until 8pm on the first Friday of every month. Great Finds accepts donations of gently-used women's clothing and accessories.

The Big Grow: Central Avenue Baskets get ready to make their appearance

The Central Business Improvement District has contracted with Verstandig's Greenhouse in Selkirk to assemble the flower baskets that will decorate the Avenue's lightpoles again this year--and now the grow is on!

The flowers have been started already in smaller pots, then they will be transferred to larger pots, and finally to the 16-inch organic fiber pots, said Doug Dalton. They will be hung from the light poles just before Memorial Day, he said.

The baskets will be comprised of cascading geraniums, which grow beautifully, flower often, and do not require dead-heading or the removal of dead blooms. "They blow off in the wind, and more are right behind them," Dalton said.

Verstandig's, which has been a family business in Bethlehem since 1932, takes projects like these on a bid-basis. In the past, the greenhouse and florist has won contracts with the City of Albany, the Downtown BID and also Troy. The wholesale greenhouse supplies smaller greenhouses across the region with bedding plants.

Sukhothai Restaurant welcomes Mayor and public to grand opening

Sukhothai Restaurant, a Lark Street standard for pad thai and other Thai specialties, opened its new restaurant on Central Avenue this month. Mayor Jerry Jennings, and staff from the Central Business Improvement District were at the ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday with owner Saowa Luck.

"These are the kinds of businesses that will bring the avenue back," Jennings said at the ceremony. Jennings, who grew up on Central Avenue, has always taken a great deal of interest in its revival. Jennings said he is glad the couple has decided to expand their business into the neighborhood. "This is Albany," he said, pointing to the street outside the restaurant's windows.

Luck and her husband Maung Yannaung have owned the Lark Street Sukhothai for two years. They bought the building at 62 Central around the same time with the intention of expanding there. "We bought the whole building here and the business over there was doing well so we decided to open another," Luck said. Renovations to the Central Avenue building, which she and her husband did themselves, took much longer than expected, she said, but they completed them earlier this spring and officially opened the first week of April.

The new restaurant is much larger than the old restaurant, and a bigger kitchen has allowed them to expand their offerings. "We keep things simple and the same, but have just a little more," Luck said. The restaurant is open 7 days a week, from 11:30-10:00pm.

Sukhothai Restaurant is located at 62 Central Avenue. 433-7203.

Carrow to completely renovate 855 Central

The three-story office building at 855 Central is being gutted for renovations. Contractors will install new windows, fixtures, overhaul the facade, and make improvements to the parking lot and landscaping that surrounds the building, said Carrow Leasing and Sales Consultant, Rudy Lynch. "Overall, I think it's really going to add to the whole Central experience," Lynch said.

Carrow Real Estate took over management of the building, and two adjacent properties 845 Central and 875 Central in May 2007. The renovations to the 100,000 square-foot building are expected to be completed this summer. Mildred Elley will move into the building upon completion. The two-year private college will relocate from its current location in Latham.

Carrow is currently looking for a restaurant to fill the vacancy on the first floor after Ocean Palace's departure, Lynch said. The company would like to fill the space with a coffee bar or sandwich shop, something that would serve the students that will soon attend classes in the building.

Improvements will also be made to 845 Central and 875 Central, Lynch said. Currently these buildings are occupied by a mix of New York State offices and private offices. Carrow will try to keep existing tenants and fill any vacancies, Lynch said.

Traffic and Road Project Update

Everett Road - The City's contractor will resume night work beginning March 24 and work each week night from 9PM until 6AM. This work will require a single lane closure both northbound and southbound.

Central Avenue -

1. The City's contractor has resume day work and will work each week day between the hours of 9AM and 3PM . Single lane closures are expected each day in both the eastbound and westbound directions.

2. The City's contractor will be working at the intersection of Central Avenue and Tremont Street. This work will require Tremont Street between Central Avenue and Keller Street to be closed to all traffic. A detour will be set up directing all Central Avenue traffic that would normally use southbound Tremont Street to use Austain Avenue. Northbound Tremont Street traffic will be detoured at Keller St to Frost Place to Central Avenue. This work will be each night between 7PM and 6PM.

Central Avenue BID hosts "Upper Floors Work Shop"

*** CALENDAR LISTING / MEDIA ADVISORY ***


WHAT: Enhancing Main Street: Making Upper Floors Work Again
A free workshop presented by the Preservation League of New York State

WHEN: Tuesday, April 15, 2008
8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

WHERE: WAMC Linda Norris Auditorium 339 Central AvenueAlbany, NY


The workshop’s featured speakers will include:
Buffalo architect Clinton Brown, who will discuss Main Street revitalization and why it matters, and also present a case study of mixed-use project in Medina, Orleans County;
Joe Fama of the Troy Architectural Program in Troy, who will explain how New York’s building codes and preservation can work together;

Murray Gould of Port City Preservation in Oswego, who will provide information on funding sources and strategies for downtown conversion projects; and
Sandra Adams of the Community Preservation Corporation in Albany, who will discuss how financing was assembled for recent mixed use projects on North Pearl Street.

The workshop is free and lunch will be served, but seating is limited. Please register by Friday, April 11. Call 518-462-5658 x13 for more information or email upperfloors@preservenys.org


Enhancing Main Street: Making Upper Floors Work Again is presented by the Preservation League of New York State, and sponsored by the Central Avenue Business Improvement District, Empire State Development Corporation, and WAMC Northeast Public Radio. Co-sponsors include the City of Albany Department of Development and Planning; Downtown Albany Business Improvement District; Historic Albany Foundation; Lark Street Business Improvement District; New York Planning Federation; and Office for Small Cities — NYS Housing Trust Fund Corporation.

Planning for Arts, Entertainment & Cultural District Moves Forward

This week, in their ongoing efforts, Central Business Improvement District Staff met with WAMC, and representatives from the Albany Parking Authority and CDTA to go over the next steps for Central Avenue's burgeoning "Entertainment, Culture & Arts Area".

The committee worked with representatives from Saratoga Associates, the engineering and planning consultants selected to plan out and define strategies to further develop the area for the future of the district.

The District will encompass the intersection of Central Avenue and Quail Street, where the Linda Norris Auditorium is located. It will extend along Central from Robin Street to Ontario Street, and include positive impacts to the residential neighborhoods on either side of the street.

The group discussed the action items necessary to make the district into a established reality, including funding, partnerships, and branding. The committee is still trying to settle on a unifying theme and message for the district. Anthony Capece, Executive Director for the BID said having an identity or "calling card" for the district is an important first step for our effort to continue to attract investors and garnering public support. Once determined, the identity will be part of signage, and could also be used in marketing materials.

"The sites and sounds district," "The Hub," and other themes that play with the notion of transportation, music and nite life were discussed as possible identities. The influx of international restaurants and dynamic cultural mix adds to the excitment. The committee decided to work with local colleges to gather more information about the history and geography of the area to inform their decision.

Public safety is another priority identified during the meeting, and the committee plans to talk with the Albany Police Department and local public safety programs about coordinating initiatives and safety programs for the district.

CVS Finishes Construction of New Central Avenue Store

Construction has now been completed on the new CVS Store and Pharmacy on Central Avenue. The drugstore relocated from their store in Hannaford Plaza to a brand-new freestanding location across the street. The new store is about four times the size of the old store, and also offers a new photography lab and a larger pharmacy with drive-thru service, said Alisha Snyder, Shift Supervisor. The store is reorganized around a new open floor plan, making the store seem brighter and more accessible. The store also carries more items, she said.

The store was at its former plaza location for about 20 years, and the corporate offices decided it was "time for an upgrade," Snyder said. The store employs 20 workers, including 8 pharmacy members.

The store opens as reconstruction begins at the west end of Central Avenue. The Avenue improvement project is a a 15 million dollar renovation project. The entrance to the store has a traffic light, but there are some difficulties getting across the intersection from the Hannaford supermarket plaza, she said. Part of the improvements to the west end should help make the new CVS easier to get to from the near by neighborhood.

THE 58TH ANNUAL ALBANY ST. PATRICK’S DAY

THE 58TH ANNUAL ALBANY ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE

Saturday March 15, 2008
The Albany Parade steps off at 2pm from Quail and Central, to Washington Avenue, State Street, (left) north on North Pearl Street past the reviewing stand (adjacent to the Stueben Athletic Club).
For further information, please contact Chairman Sue Kane: limericksmarch@gmail.com or 458-9034