Townsend Park Turnaround: Workshop creates plans to improve neighborhood park

Townsend Park is at a crossroads, literally and figuratively. Not only is the little triangular park located at a fork in two busy roads, it is now at an important turning point. The city of Albany and the Central Business Improvement District are working with concerned citizens and nearby business owners to try to reclaim the park, and make it a more attractive place for the community.

The park has long been a destination for vagrants, and frequent drunk and disorderly conduct citations are given out there, said Anthony Capece, Executive Director for the Central Business Improvement District. This group wants to turn that around, and make the park less attractive for undesirable activities, and more attractive for shoppers, after-dinner crowds from the adjacent restaurants & Lark Street, Capece said.

The community group met in late winter, and then again in early spring to discuss their plans. At the recent meeting, held at the Townsend Park Bakery, Barton & Loguidice Consulting, an engineering firm, introduced some modifications that could help change the park’s personality, Capece said. The engineering firm made suggestions about maintenance, lighting, trees, and plantings, all with an eye towards making the park more useful for the public. Then, the panel discussed ideas and made some suggestions of their own.

Other concerns that the groups have brought up:

    1) The age & safety of the overgrowth of the trees and the lack of quality grass

    2) The appearance of the parking lane on Central Avenue near the meters

    3) The lack of any kind of "feature" like a fountain or light display

    4) the landscaping and long term control of the ammenities (benches, trash cans, statues etc)

Now, the next step is for the consulting firm to digest that information, and create some design plans for the park. Then, another meeting will be held to review those plans, and make some decisions about how to proceed, Capece said.

“We want to take the whole park and make it better,” Capece said. “We want to say, ‘What functions here, and what doesn’t,’ and then make changes.”

Boost for non-profit: NABA expands manufacturing

With the economy in a prolonged downturn, it’s nice to hear some good news every once in a while, and the Northeastern Association of the Blind at Albany has some. “You pick up the Business Review and everything’s doom and gloom, and meanwhile, we’re growing,” says Christopher Burke, Executive Director of the Association.

This quarter, the Northeastern Association of the Blind at Albany (NABA) hired eight new employees for its manufacturing unit.

Sales have gone up, too, Burke said. This year’s sales are already up $828,000 over last year’s, and with orders continuing to come in, Burke expects to them to go up even further.

The association attributes increased demand to government stimulus money and the manufacturing unit’s faster turn-around. “We’ve improved operations so much that turnaround is up,” Burke said. “Now we’re getting repeat orders.”

Located on the third floor of the NABA building at 301 Washington Avenue, the manufacturing unit consists of a vast network of industrial sewing machines, other machines for fabrication, and storage and shipping facilities. Here, sighted and visually impaired employees work together to construct safety vests, tyvek suits, and other uniform components for organizations including the New York City Transit Authority, the Long Island Railroad and the U.S. military. On a recent weekday afternoon, employees, NABA’s workforce totals 90, bustled over the machines, and carted materials back and forth across the busy floor.

The association also houses a clinic for the visually impaired, and provides services and programming for children, adults and the elderly, including training programs and summer recreation programs.

Recently, New York State Senator Neil Breslin awarded the association a $15,000 grant to help expand the children’s programming—another good piece of news. The association will use the grant money to help set up technology facilities for the youth on the 4th floor of the building. There, kids will have access to tools like magnifying screenreaders, voice-activated GPS, and software that makes text on the computer screens larger. Once installed, these desks will also be used by adults, teens, and other populations.

NABA houses all these programs and the manufacturing unit under one roof, and there’s not a lot of space left over, Burke said. They’ve already reconfigured the building to expand operations, and if they grow much more, he said, they’ll run out of room.

Still, Burke admits, these are good problems to have. “We’re very busy now, we’ve got orders in hand. The future looks busy,” Burke said. “In this economy, that makes for good morale.”

Shine On! 'Shining Rainbow' Restaurant a mecca for unusual dishes

Beef with Balsam pear. Squid fried celery. Spinach with garlic sauce. Not your typical Chinese fare, right? But maybe that’s not so surprising when you discover the name of the restaurant is Shining Rainbow. Then, dishes like spare ribs with bitter melon don’t seem so out of place.

This new Chinese-Japanese restaurant on Central Avenue has a menu that seems to encompass every possibility—even though the kitchen is about the size of a lunch counter. The restaurant has Chinese dishes, sushi, and a fairly large dim sum selection, which makes for some difficult dining decisions.

The waiter recommends their mushroom with chicken hot pot, “a real Chinatown specialty,” he said. My companion has chicken lo mein, as per his usual (he is becoming a connoisseur of lo mein.) We also order some dim sum to begin our meal, green leek dumplings, stuffed bean curd, and steamed pork dumplings. These appetizers were prettily presented, flavorful, and large enough to be a meal in and of themselves. I would highly recommend this place for dim sum; they seem to have a lot of show in them. The main dishes were less artisitic, but still good. The lo mein was smoky, with tender pieces of chicken and slivers of scallion and carrot mixed in with the thick noodles. My hot pot was a new experience for me to handle, the chicken was still on the bone and clearly seemed to be more for flavoring than eating, however combined with the tasty mushrooms and the unique sauce, it mixed well with the sticky rice and made for good, cozy eating. Our bill, with two sodas, came to about $30.

Next time, I’m going to order from the sushi menu, which is the same sushi as that served in the very popular Shogun Sushi in Delmar (the restaurants share partners). While we waited for our food, several sushi rolls came out that looked wonderful, including one elaborate roll that was wrapped around an orange.

Shining Rainbow has great lunch specials, with plenty of seating for diners-on-the-go at their lunch counter. There are also a number of deep, gondola-like booths ranged around the restaurant for longer, more involved meals. This three-week old restaurant is just getting on its feet and eager to please, and the staff is friendly and knowledgeable. Come looking for something out of the ordinary.

Shining Rainbow is located at 209 Central Avenue. They are open every day, and also offer delivery. 396-3881.

Everyone's invited: Blessed Sacrament School hosts open house for prospective parents

Next week, Blessed Sacrament School opens their doors, and invites the community in for a visit. Parents interested in exploring the school, and parents who already have children in the school are all welcome to attend.

“The open house is important, because we feel it is a way to let people know we are here!” said Administrative Assistant Nancy Kelly. “We often ask the parents visiting how they heard about us. Most people respond by saying by word of mouth, from a family member, friend or co-worker or by the advertising we do in newspapers, flyers and inserts. Many people didn't even know we where here.”

Parents take the tour with a current student and explore the school. The student will answer any questions the parent might have. After the tour, the parent will visit the classroom teacher that their child will possibly have next year for further academic information.

The open house also provides an important opportunity for students to show their parents around, and get them up to speed on what they’ve been working on and introduce them to their teachers and school staff.

“Every faculty member and staff knows each and every child's name and grade,” said Kelly. “We have an excellent faculty who is involved with both child and parent. Our principal's office door is always open to both student and parents with any concerns.”

The school is located next door to the Blessed Sacrament Church at 605 Central Avenue. The Open House will be held on Thursday April 2 from 6-7:30pm. For more information, please contact the school at 438-5854.

Bringing the market to your doorstep: Farmers Market Opens on Central

Farmers may be headed to the city this summer, bringing their homegrown fruits and vegetables to sell on Central Avenue. The Central Business Improvement District and WAMC-Northeast Public Radio are teaming up to create a new farmers’ market in the parking lot next to the Linda Norris Auditorium.

The parking lot is cold and empty now, but starting May 30, it will be home to crowd of vendors offering a range of farm fresh products to district residents. The market will be a convenient source of fresh fruits and vegetables, and will also be a boon to farmers, who are always looking for new places to sell their wares.

The market also promises to be a unique opportunity for neighbors to meet, bringing together people from Washington Park, West Hill, and Sheridan Square every week. Discussions are currently underway on other programs this new public square might host.

One goal of the planners is that the market will accept EBT and WIC benefit cards, so that everyone has access to the very freshest produce for healthy meals, and it could also become a place where people can make donations to the Capital District Food Pantries.

WAMC and the BID say the market is part of a long term vision for the neighborhood. The people who live and work on Central see it as a working, thriving area for development, and the market is a way to display the very best the region has to offer.

The market will take place in the parking lot beside the Linda Norris Auditorium—WAMC’s Performing Arts Studio at 339 Central Avenue on Saturdays from 8am to noon, lasting from May to September. Any farmers/vendors who are interested in selling goods at the market should contact the Central BID at (518) 462-4300.

Come Again--Ristorante Paradiso Reopens!

Matthew Daskalakis has tried many things over the years, but this former pro baseball ballplayer, turned New York State worker, turned restaurateur, has found a home at Ristorante Paradiso. The restaurant reopened in January after a seven month hiatus, and owner Daskalakis welcomed back his loyal customers. “That’s the very best part of the restaurant,” Daskalakis said. “We do have a very decent clientele.”

Daskalakis said the economy is tough for restaurants, but he can’t imagine doing anything else. “There’s parts that you don’t miss. You don’t miss the cost. This is a tough building when it comes to costs,” he allows. “But you get through it.”

During the break, Daskalakis remodeled and retooled the restaurant, expanding the dining room to allow for more even more guests. The restaurant is now open for dinner and banquets, and will continue serving Italian specialties like chicken marsala, eggplant parmigiano, Delmonico steak and prime rib that it's been so famous for.

Once a 24-hour cafeteria, the Ristorante Paradiso has been an Albany fixture since the 1920s. Daskalakis purchased the restaurant in 1977, the same year the location was being used for the filming of Ironweed, a movie based on William Kennedy's novel about Albany. Today, the restaurant has the same old world charm it has always had and the same great food, and author Kennedy is still a frequent patron.

As part of the remodeling, Daskalakis removed the platform and booths in the dining room to make way for more tables. Daskalakis has also begun to offer some new specials and discounts, including complimentary drinks on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. On Valentine’s Day, the restaurant offered a special menu, and the dining room, already quite romantic with its stain-glass windows, painted ceilings and table top lanterns, was festively decorated with bunches of red and white balloons. Daskalakis presided over all of it, welcoming customers in like old friends and showing them the restaurant’s latest updates—clearly glad to be back doing what he loves.

Ristorante Paradiso is located at 198 Central Avenue, serving dinners Tuesday through Sunday from 5pm to 10pm. Ristorante Paradiso makes a great setting for banquets.

District Deals: Discount shopping goes up

Except for a brief stint at UPS over the holidays, Jayvon Israel has been without a job for several months. “I’m putting in applications, but there’s nothing out there,” he said. Israel was shopping at the Dollar General on a recent weekday, snapping up low-priced juice, dish soap, and paper towels. “I do more of my shopping here now,” said Israel. He also does more shopping around than he used to, comparing prices at the grocery store, box stores, and discount stores before he makes purchases, he said.

Israel’s not alone. The current economy has a lot of people looking for ways to stretch a dollar, and many are shopping for bargains right here in the Central Avenue BID district.

According to a Datamonitor report on national shopping trends, more people are turning to discount stores for good deals on food and groceries. “The current economic downturn has contributed to consumers switching to discount stores and private label alternatives more often in 2008,” the report states.

“Business is on the rise,” said Dollar Tree Manager Ben Nisky. The dollar store in Westgate Plaza offers a range of merchandise and also boasts a wide selection of holiday and party goods and toys, and more customers are coming in looking for a good deal.

This past Friday, customer Rita Fiscarelli loaded her cart with Valentine’s Day gift bags and cute stuffed animals. “I like to get holiday stuff here because it’s inexpensive,” she said.

Business is also booming at The Dollar Shop, located across the street in Hannaford Plaza. The store expanded two months ago to keep up with its growing customer base, said Manager Pervez Butt. The new store offers more space for displays and also more shopping aisles, stacked with everything from aluminum baking pans to candles and cooking spices. The store carries over 100 different brands, he said.

More people are coming in, but they’re still buying the same things, Butt said: “Mostly candy, hair stuff, socks, party stuff.”

Over at Dollar General at 484 Central Avenue customer numbers are also up, and so is demand for grocery items. Store staff report that customers are buying a wider range of goods here than previously, including more food, household goods, and clothing. To accommodate demand, the store carries more name-brand grocery items, including soda, juices, milk and snacks, and drug store sundries like makeup, shampoo, and toothpaste, with prices as low as $1 and $2.

In a tough economy like the one we now find ourselves in, bargains like these can help families stay afloat.

Brand New Offices for Aspen Dental

Aspen Dental will continue to keep your pearly whites, pearly white, but they'll do it from a couple blocks down the street, in a brand-new beautiful building to match your brand-new beautiful smile.

Aspen Dental relocated its office at Westgate Plaza to a brand-new freestanding building in front of Home Depot. The new office opened January 26.

"The decision to relocate was made to provideAspen Dental patients a more modern, pleasant,comfortable setting," said Mark Frank, Marketing and Communications Manager, Aspen Dental in Syracuse. The new facilities boast large patient rooms, and a bigger reception and consultation area.

The offices will also use the latest technology to make patient services more efficient and convenient. "As far as technology is concerned, the new office will provide state-of-the art Kodak Dental Systems digital radiography products, which saves patients time waiting for traditional x-rays and allows Aspen Dentists to better diagnose, serve and treat patients." Aspen also offers chairside T.V. for patients to help explain x-rays, and to make the visits more enjoyable.

Aspen Dental will continue to offer full range of services including hygiene, oral surgery, fillings, whitening and crown and bridge work, and an on-site denture lab.

As part of the grand opening celebration, the office will be offering free new-patient exams and x-rays, and special pricing on dental and denture services.

Aspen Dental features extended hours, including Saturday appointments.

The new Aspen Dental is located at 979 Central Avenue. To make an appointment, call 518-591-1000 or visit http://www.aspendent.com/

Honest Weight Approves New Store Design

Honest Weight Food Co-Op members voted 185 to 10 approve design plans for the new green grocery store on Watervliet Avenue, and January netted $172,000 toward the organization's independent financing goal of $2 million.

While initially the co-op was planning to renovate the existing concrete block building at 100 Watervliet Avenue, they decided to build new store to suit their needs after doing a side-by-side cost comparison.

According to the presentation presented at the member meeting January 25, whether they rebuild or simply renovate, construction costs are coming in between $4.5 and $5.5 million. "Best case scenario (low ball, lowest common denominator building) for renovation would only save a small percentage over build to suit," the presentation states. "For this we get a building that functions as a store but isn’t very green." The renovated building would offer very little daylight and wouldn't be expandable without rebuilding.

Designs for the new store include an open floor plan with a second floor mezzanine, offices, community space, a teaching kitchen, cafe area, and a large parking lot. The co-op will be seeking the highest LEED rating for environmental-friendly construction. The co-op is working with 3t Architects.

New vision: NABA expands holdings on Central

The Northeastern Association of the Blind at Albany began their $3 million remodeling project this week. The organization demolished two buildings on Central to expand possiblities for their other adjacent holdings, which are a source of income for NABA, defraying operating costs for the expansive service program.

NABA resides at 301 Washington, and leases out offices next door at 299. This week, buildings located at 86 and 88 Central Avenue were bulldozed to make room for parking and a small dog park. This parking area, which is adjacent to 301 Washington, will serve the surrounding offices, including the newly purchased building at 80 Central.

Bought last year, the two-story office building at 80 Central is currently under renovation, with about $2.7 million worth of improvements planned for the inside and outside. The organization will also consider restoring the building's historic facade, with its soaring columns and intricate cornices. Once completed, NABA will look for a tenant to occupy the office space, to help generate income for their programming, said Christopher Burke, NABA's Executive Director.

The new parking lot next door will help entice tenants to the building, attracting many customers who otherwise not consider the location, Burke said. The private lot will be landscaped and gated, and an appealing addition to Central, he said.

"At the end of the day, we're bringing back a 2,400 square foot building, and bringing a Class A tenant into the district," Burke said.

NABA currently leases their space at 299 to SUNY Albany, and hopes to find similar tenants for the building at 80 Central. They are looking for a long-term non-profit or commercial tenant, Burke said.

NABA has been a district neighbor since 1958, and continues to be an active force in the district. "It's rare to have a non-profit stay and invest in an area," Burke said. NABA and its clients like being part of the fabric of uptown, with its supportive community and convenient businesses. Clients can walk to banks and restaurants, and the organization has a great relationship with the city and the police department, Burke said.

Getting people in and out continues to be a challenge, because parking can be hard to find. However, with the new lot and the newly leased spaces in the nearby Lexington Avenue lot, Burke is hopeful that visitors won't have such a hard time stopping in.

"This project shows our committment to the area," Burke said.