Local & State Headlines

ADICA board denies business requests

• The Albany Dougherty Inner City Authority board cites guidelines in denying business requests.

Carlton Fletcher

ALBANY — Downtown Albany businessmen Omar Salaam and Peter Studl had separate requests for help from the Albany Dougherty Inner City Authority denied by that body’s board Wednesday during ADICA’s monthly business meeting.

Salaam asked the board for a letter of support in his efforts to have a city-imposed lien removed from property he owns at the corner of Broad Avenue and Jackson Street, and Studl’s applications for ADICA-sponsored facade grants on three downtown properties he owns were denied because, ADICA Director Don Buie said, “they do not meet our guidelines or standards.”

Salaam said he had lost “millions of dollars” in failed revitalization efforts downtown and asked the ADICA board to help in his efforts to remove the lien so that he can develop the property.

“From what I understand, the structure on that property had reached a dilapidated state and became a hazard to the public,” board member Phil Cannon, an Albany attorney, said. “The city was required to give you notice of its intentions to remove the structure. Are you taking the position that you were not given notice?”

Salaam argued that the building was not in disrepair and only needed a new roof.

“I based my assumption that I would get help from this board on the fact that my property was one of the original 29 projects that was going to be developed by ADICA,” Salaam said.

When Cannon said he could support Salaam’s efforts if Salaam had a “sound, financially-backed plan” for development of the property, board Chair Jane Willson said, “Mr. Cannon, it must be noted, speaks for Mr. Cannon and not for this board.”

Willson asked board member James Griffin, who has the longest tenure with ADICA, if the authority ever offered such support for citizens.

“We don’t give letters of recommendation of this type,” Griffin said. “That’s something that’s never been done by this board.”

Studl, meanwhile, asked for “clarity” on why his applications for facade grants at the former Albany Times and Owens Sporting Goods buildings on Broad Avenue and the old Braxton Oil Station had been denied.

“Our application clearly states that the (facade) grants are to be approved for existing or new businesses,” Buie said. “You do not have a leased tenant for any of the buildings; that’s why your applications were denied.”

Studl said he, as owner, would be the occupant of the buildings as he sought tenants.

“Do any of these properties have leased tenants?” board member LaJuanna Woods asked. Studl said they did not. “Is there an existing business in either of them?” Woods further asked.

When Studl replied that there were no tenants in any of the properties, Cannon said, “The way your request reads, you’re asking us to improve your properties while you try to find a tenant. That’s different from the intent of our facade grants.”

A visibly frustrated Studl told the board he could do very little improvement using the (maximum) $5,000 grants.

“It sounds like this is going nowhere,” Studl said. “It’s really not worth the conversation. I came here trying to get clarity, and the clarity I get is that neither ADICA nor ATI (Albany Tomorrow Inc.) is standing behind its application. So I’d like to get my $600 (in nonrefundable application fees) back.”

Board member Andrew Ried told Studl, “We welcome you to resubmit your application,” and Willson said, “I hope you understand our position.”

Studl replied, “I understand your position loud and clear.”

Buie replied, “Unless I’m given some different direction by this board, we are not in the business of fixing up someone’s property.”

In other business at the meeting, the board gave Buie authorization to negotiate purchases of downtown property with individual owners utilizing some $6 million in proposed bonds that the authority is seeking. Attorney Jay Reynolds said ADICA is working with city officials to use a $500,000 “advance” on the bonds so that negotiations could begin while waiting for clearance on the bond issuance.

“I’ve been assured that we will have no problem in getting the bond amount we’re seeking,” Buie told the board.