To the Editor:

When a new development starts, the first home purchased by a family normally gets a reduced price because they are going to be living with the construction during the rest of the development. What do we get from the town of Guilderland and Pyramid for putting up with the development and upset to our neighborhood for the next two years and beyond?

As residents of Westmere Terrace for over 20 years, and along with our neighbors, we have been opposing the proposed apartment and Costco projects being built as we will be surrounded by these structures and they will be affecting the quality of life for the street residents. These structures will literally be built on the other side of our backyards.

We will be dealing with the effects of the construction for one to two years with the noise, use of heavy equipment, and dust/air quality, just to list a few things. The animals that are currently in these areas will be displaced as their homes are being destroyed.

Our street will be permanently changed as our cul-de-sac, in its current location, is being taken away and moved where there is an existing home that will be torn down. A berm, trees, and fence will be put up as a barrier between us and the apartments, but privacy will be lost to our neighbors closest to the apartments because the upper floors will be able to see into their yards.

In addition, Westmere Elementary will have additional students in a building that is now holding almost 500 students. Will they be able to accommodate the new students or will they have to build a new wing that will cost the taxpayers money?

While we were working with Pyramid and the town (in good faith) for some resolution to the apartment complex, Costco was slipped right in. At multiple meetings with our street, Pyramid representatives were specifically asked what other plans they had for these areas and they denied any future development. 

Within months, here comes Costco. With the taking down of more green space (and homes) to put this structure in and adding 700 parking spaces, the traffic will be that much more of a nightmare for us. 

Exiting Westmere Terrace onto Western Avenue is bad enough now and will only become worse (traffic study in Pyramid’s draft environmental impact statement proves as such) once these projects are completed.

Imagine having to wait up to 10 minutes or more to try to get out onto Western Avenue to go to work every day or get to doctor appointments. That is and will be the everyday life for our residents.

There are many people that are very happy about these projects, mostly Costco, but I feel it’s safe to say, it’s not in their backyards, so they don’t have to deal with the upset to their neighborhood. We have been called “NIMBYs” for the way we feel, but we ask that you see the total effects these projects will have on us and other neighborhood streets also affected by these projects.

The landscape in the town of Guilderland is being forever changed and not for the better. This area of Westmere is now more of a small city situated within the town.

We have been so happy to live on a very quiet and tranquil street with wonderful neighbors who look out for each other, but what’s going to happen to us in the future as we are continually being surrounded by commercial property? Will we turn out like Lawton and Gabriel Terrace and become a ghost street at some point?

The town of Guilderland, with Pyramid, and its “vision” has been altering the landscape of our town and I can’t say that I like what I’m seeing.

Lisa Hart

Guilderland

Editor’s note: The March 11 public hearing for Pyramid’s draft environmental impact statement has been rescheduled to March 25 at 6 p.m. at the Guilderland Town Hall.