To the Editor:

On Oct. 28, the Town of Guilderland Planning Board approved the site plan for Pyramid Corporation’s proposed 222- (with an additional prospective 90 making for 312 total) unit apartment complex.

The board did this despite current litigation filed on Sept. 25 in Albany County Supreme Court that, among other things, contests Pyramid’s ownership of the cul-de-sac at the end of Westmere Terrace, an integral parcel of the site plan. The lawsuit highlights New York State Highway Law 189 that states “[a]ll lands which shall have been used by the public as a highway for the period of ten years or 17 more, shall be a highway, with the same force and effect as if it had been duly laid out and recorded as a highway ….”

Such is the case with the Westmere Terrace cul-de-sac, which has been maintained by the town highway department for closer to 25 years as it does indeed function as a turn-around for trucks and other public vehicular traffic.

In deciding to proceed with the approval, there was discussion first and dismissal of whether an injunction had been filed to desist from further proceedings. In point of fact, an injunction had been filed, but what is relevant here belies administration of an injunction.

This was a site-plan approval, and a portion of the site is under contention of ownership. How do we not wait to get a legal determination on that? What is the rush to not first make sure that it is indeed proper to allow the end of a street where people live to be torn up? Well, that’s really more of a rhetorical question. Of course we don’t wait; it’s for Pyramid.

Prior to ultimate approval of the site plan, there was a public-comment period. As has been the case in the past, there were calls in support from workers and managers of businesses at Crossgates Mall.

I understand the perspective of these people. Their livelihood is intrinsically tied to Pyramid’s financial solvency. How unnerving it must be to watch the exodus of the stalwart businesses of the mall and further to view the lawsuits being filed against those stores whose rent payments have gone into arrears having had the mall itself needing to shut its doors.

It is the repeated talking points of Guilderland residents that continues to amaze me. Do they not read the papers? Do they not read this one?

In lieu of the reduced $139 million tax assessment that Pyramid is seeking, potentially in place for the next three years, they offer up through this project revenue assessed at a value of $25 million.

But don’t hold them to that, because their own financial report is very careful to state “the following estimated figures are not intended to bind either the applicant or the Town Assessor.” A $139 million loss against a $25 million gain.

If a corporation were following that savvy financial acumen, why they might find themselves defaulting on five out of seven of their holdings.

Then there was the touted “underserved” need for housing in Guilderland. A drive around town will reveal unoccupied capacities in many of our present residential complexes, not to mention the myriad that have just opened, are under construction or proposed for development, right there on the planning board and zoning board web pages.

Many of these are targeting the same demographic as the 222/312 units of Pyramid. We are not a fictional cornfield in Iowa. Building it won’t make people come. But if they do, it would be nice for them to fill up what we have, rather than have a town of partially filled developments.

But it takes a special kind of tone-deaf arrogance to speak for someone else’s experience. Such was the case when comments were made regarding how well Pyramid was looking out for the surrounding neighborhoods and the audacity of specifying Westmere Terrace by name.

Until someone intends to tear up your street, clear-cut our bordering woodlands, and erect a five-story monolith to overlook you, please be respectful of what you don’t know. 

Iris Broyde

Guilderland

Editor’s note: Iris Broyde is a resident of Westmere Terrace.