GUILDERLAND - After years of waiting and planning and revising, the Rubins were given permits to build a bigger Shabbos House in McKownville by a unanimous vote of the town's zoning board last Wednesday.

Rabbi Mendel Rubin and his wife, Raizy Rubin, were granted a parking variance and a special-use permit, and were given a building permit for the construction of a 8,500-square-foot structure.

The couple was represented by Hershberg & Hershberg, consulting engineers and land planners. Dan Hershberg told The Enterprise yesterday that construction should begin next spring.

The Rubin's original plans for a 10,000-square-foot project were scaled down amid criticism from neighbors who thought the house would be too big.

Shabbos House serves as a Jewish synagogue and community center on Fuller Road where the rabbi, his wife, and their five children also live. It was founded in 1976 and provides religious services, traditional food, and a support network for the nearby University at Albany's Jewish community.

Guilderland's zoning board administrator and chief building inspector, Donald Cropsey, said that full approval was given to the project.
The parking variance states that "five to six parking spaces will be available on site and that 30 parking spaces will be provided by the University at Albany," Cropsey said. The major stipulation, which was the primary hold-up for the project for the past three years, was a private water-retention system.
The water system will be built and maintained by the owners of the property and it will be inspected annually by the town, said Cropsey. The system will hold water runoff inside of a catch basin and "re-percolate" the water back into the ground over time, he said.

Originally, the applicants asked Albany County if the facility could hook into the municipal system. Because of an already over-extended runoff system and re-occurring flooding problems in the Stuyvesant Plaza area, the county denied access to Shabbos House.

The applicants then asked the University at Albany if they could hook into its system, but were also denied. After revising its plans, Shabbos House applicants re-applied to use the county's system, but were again denied.

Plans were then made to create a private system, which was accepted by both Albany County and the town of Guilderland. Cropsey said that the town-designated engineer, Boswell Engineering, reviewed the Shabbos House plans and said they satisfied its requirements.

The unanimous votes last week included alternate Thomas Remmert replacing James Sumner who was absent.

Varied views

Neighbors appeared divided on the issue of expanding the Shabbos House.

The McKownville Neighborhood Improvement Association was also split. The association's president, Donald Reeb, spoke in opposition to the plan and wrote to the Enterprise editor on the matter, as did others in the association who were for the expansion.

Reeb argued that the size of the proposed building would make the project out of synch with the rest of the neighborhood and said increased water runoff would exacerbate flooding in the area.

The area, including Stuyvesant Plaza itself, was developed on top of several small ponds. Flooding has been an issue over the years and Western Avenue in front of the plaza is frequently closed after heavy rainfall. The only pond left after years of development is behind the plaza which was recently transformed into the McKownville Park.

Assemblyman John McEneny, who represents the area, has been vocal in his attempts to get state and county grants to rectify the flooding problems.
Reeb said he welcomed the idea of a Jewish synagogue in the community, but felt there were other unused sites close by "that would be more appropriate" for a project of its size. The association president also said he was concerned that, if Shabbos House ever became defunct, the building would be too large for use as a residential property.

Zoning Board Chairman Peter Barber said that Reeb again spoke against the project at Wednesday's board meeting, but that other neighborhood association members spoke in favor of it. Rabbi Rubin himself also spoke at the meeting, asking for the variances to be granted, Barber said.

One of the neighbors directly across from Shabbos House spoke in favor of the project at Wednesday's meeting, Cropsey said.
"It was definitely mixed. Over 30 people made comments about the project and it was almost 50-50 pro or against," Barber told The Enterprise. "As the project progressed, there seemed to be more people in favor of it."

When the variances were approved last Wednesday people attending the meeting applauded the approval.

Barber added that construction will be overseen by Boswell Engineering, which approved of the building plans. Barber said he did not think that parking would be a problem, even with the increased square footage, because there have never been complaints by residents or police about parking at Shabbos House.
"It's an Orthodox facility, so we knew people would be walking to it," Barber said on Tuesday. "It serves, for the most part, the students of the university."

On the website, www.shabboshouse.com, where donations to cover building costs may be made, Rabbi Rubin has made several entries after getting zoning board approval.
"Yes, it is finally true! After years and years, the new, bigger and better Shabbos House Jewish Student Center has been approved by the town of Guilderland Zoning Board of Appeals!" Rubin wrote. "We'll be meeting with our architect and engineers and plans for the new building will be going forward very soon."

Other business

In other business, the zoning board unanimously:

- Granted a 14-foot front-yard setback variance to Martin Capullo to construct a single-family home on a corner lot at 37 Jean Place. A front-yard setback is required along each street side on corner lots;

- Approved David Fusco for two special-use permits to transform 1,750 square feet of retail space on 3770 Carman Rd. into a nail salon and a card and gift shop inside of Carman Plaza;

- Tabled the request of Steven Elsbree on behalf of Clearwire US, LLC, to place three equipment cabinets and telecommunication antennas on the rooftops and bases of existing structures at 4 Tower Place, 37 Willey St., and 3045 Lone Pine Rd;

- Granted a 6-foot front-yard setback variance to Karen Neil to construct a single-story kitchen addition to her home at 14 Morningside Dr. A front-yard setback is required along each street side on corner lots;

- Denied a temporary banner for Jiffy Lube on 2067 Western Ave.;

- Approved a sign variance for The Pottery Place at Stuyvesant Plaza; and

- Approved sign variances for Sign Pro at its 2337 Western Ave. and Stuyvesant Plaza locations.