It is not the role of government to bail out corporations
To the Editor:
Concerning The Altamont Enterprise’s recent article about Judge Peter Lynch’s decision to stop Pyramid/Crossgates from building 200-plus apartments and a Costco store on its site, I hope that Pyramid’s appeal to overturn the court decision is not successful “Guilderland residents’ lawsuit halts Pyramid projects, for now,” Nov. 23, 2020].
Costco, if it wants, can find another location in the area — and does it really make much difference to future Costco customers and employees in Guilderland whether the store is located on Central Avenue or in Latham rather than in Guilderland? I think not.
As for the proposed apartments on the Pyramid site, there are so many alternative sites where construction can occur in Guilderland it seems absurd to speculate that the apartments will not be built, if apartment construction is what Pyramid (or a competitor) wishes to do.
Thirdly, I think that Guilderland public services are very good — our highway department, water and sewer services, school, and library are wonderful. To gain more tax receipts for Guilderland public services that are already first rate while endangering the pinebush and the historic community on Rapp Road seems to me terribly foolish.
Finally, Pyramid took a chance and bought many acres of land (and destroyed many houses). Pyramid made an investment decision, potentially a bad decision. Corporations often make bad decisions.
It is not the role of government to bail out corporations and protect them from their own bad decisions — except under the most severe community-damaging events.
The pinebush and the historic community on Rapp Road are far more important than increases in the profits of Pyramid/Crossgates.
Don Reeb
McKownville
I agree with Mr. Reeb's analysis of the pros and cons of the Pyramid project. If all these Pyramid plans came to fruition, plus all the other new apartment complexes going up, it could easily add 1000 cars a day to the already congested bottleneck of the eastern Rt. 20 corridor. Think of that! You don't have to use your imagination, just drive to Clifton Park on the Northway any day at 4:30 pm to get a taste of our possible future. One of the reasons Guilderland is a desirable location is that people don't have to spend 3 hours a day in bumper to bumper traffic to get back and forth to work. Why would we want to do this to our community?