Commission OKs retail building at Mohawk Harbor site

SCHENECTADY — The city Planning Commission approved a retail building at the Mohawk Harbor site and single-family homes along Barrett Street during a meeting Wednesday evening.

The commission unanimously OK’d the Galesi Group’s proposal for a coffee shop and bank by the future Rivers Casino and Resort at Mohawk Harbor and a total of 25 single-family homes proposed by a group of local investors on Barrett Street and Seminary Place.

The coffee shop and bank would take up about 2,000 square feet each in the building and both have a drive-through. The building would have 35 total parking spaces including two handicapped spaces.

Paul Fallati, vice president of the Galesi Group, said the building would be situated on the corner of the roundabout in front of STS Steel. It would include a bike rack by the nearby bike trail.

The hours of operation for the coffee shop and bank are not yet known. They would probably hire four employees each. Specific tenants are unknown at this time.

The new building will not have an impact on traffic compared to the original study for the site, according to engineer Dan Hershberg of Hershberg & Hershberg in Albany. He said a majority of people would already be coming to the site for the casino or would live on the site.

Fallati said construction would start immediately on the one-story building.