TROY, NY (Albany Business Review) — The historic former Proctor’s Theatre in downtown Troy would be converted into the new city hall under a plan announced Tuesday by Mayor Carmella Mantello that involves buying the property for $1.8 million and spending an estimated $8 million on renovations.
Mantello, a Republican who came into office last year pledging to find a permanent home for city hall after more than a decade leasing space on the fifth floor of a privately owned building at 433 River St., called the move a “defining moment” in the city’s long history.
“The decision to make the historic Proctor’s Theatre the new home for city hall is both purposeful and poetic,” Mantello told a gathering of city officials, employees and the news media while standing under the preserved marquee at 82 Fourth St.
“Once a vibrant center for entertainment and community, Proctors will now be reborn as the heart of our city’s government, where voices are heard, decisions are made and the future is shaped.”
The vaudeville-era theater near the intersection with Broadway has been closed since 1977.
Mantello said the long-term cost would be less than what the city would pay if it continued to lease the fifth floor of 433 River St. for the next 10 to 20 years.
She also insisted the city would move into the space by Jan. 1, 2027, which is the date its current lease will expire because of the city’s decision to exercise a clause in the contract with its landlord, First Columbia LLC of Latham.
“Our corporation counsel has assured us we did everything according to that lease,” Mantello said.
She said Proctor’s met the criteria spelled out in a request for proposals that was issued last year, including 30,000 to 45,000 square feet with public access, ADA compliance or the potential for compliance and 80 to 100 parking spaces near public transportation.
Parking will be provided in a city-owned garage on Fifth Avenue, which is separated from the rear of Proctor’s by an alley that would be spruced up, and with on-street parking, Mantello said.
The lease termination is being challenged by First Columbia, which tried to no avail to keep city hall on the fifth floor of its building by offering to upgrade the space for the 75 to 80 people who work there.
First Columbia’s attorney released a statement Tuesday calling the Proctor’s announcement “just theatrics” and said the decision would “cost the city millions of dollars and interrupt essential services to city residents.”
“We are disappointed that Mayor Mantello has refused to meet with First Columbia and has decided to take the non-transparent and non-fiscally responsible route to getting what she wants, potentially opening the city to additional expenses it can ill afford,” according to the statement from Michael Macomber of Tully Rinckey PLLC.
Under Mantello’s plans, the Troy Local Development Corp., an economic development agency for the city, would acquire the property from Columbia Development Cos. of Albany, finance the renovations and lease the building back to city government, officials said.
