AMSTERDAM, NY – A rooftop restaurant area, Juliet balconies, in-unit washer and dryer hookups, and an enhanced boardwalk design are among the features reflected in new architectural illustrations and information recently released by KCG Development for their planned residential/commercial project on the city’s south side. The approximately $30 million project, named Chalmers Mill Lofts, will incorporate a 120-unit residential building, a restaurant/banquet hall to be run by the Lanzi family, and a riverside boardwalk.
According to Bill Teator, of DEW Ventures, a partner with KCG for the project, the revisions are result of listening to feedback from residents and area leaders.
During a public feedback meeting in June 2018, Congressman Paul Tonko, also a city resident, expressed disappointment with the design that was presented at the time, citing a lack of integration with the aesthetics of the Mohawk Valley Gateway Overlook pedestrian bridge, and lack of a panoramic view of the bridge from the restaurant facility. The revised design of the boardwalk now includes a rounded area, similar to those found on the Mohawk Valley Gateway Overlook pedestrian bridge. At the time, Teator suggested raising the restaurant might be an option to increase visibility of the bridge from inside the facility, but the revised design now includes an open-air rooftop seating area.
The boardwalk will be open to the public and could serve as a site for a variety of outdoor events or markets. Teator said that integration of the boardwalk with the bridge will continue to be refined.
“We are considering the history, waterfront significance, and utilization of that space in its design,” said Teator.
Lack of balconies and in-unit laundry hook-ups were other issues brought up at the 2018 meeting. The revised design now includes Juliet balconies, and include private washer and dryer hookups in addition to the shared laundry rooms already planned for each floor.
A website for the project with basic information about the development has also been launched at chalmersmilllofts.com.
KCG Development purchased the property from the city for $300,000 in December 2019. However, the developer is still waiting on a decision by New York State to award low income housing tax credits to the project. If awarded, the credits would be sold to investors for cash to help fund the project. Teator said he expects to know the state’s decision by spring 2020.
