Discover Menands
September 22 - 28, 2021 | COLONIE SPOTLIGHT 7
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Moving On Up In Menands
Menands leads the Capital Region in population growth
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www.spotlightnews.com
Photos - Jim Franco/Spotlight
By DANIELLE SANZONE news@spotlightnews.com
MENANDS - There must be something in the water in the Capital Region’s Hudson Valley area with double digit population growth in multiple communities either bordering or near the Hudson River. Green Island and Cohoes’ populations, for example, both grew 12 percent from 2010 to 2020. But the largest increase in population in Albany County in those 10 years? The village of Menands saw a population increase of 14 percent, according to U.S. Census data.
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8 COLONIE SPOTLIGHT | September 22 - 28, 2021
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From page 7 ...
Moving Up
The three-square-mile municipality located in the Town of Colonie and just north of the City of Albany had a population of about 3,990 in 2010 and that increased to about 4,550 in 2020. The main reason for this, observed Mayor Megan Grenier, are the two housing developments that have been completed in the last handful of years — the former Albany International site in Menands is now the Albany Lofts at One Broadway and has 145 loft-style apartments, with the apartments located in Menands and the complex’s parking lot in Albany. Then there’s the Dutch Village Apartments which expanded with 48 apartments in four new buildings. The project at Albany International was completed in 2016 and the project at Dutch Village was finished in the last year or two, said Grenier. “Additionally, many homes have become available with people downsizing, moving to assisted living or unfortunately passing away, which opened up homes for families that had been occupied by only one or two people. On my street alone, in one year, we saw an increase of nine kids
move to the block. It’s great to see,” she said. The village, which was incorporated in 1924 and named for prominent horticulturist Louis Menand, also approved their first comprehensive plan in 2020, with a focus on the Broadway corridor to support the creation of more retail stores and restaurants and make the area more pedestrian and bicycle-friendly. “With the adoption of the Comprehensive Plan and the current land use project for rezoning, we are hopeful for continued economic growth in the village,” said Grenier, noting that the plan also puts the village in a better position to gain access to funding parts of this vision. Aside from housing developments, there have been other developments for businesses in Menands. Simmons Machine Tool recently announced they purchased the building next door to expand their manufacturing space. Grenier noted she is grateful that Simmons decided to stay in Menands instead of moving elsewhere to expand. The Riverview Center at 150 Broadway, the former Montgomery Ward building, continues to renovate the space of the large, iconic building that houses state offices and private business. “We have met with developers who have letters of intent for other properties,
but I have learned over the years to not get excited until the shovel is in the ground,” added Grenier, who served for six years on the Village Board as a Trustee and was elected mayor in 2011. She is currently in her third term. “Menands has a lot to offer,” said Grenier, who grew up in the village, lived elsewhere for a period of time and moved back in 1992 to raise her family in the house next door to where she grew up.
“We are a very community-oriented village, offering senior, youth and family events throughout the year. We have a great school district, with K – 8, and then several options for high school outside of the Village. We are centrally located in the Capital District and minutes from every major highway. We offer services that other communities pay extra for, such as
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10 COLONIE SPOTLIGHT | September 22 - 28, 2021
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trash and recycling pick-up. We have our own public works, police and fire
departments. And recently received an A+
about Menands, for what is yet to come,” she said. Other data from the U.S. Census for
Menands: the median income is $70,000 and there are 2,259 housing units in the village.
“We are centrally located in the Capital District and minutes from every major highway. We offer services that other communities pay extra for, such as trash and recycling pick-up. We have our own public works, police and fire departments. And recently received an A+ in the most recent Niche Report and rated one of the best places to live in New York state.”
Menands Mayor Megan Grenier
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Moving Up
in the most recent Niche Report and rated one of the best places to live in NYS.” Grenier said that while the village has lost some businesses, such as grocery stores, banks and drug stores, the village has gained other businesses and seen other developments. “I’m excited, knowing from an inside point of view and talking to developers
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Discover Menands
September 22 - 28, 2021 | COLONIE SPOTLIGHT 11
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Commisioner welcomes students back to class MENANDS — State Education Department Commissioner Betty Rosa was on hand to welcome Menands School District students back to class for the 2021-22 year on Thursday, Sept. 9. “We got the call and she wanted to tour the building. Like the commissioner said, ‘this school is a hidden gem’ and we say that all the time,” said Superintendent Maureen Long. “The cultural
diversity of our student body and the diversity of our kids and to see them all happy coming back to the first day of school today was just awesome.” She said the first day went pretty smooth outside of a couple minor transportation hiccups and she is looking forward to the school year with some sense of normalcy after the chaos caused by COVID-19 last year. “If last year taught us anything
it was that we figure it out and we make it work,” she said. Rosa did not field questions from media. Like other school districts across the state, Menands is following a layered mitigation strategy based on transmission rates in Albany County and anyone entering the school building at any time for any reason is required to wear a mask. Parents are advised to check the
district website for any updates on COVID protocol.
Long took the opportunity to show off the district’s multimillion renovation and expansion project that broke ground in 2018. It includes five new classrooms and extensive upgrades throughout the kindergarten through eighth grade building.
— Jim Franco
Photos by Jim Franco/Spotlight News
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