Possible Replacement For Playdium

Bowling Alley Property May Become Multi-Million Dollar Apartment Complex

By CODY MOONEY

Contributing Writer

A plan to build a four story apartment complex at 363 Ontario St. at the Playdium Bowling Alley is tabled once again.

With the Playdium Bowling Center having been up for sale for the past 10 years, the bowling business is potentially out and a newcomer wants in. The project was tabled after Jankow Companies, a potential buyer, requested exceptions to the current building code.

“The code calls for threeand-a-half stories, and they want four,” said planner Martin Daley, who is on the Board of Zoning Appeals.

Neil Luther, current owner of Playdium Bowling Center, first posted the property for sale 10 years ago. At the beginning of this month, Pine Hills neighborhood residents were able to hear about the proposed plan for the property.

Jankow Companies, an Albany real estate company, presented its proposal for a modernized apartment complex before the Board of Zoning Appeals at Albany City Hall.

The company was seeking permission to exceed the allowed number of stories for a building, and wants to build a four-story building, rather than the 3.5 stories permitted in the city code, Daley said.

The topic of concern for the height of the building was brought about by many in attendance in the council chambers. Five Pine Hills residents weighed in against the proposal for the higher building, which would include 110 different apartment units.

David Phaff, who appeared on behalf of Jankow, said the additional half floor was a necessary component of the entire project.

“We wouldn’t have to be at the planning board meeting at all if we didn’t need that half story,” said Phaff. “The half story will allow for the contractor to add a parking garage underneath and free up parking on the road.”

The modern apartment complex will offer green space, a proposed quality laundromat, a cafe, a rooftop area on top of the buildings where dogs can run around and play, along with a store or two.

Richard Berkley, chair of the city’s Zoning Appeals for the City, didn’t think the proposal was quite ready.

“We didn’t take action on it tonight because the applicants didn’t provide additional data for the record which was requested at the workshop two weeks ago,” Berkley said. “We requested financials from the last meeting, which wasn’t present tonight.”

The original application did not include a narrative by Jankow Companies, which residents were unaware of before the meeting.

“Now, every neighbor is affected by the project essentially,” said Berkley. “It’s unfair, and inequitable for them to not see the narrative before they come here to speak about the project.”

The narrative addressed concerns such as height and mass of buildings, water runoff, traffic patterns, parking, alternative design, and the impact of the variance.

What the board will be seeking in the next hearing is not only exact numbers on financials, but also word back from the city’s safety and traffic engineer, and the city sewage and waste companies.

The Board also considered a number of additional requests from Spectrum News and Somerset Associates.

Spectrum News located, on 104 Watervliet Avenue Ext., was seeking permission to put a “wall sign” along the Watervliet Avenue Extension frontage. This request was approved.

Somerset Associates is looking to occupy the 11,000 sq ft. commercial plaza on 900 Central Ave. This company is looking to build a center for donation/collection center for blood. They will reappear at a later date in front of the board.