Colonie Village Center

This site provides a unique opportunity to create a community core for the Village of Colonie. The location of the Community Center supported this notion. The major challenge for the consulting team was how to efficiently handle traffic flow through this site (this section of NY5 has been identified as one of the heavier used sections of the Corridor) while creating an identifiable character in keeping with a village center. The solution was the creation of a multi-lane boulevard with lanes facilitating through traffic and also slower moving local access lanes with angled parking. In the Intermediate Scenario only one half of the boulevard was created in front of the community center. The median is the location for the westbound transit stop and is connected to the community center by a plaza and village green (potential site for a significant civic monument). Cars driving along the access lane actually drive on the plaza which is separated from pedestrian areas by bollards. The village green is located on the existing community center parking lot. Community Center parking has been relocated to the north of the center off of Central Avenue along the existing recreational fields. Existing mature trees on site are hoped to be retained in order to break up the scale of the parking lot.

Tree buffers are planted along the rear of the existing car dealership to provide a screen for the adjacent single family lots. Screening is also uses in the exiting restaurant parking lot adjacent to the dealership to visually screen the expansiveness of the existing lot.

Gateways to the village center at Locust Park and Fuller Terrace are demarked by a planted central median each with a length of approximately 200 feet. Additionally, new development is proposed at these locations to further define the street and provide additional commercial space within the center.

Stimulated Scenario

The Stimulated Scenario sees the completed development of the multi-lane boulevard along this entire segment of Central Avenue. The planted central median is also continued and, where necessary, includes a left turn lane. The side median is interrupted at the corner of Broderick Street due to the relatively small setback of the existing medical offices. The team decided to use this location as the site for the eastbound transit stop.

Incremental infill development is proposed including the redevelopment of the parcels to the east of the community center. This two story development would not only define the street but give definition to the west side of the village green. Parking for the development is connected and shared with the Community Center's parking lot. The other major redevelopment site is the car dealership. The Team proposes that the dealership remain but additional retail and entertainment uses be included along the side of the parcel fronting Central Avenue. The car display is moved to the rear of the lot but the dealership building is extend up to Central Avenue providing greater visibility for the establishment. This parcel also extends back to the residential street. The team has identified this as a location for a pedestrian connector between the adjacent neighborhood and the civic and commercial services in the village center.

Feedback and Revisions

Participants in the urban typologies workshops were pleased with the interconnectivity of the scenario and the gateway elements. Concern was raised over the complete removal of the car dealership (initial proposal) which led to the Team developing a "multi-use" car dealership.

There was interest in developing the boulevard/local access concepts further.

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