Statewide Neighborhood Revitalization Conference, Featuring James Kunstler and Alan Mallach

On September 21st and 22nd, Troy will hold the first annual Statewide Neighborhood Revitalization Conference, a grassroots effort to share information about community-building efforts throughout New York State. The conference will be held at Russell Sage College in Troy.

Things will kick off on Friday evening, Sept. 21st, with a free, open to the public  keynote address from famed writer, speaker, and local activist James Kunstler, author of The Long Emergency and The Geography of Nowhere.  You won't want to miss hearing his interesting perspective.  

Registration for workshops and discussions on Saturday, September 22nd, will open soon at http://nyneighborhoods.org/2012/. The day's events will start early with breakfast and another keynote speech this time from housing, planning, and community development advocate and scholar Alan Mallach, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. Following will be a large panel discussion and breakout workshops on a variety of interesting topics with community leaders from across New York State.

If you would like to help out at this event, organizers are looking for volunteers! Please contact Dorcas Rose at icatroy@verizon.net for more information.

UPDATE: Registration for the Statewide Neighborhood Revitalization Conference is now open!  Visit http://nyneighborhoods.org/2012/registration/ to register for workshops.

69 Middleburgh Update

TRIP's current rehabilitation of 69 Middleburgh Street is beginning to take shape. After stripping the inside of the building almost entirely down to the masonry and studs, the remodeling has begun.

We broke ground on the remodel July 30th and expect to host a ribbon-cutting in late fall. Working with FH Alexander Construction, we are looking forward to great results!

Once finished, 69 Middleburgh will have three apartments available for rent (one 1-bedroom and two 2-bedrooms). There will also be two convenient off-street parking spaces. Each apartment will be fully renovated-- new from top to bottom, with high efficiency boilers, low-emission windows, and other attractive, sustainable features. We would like to offer sincere thanks to TAP (Troy Architectural Program) for their wonderful designs and for helping us obtain affordable, green focused products and materials.

Rent for these apartments will be set at a percentage of fair market rents targeting lower and middle class families and individuals.

We look forward to our unveiling in the fall and moving new tenants into these great new apartments!

Troy's National Night Out

Police-community solidarity brought out the crowds last Tuesday, August 7th. Troy celebrated National Night Out with plenty of food and fun while educating residents about the importance of coming together against crime.

The North Troy event was held at the 10th Street pocket park and offered important community information as well as a Bouncy Bounce and airbrush tattoos!

Down in South Troy, residents gathered at the Burden Iron Works Museum for live music, a clown making balloon animals, and a meatball eating contest!

Troy police officers were in high attendance at both events offering tours of the Mobile Command Center vehicles.

National Night Out is a popular, annual event, and 2012 did not disappoint. One resident of the Hillside North neighborhood summed up the event nicely saying "It's great to see everyone out. We never had anything like this when I was young, and it's nice to see people coming together..."

Deeper Shades of Green: TRIP & RCHR Green Fair, September 29th

Do you have a pile of old electronics taking up space in your house or garage? Have you ever considered home composting? And what's the deal with solar energy?

All of these questions and more will be answered at TRIP & RCHR's first annual Green Fair on Saturday, September 29, 2012 at the Troy Marina Parking Lot (just north of the Green Island Bridge). Underwritten by Citizens Bank Foundation and in partnership with Rensselaer County and the City of Troy, TRIP & RCHR will host eLot Recycling and local organizations providing an array of Capital Region eco-knowledge. Invited groups include Cornell Cooperative Extension, Real Goods Solar, Transition Troy, Troy Shares, CEO, Troy Bike Rescue, Habitat for Humanity, and others.

The Green Fair will run from 9am - 1pm and is open to the public. eLot will be accepting "almost anything that plugs in" for free recycling while other groups and agencies will offer information and demonstrations at our educational expo.

Organizations interested in exhibiting at this event may contact Mary at TRIP, mary@triponline.org or (518) 272-8289 x213.

We hope to see you there!

Call for Authors: "Troy's Treasures" Column

What makes Troy special to you? Share your story through the "Troy's Treasures" column!

Do you have a "Troy's Treasure" to share?  Let us know! This column -- which promotes positive neighborhood news, events, history, people, etc -- is published in the Troy Record every other Sunday. If you would like to write a column or have an idea for an article, contact Claire Pitts at TRIP and sign up for a publication date. Claire can be reached by phone at (518) 272-8289 x213 or email her at claire@triponline.org.

To read past "Troy's Treasures" articles click here: http://triponline.org/news_and_events/TroyTreasuresArticles.html

New Faces at TRIP: Caitlin Casterlin

Caitlin Casterlin

Welcome to TRIP's newest HomeOwnership Advisor, Caitlin Casterlin! With her strong financial background, having previously worked in banking and at the Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce, Caitlin is sure to be a valuable member of the TRIP NeighborWorks HomeOwnership Center team!

Caitlin's lifelong interest in helping people, especially on an individual level, led her to work with TRIP & RCHR. She looks forward to working with clients as they navigate the worlds of financial stability and homeownership. Having recently purchased a home herself, Caitlin knows how daunting the process can be and hopes to guide others away from possible obstacles.

In addition to the time Caitlin spends working on her new house, she also enjoys hiking with her dog. As a foster pet owner, Caitlin houses, trains, and socializes dogs who will eventually be adopted. This process allows animals to live in comfortable homes rather than shelters while shaping their behavior into desirable pets.

We are all excited to have Caitlin as a member of the TRIP & RCHR community! Welcome!