Troy welcomes Capital Region hotel boom

A proposal by Latham-based First Columbia that included condominiums, office buildings and a seven-story hotel could go before city planners by the end of the year, according to Bill Dunne, Troy's commissioner of planning and economic development.

Warehouse buildings at 599 and 621 River St. are being converted to apartments, and the Capital District Transportation Authority is drawing up plans for its latest bus rapid transit route through the area.

The hotel would be constructed on a riverfront parking lot between Hedley Park Place, an office building that once housed Arrow shirtmaker Cluett, Peabody & Co., and the Collar City Bridge, an eight-lane thoroughfare that carries Route 7 over the Hudson River.

The plan is to have the BusPlus Blue Line (River Corridor) operate in the area near the Hedley Building so we do expect to have a BRT presence in the vicinity of this new development, but it does not include a transit center.

First Columbia is a good partner and we would never shut the door on future conversations," Watson added, "but nothing is in the works at this time.

Cocca describes his Best Western as "a boutique hotel, a glorified bed and breakfast" across the street from his Franklin Plaza banquet and meeting facility.