State Street plan calls for piazza, more parking and trees.

Schenectady, New York. A piazza with a water fountain, a pocket park and several new parking spaces will be added to State Street as part of the second phase of the city’s streetscape plan. Synthesis, Clough Harbour Associates and SRG, unveiled the second phase of the streetscape plan Wednesday to the Metroplex Development Authority Board.

The second phase of the project would run from Lafayette Street to Erie Boulevard. Work will begin next spring, extending into the 2003 construction season, according to architects. The first portion of the project, from Nott Terrace to Lafayette Street, was recently completed.

Approximately 45 new parking spaces will be added along the street, increasing the total number of spaces to 61. Parking should help with downtown redevelopment, said Richard Eats, RLA, a partner of Synthesis.

Other design elements, such as 120 new trees, double-headed street lights, and granite monuments will also be included in the second phase of the project.

Eats said he thought one of the most important elements of the second phase will be the piazza, a central visual point, located at the intersection of State and Jay Street and directly across from Proctor’s Theatre. The piazza will include a stage for bands to play on, a water fountain and stairs which will double as seats. Several modifications to the Center City entranceway will also be made to accommodate the piazza.

“This will begin to develop a sense of urban space which is non-existent in the city,” Eats said.

In addition to the piazza, Eats said the firm has planned to develop a pocket park on the street and redesign the transit area to include a staging space for people to wait for buses. Aesthetic elements will also be added to mask the railroad bridge.

“By doing this, we’re sending out a positive message to the community that Schenectady is on its way back,” Eats said.