Press Release
October 18, 2013
Randy Simons
Dan Keefe
(518) 486-4868
Improvements Underway at SPAC Route 50 Gateway
Upgrades Will Create More Welcoming Environment, Protect Water Quality
A project to green and repair the gateway to Saratoga Performing Arts Center off Route 50 in Saratoga Spa State Park is underway. The $900,000 project is funded by Governor Cuomo's NY Works initiative.
"The crumbling parking lot outside of SPAC - one of Upstate New York's most popular summer destinations - will no longer be a visible sign of the deterioration of our park system," said Rose Harvey, Commissioner of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. "Thanks to Governor Cuomo's leadership, we are reversing years of neglect. The improvements will improve traffic flow, incorporate new sustainable features, and provide a more welcoming experience for park visitors."
The project includes repaving and restriping all roadways and parking spaces, installing new landscaping at the entryway and throughout the parking area, adding new ADA-compliant parking spaces near the Box Office. In addition, 420 parking spaces will be paved with porous asphalt and new drainage systems will be installed to improve stormwater filtration, protecting water quality.
The project was awarded to Luizzi & Brothers Contracting, which submitted the lowest competitive bid among eight firms. It is scheduled to be completed in time for the 2014 SPAC season. The contract also includes resurfacing two parking lots in the Geyser Picnic Area within the park, both of which will incorporate porous asphalt.
Last spring, State Parks replaced outdated parking lot lighting with new highly efficient LED fixtures to dramatically reduce energy consumption.
The improvements are part of a statewide revitalization of the park system. Last year, Governor Cuomo and the state Legislature authorized the NY Works program to provide $89 million statewide to move forward with more than 100 overdue projects to improve 55 parks and historic sites and spur job creation and economic development. This year, a second round of $90 million in NY Works funding is advancing an additional 90 projects to upgrade and repair more than 50 state parks and historic sites across New York.
Saratoga Spa State Park attracts over 2 million visitors a year. New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees 179 state parks and 35 historic sites. For more information on any of these recreation areas, call 518-474-0456 or visit www.nysparks.com, connect on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.