Mayor announces new Troy City Hall location amid viability concerns

TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – Troy Mayor Carmella Mantello announced a new location for city hall on Tuesday. It comes amid concerns around the city’s current lease agreement. Residents said they’re worried a legal battle is brewing. 

At a press conference Mantello announced the new details of the plan to move Troy City Hall from its current location, at 433 River Street, to the historic Proctor’s Theatre, at 82 4th Street, also in downtown Troy.

“Once a vibrant center for entertainment and community, Proctor’s will now be reborn as the heart of our city’s government,” said Mantello.

She said roughly 75 to 80 people who currently work in city hall will move to Proctor’s by 2027.

Mantello said the move would give city hall a permanent home while restoring a historic building and bringing more foot traffic to the area. 

But according to attorneys who represent the office space rental agency First Columbia – that has a current lease agreement with the city – the city is locked into their lease at 433 River Street until 2029. 

“In the amended lease, the requirement was that the city council had to approve a new site before the early termination could be effectuated. That never occurred,” said Michael Macomber, Partner & CEO at Tully Rinckey PLLC and counsel for First Columbia.

City Council President Sue Steele echoed that. “For months, the mayor refused to disclose any details to council members or the public,” said Steele in a statement. 

When I asked if the city council was a part of the approval process, Mantello responded, “they wouldn’t be. It’s an RFP, Carina, just like other RFP’s.”

“We feel very confident, our attorney – corporation counsel – feels very confident we did everything according to that lease, willfully executed it in time, and the city council action will happen down the road in terms of the land development agreement,” said Mantello.

However, page three of the amended lease agreement states, “‘In the event that City Council approves a new City Hall site the tenant shall be entitled to a one-time termination option…” 

We pressed the mayor on the city council’s lack of approval of the new site. “Carina, are you an attorney? I apologize, are you?” said Mantello. I responded, “I’ve been talking to the attorneys.”

“Ok. Our attorney feels very, very strong, we gave notification, feels very strong, per the lease. I’m not an attorney, we rely on our attorney. We will be in, January 1st, 2027,” said Mantello.

“It’s in plain English. It’s very short, it’s succinct. This is not legalese here. It’s in very plain language to interpret and the mayor and the city council have read this and are all well aware of this as they approved it,” said Macomber.

“We did everything and we feel very confident if it is to go to court, we feel very confident we gave our notification by June 1,” said Mantello.