Capital CarShare, The Rosenblum Companies partner to promote sustainability in Downtown Troy

Relentless Awareness
Relentless Awareness
4 min readAug 15, 2018

Regional carsharing non-profit to add a zero emission BMW i3 to their fleet

TROY, N.Y. (Aug. 15, 2018) — Capital CarShare, an Albany-based carsharing non-profit, has purchased a BMW i3 that is now available for reservations. The BMW i3 is a zero emissions vehicle that has a range of up to 114 miles with a full charge.

Capital CarShare provides access to shared vehicles and promotes the use of other shared modes of transportation, such as riding transit, walking and biking to reduce the negative environmental and economic impacts of driving gasoline powered vehicles. This BMW i3 marks the eleventh car in Capital CarShare’s fleet, and the first to be all electric.

BMW North America has donated an electric charging station to be placed on Sixth Avenue outside The News Apartments. The Rosenblum Companies developed the $23+ million mixed use apartment project, and will provide free power for the charging station.

As part of this partnership between The Rosenblum Companies and Capital CarShare, residents of The News Apartments will be able to utilize CarShare vehicles at a discounted rate. Other environmentally friendly features and amenities offered at The News include geothermal heating and cooling, smart thermostats, LED lighting, ENERGY STAR® appliances, and heated indoor bicycle storage. The News also has a Walk Score of “94”; Walk Score is a public access index that assigns a numerical “walkability” score from 0–100 to any address in the United States.

“Getting infrastructure for electric vehicles can be extremely difficult, but when all parties work together it accomplishes great things. Adding a zero emission vehicle to our fleet will continue to reduce the capital region’s carbon footprint while increasing the amount of people who can utilize our services,” said Melanie Beam, executive director of Capital CarShare.

“The City of Troy is thrilled to have an electric car charging station right in our downtown. This environmentally progressive initiative goes hand in hand with the strides that we are taking as a city to decrease our carbon footprint, and we look forward to further partnering with organizations such as Capital CarShare,” said Patrick Madden, Mayor of Troy.

“Environmental sustainability is a core value of The Rosenblum Companies, which we exercise by favoring adaptive reuse and infill projects like The News Apartments, utilizing green building systems and practices, and providing more eco-friendly options for our tenants,” said Jeff Mirel, Executive Vice President of The Rosenblum Companies. “We’re proud to host the very first all-electric Capital CarShare vehicle in the Capital Region, offering another Earth-wise amenity for residents at The News and all of our downtown Troy neighbors.”

“CDTA’s mission is to drive the Capital Region’s transportation network, and the introduction of Capital CarShare’s BMW i3 electric vehicle is another step in the right direction,” said CDTA Chairwoman Georgeanna Nugent. “We are focused on working with great partners to grow the region’s mobility choices and applaud the addition of this first-of-its-kind electric vehicle in the city of Troy. We all work to reduce the region’s carbon footprint and promote environmentally-sound options to benefit residents, businesses and our communities. Innovations like the new electric BMW i3 enhance transportation here, and we thank our partners at Capital CarShare and Rosenblum Companies for their work on creating more sustainable travel choices.”

“I’m pleased to partner with the Rosenblum Companies on this innovative energy efficient car sharing program. This continues our city’s efforts in protecting and promoting our environmental protection and stewardship,” said Troy City Council President Carmella Mantello.

The News Apartments combines a historically sensitive adaptive renovation of the century-old Troy Record building with a complementary new addition. Preleasing of apartments began earlier this year and residents began moving in this past May. Available studio, one- and two-bedroom units offer such unique features as dens, balconies, terraces, and walk-in closets. All units are outfitted with full-size washers and dryers, oversized windows, quartz counter tops, and premium stainless-steel appliances. In addition to the amenities mentioned above, residents have access to numerous a 24-hour fitness center, sky deck with gas fire pit and grilling station, private coworking space, sports and game lounge, pet spa and available onsite parking.

Those interested in leasing an apartment at The News can visit www.thenewsapartments.com or contact the leasing office at (518) 250–4840.

To learn more about Capital CarShare, visit capitalcarshare.org or call (518) 545–4740.

###

About Capital CarShare: Capital CarShare was founded by a small group of passionate and environmentally-conscious business owners and planners who believe shared mobility can help the dense region of New York’s capital. Together, with our dedicated staff and members, we make up an unstoppable network of individuals on a mission to change way the we live and move. For more information about Capital CarShare: www.capitalcarshare.org

About The Rosenblum Companies: The Rosenblum Companies is a developer and full service owner-operator of premier properties in the Capital Region. For nearly four decades, Rosenblum has focused on providing better spaces and real estate services to Fortune 500 corporations, regional businesses, medical practices, government agencies, and nonprofit institutions alike. Rosenblum was the first to construct office space on Washington Avenue Extension in Albany and the company’s Great Oaks Office Park in Guilderland is one of the most desirable office locations in the Albany area. In 2010, the company expanded into multifamily residential with the development of 17 Chapel Boutique Condominiums. The Albany Business Review recognized 17 Chapel as one of “50 Projects That Are Reshaping Life and Business in the Capital Region.” Today, The Rosenblum Companies’ real estate portfolio in Upstate New York encompasses over one million square feet of office, industrial, retail, self-storage, and mixed use properties. The company’s development practice favors infill and adaptive reuse projects. The Rosenblum Companies also provides proactive 24x7 property management and related services to investors and end-users. For more information about The Rosenblum Companies: www.rosenblumcompanies.com

--

--