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Summary
- Abstract:
- Concerned Citizens Against Crossgates (CCAC) was organized as an informal group opposed to the construction of the Pyramid Crossgates mall in the summer of 1979.
- Extent:
- 5.05 cubic ft.
- Language:
- English .
- Preferred citation:
Preferred citation for this material is as follows:
Identification of specific item, series, box, folder, Concerned Citizens Against Crossgates (CCAC) Records, 1979-1984. M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University at Albany, State University of New York (hereafter referred to as CCAC Records).
Background
- Scope and Content:
The records of Concerned Citizens Against Crossgates include subject files, legal papers, exhibits for hearings before the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), and News Clippings. Due to the informal nature of CCAC, the collection does not contain meeting minutes or correspondence of leaders in the organization, that would indicate the development of strategy.
CCAC's campaign against Crossgates Mall is documented by fliers, ads, election material, speeches, and legal documents supporting the suits that CCAC filed against the Town of Guilderland, Department of Environmental Conservation, and Robert F. Flacke. Other documents include permits, briefs, decisions, attorneys' correspondence, hearing submissions, and related material.
Several collections in the M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives provide further information about the construction of Crossgates Mall including the Crossgates Regional Shopping Mall Collection (APAP-067) and the records of Save the Pine Bush (APAP-125). A complete list of related collections is available at the subject guide for Conservation and the Environment.
- Biographical / Historical:
Concerned Citizens Against Crossgates (CCAC) was organized as an informal group opposed to the construction of the Pyramid Crossgates mall in the summer of 1979. The group developed into a coalition of concerned residents that at one time had over three thousand members from the Town of Guilderland and neighboring communitites. Concerned Citizens Against Crossgates sought to preserve the rural and residential character of their town.
The administration of CCAC consisted of President Rhonda Childs, Treasurer Mary circa Phillips, and a Board of Directors which included the following members: Gregory R. Bell, Margaret McKinley, Donald J. Reeb, Drew Hartyell, and Anita Kershaw. Rhonda Childs and Mary circa Phillips continued as President and Treasurer until CCAC disbanded in 1984 when Crossgates was under construction.
CCAC was involved in hearings and suits against the Town of Guilderland Zoning, Planning, and Conservation Advisory Boards from 1979 to 1983. They initiated a lawsuit on September 18, 1981 against Robert F. Flacke, commissioner of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the Town of Guilderland Zoning Appeals Board, the Albany County Planning Board, and David Axelrod, M.D., Commissioner of the New York State Department of Health, to overturn the decision made by the Water Merger Vote of August 27, 1980. CCAC was concerned that the construction of Crossgates would lead to a violation of Department of Health regulations protecting the watershed of McKownville.
CCAC was also involved as an intervenor in the 1981 Pyramid application for a special use permit for traffic and parking relief in the Town of Guilderland. From 1979 to 1982, CCAC was involved in a series of suits against Robert F. Flacke, individually and as Commissioner of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Two of the attorneys that represented CCAC during the lawsuits are Joel H. Sachs, of Plunkett and Jaffe, P.C., and George A. Rowland.
[1] Legal Papers. Water Merger: CCAC suit appealing Water Merger Vote, 1979, 1981-1982.
[2] Legal Papers. CCAC v. Robert F. Flacke, Volume 1, 1982.
- Acquisition information:
- All items in this manuscript group were donated to the University Libraries, M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives, by Lindsay Childs.
- Processing information:
Processed in 2013 by Lisa Selander.
- Arrangement:
The collection is organized into the following series:
- Series 1: Subject Files, 1969, 1971, 1974-1983, 1985-1986.
- Series 2: Legal Papers, 1964, 1972, 1974, 1977-1983.
- Series 3: DEC Exhibits, 1973, 1979-1980.
- Series 4: News Clippings, 1975, 1977-1985, 1987.
Series 1 and 2 are arranged alphabetically; series 3 is arranged by exhibit number; series 4 is arranged chronologically.
- Physical location:
- The materials are located onsite in the department.
Subjects
- Subjects:
- Social Activists and Public Advocates
Neighborhood and Community Associations
Conservation and the Environment
Architecture
Albany, New York
Shopping malls
Urban development
Civil actions
Case files
Newspaper clippings - Names:
- Concerned Citizens Against Crossgates
Crossgates Mall - Places:
- Albany (N.Y.)
Contents
Access
Using These Materials
- ACCESS:
- The archives are open to the public and anyone is welcome to visit and view the collections.
- RESTRICTIONS:
-
Access to this record group is unrestricted.
- TERMS OF ACCESS:
-
The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of copyright. Whenever possible, the M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives will provide information about copyright owners and other restrictions, but the legal determination ultimately rests with the researcher. Requests for permission to publish material from this collection should be discussed with the Head of Special Collections and Archives.
- PREFERRED CITATION:
-
Preferred citation for this material is as follows:
Identification of specific item, series, box, folder, Concerned Citizens Against Crossgates (CCAC) Records, 1979-1984. M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University at Albany, State University of New York (hereafter referred to as CCAC Records).