Troy

Work is continuing on renovation of the historic Quackenbush building in downtown Troy into a high-tech workshop and office space.

Bill Dunne, the city's commissioner of planning and economic development, said the four-story building on Third Street, which will house the Tech Valley Center of Gravity, will be "transformative'' for the neighborhood.

On Monday, workers could be seen at the 55,000-square-foot building scrubbing its rebuilt facade and working on its interior. Developer and building owner David Bryce said work is ongoing and an ribbon-cutting will be announced later.

Dunne said the revamped Quackenbush will build on the city's emerging "brand" as a hub for both technology and the arts. "We are being seen as a center for the creative class," he said.

Floors are being rewired to carry high-speed Internet connections. Views from the upper floors, which have 10-foot windows of insulated glass, are dramatic and look out on downtown, the Hudson River and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

The anchor tenant will be the Center of Gravity, the region's only "maker space," a modern version of a rental garage, where budding entrepreneurs and artists can use common workshops and tools on individual projects.

Currently located in the Uncle Sam Parking Garage, the Center of Gravity will move shortly to occupy about 20,000 square feet in the basement and first floors of the Quackenbush building, up from 5,000 square feet in its current home.

Center Chairman Laban Coblentz could not be reached for comment on Monday.

The membership-driven organization allows participants to pool resources to acquire and use sophisticated or expensive equipment — such as lathes, drill presses and other machine tools — that individually might be difficult to afford. Other gear includes digital fabrication machines, 3-D printers, laser and plasma cutters, welders and even several sewing machines.

bnearing@timesunion.com • 518-454-5094 • @Bnearing10