TROY — Capital District Community Gardens will invest at least $3 million in a new headquarters complex in the city's North Central neighborhood, its executive director said Tuesday.

CDCG is putting together a 1-acre parcel at 594 River St. that will serve as its headquarters and have an educational component with classrooms and an urban grow center.

"To be in North Central is really ideal for us. We want to be in a neighborhood we serve and be part of a revitalization effort," Amy Klein, CDCG's executive director, said Tuesday.

The nonprofit community food group had looked at possible sites for its operations in other cities, including Cohoes, but decided to stick to the community in which it was founded. CDCG helps residents grow healthy food in their neighborhoods.

"It's a significant project in an area of the city undergoing a positive transformation," said Michael Fraser, a spokesman for Mayor Lou Rosamilia.

Klein said CDCG will go through two phases at the 594 River St. location.

The first phase will involve about $1 million to purchase the property and renovate the two-story brick building that once housed Geier and Bluhm Inc. The building has a full-market value of $299,643 and is owned by GBO Holdings Inc., according to the city's 2012 tax rolls.

The second phase calls for an investment of more than $2 million to further expand operations at the site.

CDCG will relocate 22 staff members from its present location at 40 River St. in offices donated by Callanan Industries, Klein said. CDCG expects to make the move to its new headquarters in January 2014 after renovations are completed.

CDCG is scheduled to appear before the city Planning Commission at 6 p.m. Thursday at City Hall, 1776 Sixth Ave., for permission to convert the vacant office-warehouse into offices and educational space.

Other improvements, according to Planning Commission documents, includes a new paved parking lot, a rain garden, sidewalks, landscaping and a rain-collection silo.

CDCG had a rocky relationship with former Mayor Harry Tutunjian's administration and planning board, leading the group to explore moving outside the city.

"We have a good working relation with the city administration" under Rosamilia, Klein said.

"We're excited to have the project move forward and to work side by side with Capital District Community Gardens and Amy Klein to keep them in Troy," Fraser said.

CDCG has 47 cooperative neighborhood food gardens throughout the Capital Region. In addition to Troy, the gardens are situated in Albany, Cohoes, Latham, North Greenbush, Rensselaer and Schenectady.

kcrowe@timesunion.com • 518-454-5084 • @KennethCrowe