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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 2, 2003
Contact: Rocco DeFazio
518-274-8866

Media Advisory/Photo Opportunity
BENVENUTO TO TROY’S LITTLE ITALY!
Plans For New District Are Revealed

On Wednesday, June 4th at 11:30 a.m., Rocco DeFazio of DeFazio’s Pizzeria and Imports will gather with Troy Mayor Mark Pattison, Deputy Mayor Jim Conroy, Ken Mackintosh from U.S. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s office, Pat Poleto from Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno’s office, Joe Fama from TAP and Doug Melnick of Community Gardens to announce and celebrate plans for Troy’s new Little Italy district. Other distinguished guests will include Frederick E. Miller, Executive Director of the Mohawk Valley Heritage Corridor, and many Little Italy business leaders and neighborhood residents. The event will take place at DeFazio’s Pizzeria, 266 4th Street, Troy, rain or shine.

The event will feature a brief speaking program, with Rocco DeFazio, representatives from the City of Troy, Senator Clinton’s office, Senator Bruno’s office, TAP, Community Gardens, the Valley Cats Baseball Team, and the Neighborhood Resource Center sharing their plans and visions for Troy’s Little Italy. Rocco DeFazio coordinated the program along with Lisa Graham of the Neighborhood Resource Center at 4th and Adams in Troy’s Little Italy.

Visuals and plans to be revealed will include:

Rocco DeFazio will display new “Benvenuto to Troy’s Little Italy” (Welcome to Troy’s Little Italy) banners, paid for by the City of Troy courtesy of Mayor Mark Pattison and Deputy Mayor Jim Conroy; Joe Fama of TAP will unveil a plan for the area featuring streetscape improvements and designs; Doug Melnick of Community Gardens will unveil a preliminary site plan depicting possible additional streetscape improvements for Little Italy; Rick Murphy of the Valley Cats will share plans for an “Italian Night” at the Joseph L. Bruno Baseball Stadium in Troy.

Troy’s Little Italy, a brainchild of Rocco DeFazio that is supported by the City of Troy, many neighborhood groups, U.S. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno, covers the area stretching north of the Poestenkill Canal and ending just south of the Pottery District (4th Street from Ida to Division in Troy). This area has traditionally been an Italian enclave, and features many successful Italian-American owned businesses today, as well as the Italian Community Center and the CYO. Little Italy districts in cities across the United States are tourist attractions, great residential neighborhoods, and feature lower crime rates than other city districts, making them pleasant neighborhoods to visit and to call home.

For more information about Troy’s Little Italy, contact Rocco DeFazio at 518-274-8866.

DIRECTIONS TO DEFAZIO’S PIZZERIA AT 266 4TH STREET, TROY:

• Take 787 to exit 8 (23rd Street/Green Island/Downtown Troy).
• If traveling north from Albany, make a right at the bottom of the exit ramp (if traveling south from Saratoga, take a left at the bottom of the exit ramp).
• The road will curve around and bring you to the Green Island Bridge.
• Make a right and cross the bridge, staying in the right hand lane.
• Make a right at the far end of the bridge. The road will jog around.
• Stay straight at the double traffic lights. You will be heading south on Third Street.
• Take Third Street for about eight blocks until you get to Troy’s Washington Park. It is one square city block with trees, wrought iron fence, surrounded by brownstones.
• At the traffic light at the far end of the park, make a left. This is Adams Street. (The street sign in front of you will say Ashland Place, but you’re on the correct street).
• Make a left at the next light onto 4th Street.
• DeFazio’s Pizzeria will be on your right halfway up the block.