Cemetery expands size and services

Nestled among tall shade trees and fountains that transform the grounds into a quiet place of repose and peaceful reflection, Most Holy Redeemer Cemetery sits inconspicuously on Route 7 in Niskayuna.

Its nearly 100 acres are hidden from the roadway by large stone arches. Within the cemetery, the noise of traffic melts away, and one immediately senses an atmosphere of tranquility.

Established in 1922 by Bishop Edmund Gibbons to serve the Catholic parishes of Schenectady, Scotia, Niskayuna and surrounding areas, Most Holy Redeemer is an Albany diocesan cemetery. The office staff also manages the cemeteries of Ss. Cyril and Method, St. Anthony's, Holy Cross and St. Mary's.

New space

Before it became a cemetery, the property was the Mesick Estate, and the original home and garage remain. Along with a secluded pond, they lend an historic note to the peaceful ambiance of the property.

A short drive in from the entrance sits a small brick building that serves as an office. Built between 1920 and 1924, it has become too small to accommodate the needs of the four staff members who work there.

According to Timothy Putorti, the assistant director of diocesan cemeteries and manager of Most Holy Redeemer, larger office space has been needed "in order to more completely serve the burial needs of families who come to the cemetery."

Expansion

The nearly completed structure stands just inside the cemetery's entrance. Made of brick and concrete, it is designed to enhance the services provided to the families of the area by increasing staff workspace and providing new services for burial plans.

"There will be two large rooms where family members can gather to make plans for burial, choose burial plots from a number of available options and view memorials from a 17-foot wall display," said Mr. Putorti. "A computer will be installed so people can view any of the several burial videos made available by the Cemeteries Office."

In addition, several software programs allow families to see the layout of the cemetery and choose an area where they hope to be buried.

Options

"We have many burial options from which to choose," Mr. Putorti noted. "Basically, it is up to the person and the family to decide what is best for them."

Burial options include traditional ground burial; lawn crypt gardens that provide burial space for two in a pre-installed, double depth concrete crypt; cremation with burial in a family lot or urn garden, or entombment in a niche in a community mausoleum, private mausoleum and family heritage lots; and community mausoleums that provide several options to meet the preferences and budgets of most families.

"Our goal is to make as many options available to the public as we can," said Mr. Putorti. "Each family, or person, has their own idea about what they want. We are here to meet their needs."

Mausoleum

Approximately 16,000 people are buried in the cemetery, but not all are in the ground. Under a separate project, a new mausoleum is being constructed.

"Two mausoleums have been on the grounds since the 1980s, and spaces in them have all been sold," he noted.

The new mausoleum has been designed to match the existing two. When completed, it will hold 1,104 new crypts for full casket burial and 300 niches for the burial of cremated remains. The building will provide both interior and exterior burial options.

Inside, a new memorial media kiosk is being installed in the entryway. Designed with state-of-the-art options, the kiosk will have a computer touch-screen where visitors may access a brief history of the cemetery and a detailed map, or locate any interred loved one buried on the grounds.

Artwork

The new mausoleum will include unique artwork. Two mosaics, made of Venetian glass smalti, will be permanently set into reinforced concrete. The mosaics will depict the Ave Maria and the Christian celebration of the new millennium, Jubilee 2000.

Placed at either end of the new building facing each other, they will be enhanced by light from several skylights, two chandeliers and large windows at the back of the building.

These windows will look out on landscaped grounds where a shrine of the Pieta will be erected in the spring.