City, County leaders begin mapping out future of Pine Hills
ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Once The College of Saint Rose closes, nearly 90 buildings will be vacant. City and county leaders are now working to figure out the best use for that space.
“We can’t let these buildings get mothballed," County Executive Dan McCoy said. "There’s a lot of people reaching out to the Mayor’s office, reaching out to our office with great ideas that they’d like to see that property transformed into, but we’ve got to find the right model that works for everybody.”
McCoy said he met with Mayor Kathy Sheehan, and others, over the weekend to map out the next steps; including providing job opportunities to the faculty and staff who are now losing their jobs. McCoy said his office has already reached out to nearly 50 people who will be laid off at the end of the year.
Sheehan said she is confident the campus buildings will not sit empty.
“They’re too valuable I think there’s too much immediate interest in those buildings," Sheehan said. "I’ve received dozens of emails from parties that are interested in occupying part, or some, of the buildings on that campus. It’s in a wonderful, walkable neighborhood near a grocery store, near restaurants, so the value of that and those properties will lend itself to much faster redevelopment.”
Sheehan said the city is also reaching out to businesses in Pine Hills to reassure their concerns and keep them in the area.
“Find out what we can do to partner alongside those property owners to get those businesses reopened and make sure they continue to exist for that neighborhood," Sheehan said.
Owusu Anane, who represents Pine Hills on Albany's Common Council, said he is optimistic the neighborhood will bounce back.
“This is a great opportunity for the city to turn this crisis into an economic opportunity," Anane said. "I think as long as the community is leading it, it’s going to benefit not just the city, but it’s going to benefit the business community, the education center and we’re going to get back.”