Albany’s Greatest Opportunity

BY SCHUYLER BULL

Downtown Albany was never perfect: the evolution from a small trading fort to one of the ten most populous cities in the US (at the time) comes with its fair share of growing pains. Progress spurred by the Erie Canal and rapid population growth rendered the waterfront an active industrial port clogged with boat traffic, sewage, soot, and trash. But Albany’s citizens knew they could do better and launched a bold plan to do just that.

The proponents of Albany’s City Beautiful Movement addressed these issues through the redevelopment of Broadway; the cramped street was widened, and a parklike plaza was created in front of a new, ornate D&H Building that conveniently blocked the sights and smells of the Hudson. It’s construction seamlessly integrated and improved the existing built environment. Spared from the overzealous wrecking ball of Urban Renewal, the D&H has become a majestic symbol of our downtown.

Broadway, circa 1900

Over the years, however, additional attempts to modernize downtown failed to account for responsible development. Historic neighborhoods, churches, theaters, and retail corridors were reduced to rubble, only to be replaced with overbuilt structures lacking humanity and dividing large swaths of our city. While most of us enjoy the occasional concert, the striking skyline, or even a breezy commute, the benefits of such pleasures come at a great cost and stand as a perpetual reminder of the mistakes of the past.

An overbuilt highway divides a city.

Cities throughout the world have since realized the destructive nature of overbuilt highways, and Albany possesses a prime example of such excess. By removing the aging concrete and steel overpasses, we have a rare chance to heal the scars of the past and rebuild responsible, scaled, and valuable communities like the ones that once stood in their place.

Never before have we had the chance to reclaim our downtown and waterfront as we do now. Do we want to settle and believe that this is the best we can do for our beloved city? Do we want the next generation of Albanians to look back and ponder what could have been, or instead celebrate the courageous actions of its citizens who rallied to unite neighborhoods long divided, generated sustainable tax revenue for the City, and made amends for decades of disinvestment and inaction? I think it’s fair to say that this is, quite simply, Albany’s greatest opportunity. •

Schuyler Bull owns the Fort Orange General Store on Broadway.