Locals look forward to potential for Central Warehouse area
ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – Locals have reimagined what the Central Warehouse area could look like once it’s torn down. Many would like to see waterfront access.
Soon, the rundown Central Warehouse in downtown Albany will be a thing of the past.
“It’s a problem that it’s been there for so long with no development and kind of the first thing you see coming off the highway,” said Jill Delaney who is the president and CEO of Discover Albany, the county’s official tourism promotion agency.
Delaney, and many others, have mixed emotions about the impending Central Warehouse demolition, but ultimately most agree it’s time for it to come down. It’s something Delaney welcomes.
“It certainly isn’t representative of downtown and the skyline that we want people to see when they’re envisioning Albany,” said Delaney.
So what does represent Albany? Delaney believes it can be found buried underneath the warehouse.
“One thing that really stands out to me about this opportunity is that it sits at what was once lock one of the Erie Canal. That is a major piece of history that we have literally buried,” said Delaney.
The original lock one on the Erie Canal is something that should be celebrated, Delaney said, adding, to rediscover it would drive more revenue in the area.
“A lot of restaurants and craft beverage producers are already there, imagine what it could do if we could dock some boats there,” said Delaney.
In a statement Redburn Development Partners, the last owners of the property, said:
“There sometimes is victory in defeat. And we look forward to working with our partners to get the building down and remove this blight from the skyline."
No word yet on when the demolition is set to begin.