Groundbreaking was held Thursday for a zero emission apartment building in downtown Albany.
Heralded as a "zero-emission mixed-use multifamily building," the $22 million dollar "Industrie Apartments" project occupies what once was a parking lot along Broadway, not far from the newly opened Albany Skyway, the Mohawk-Hudson Hike-Bike Trail and the Capital Repertory Theatre.
Jeff Mirel with Rosenblum Development Corporation shared project details.
“Industrie will utilize fully electrified systems, including air source heat pumps for space conditioning and energy recovery ventilation, combined with an enhanced building envelope and smart building controls to achieve at least 30% higher efficiency than a code compliant building," said Mirel. "By increasing efficiency and offsetting energy use with a planned rooftop solar array, no fossil fuels will be used in building operations. Moreover, continuously filtered ventilation, controlled humidity, elimination of combustible pollutants and the use of low VOC materials will provide superior air quality and disease resistance, particularly relevant after COVID, for our residents.”
Mirel says tenants will enjoy "healthy, comfortable low-carbon living" and environmentally friendly amenities and services, including recycling, heated indoor bicycle storage and universal access to the CDTA transit system
“Taken from the Dutch spelling, Industrie alludes to the activity and the enterprise that drove Albany's growth from trade settlement into a bustling commercial hub at its peak in the middle of the last century," Mirel said. "That same spirit now fuels the city's downtown resurgence.”
Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan praises the Net Zero approach the developers are applying to the project, just down the hill from her residence. She says the site sat idle for many years and presents "some pretty unique challenges."
“We are so excited that you're able to make this site work, make it innovative, make this something that is aspirational for many, but needs to become the reality of building and one of the things that we're building into all of our RFPs as we go forward,” said Sheehan.
Apartments will become available in phases beginning in the summer of 2023. Leasing information has not yet been disclosed.
