Capital Region state lawmakers are introducing a bill to require housing and retail space on Albany's Harriman Campus as part of the Wadsworth Labs project.
Senator Pat Fahy and Assemblymembers John McDonald and Gabriella Romero, all Democrats, want to see part of the Harriman Campus transformed from a 1960s "car culture" era parking lot-dominated area to a mixed-use, walkable, "transit-oriented development." Fahy, now representing the 46th district, has led a decade-long effort to restore Wadsworth Lab to its former glory as a national epicenter of health, science and technological research. She says it makes sense to factor "mixed use" into the equation.
"So fast forward these 10 years," said Fahy. "Since then, a design has been proposed, and we have worked with a host of colleagues. In fact, I think we did a letter with every single city council member, unanimous support from the Albany city council, to say, 'let's take full advantage of the multiplier effect.' At this point, the design is 27 acres, which is to my left and all behind us. 27 acres and almost half, little over half of those 27 acres would be for the footprint of the labs themselves, with the rest of it going to a parking lot."
Benjamin MacKrell with Capital Streets says developing mixed use, residential, commercial and retail space on the Harriman campus will attract employees to Albany.
"Retaining a campus with no transit oriented or walkable development means that the Harriman campus remains a black hole to over 20% of the Albany households who do not have access to a car," said MacKrell, who adds "today’s talented employees are not excited about a life in which they drive to an office campus surrounded by parking lots only then to drive back to their homes in the suburbs."
The legislation requires the Office of General Services to repurpose 7 acres for the new development, falling under the $1.7 billion dollar Wadsworth Public Health Laboratory project. Romero, days into her first term representing the 109th district, says the legislation represents the kind of forward thinking that will "pay dividends for generations to come."
"We look towards the future and we think bigger, and we kind of think 'next,' think large, and think community about this, this really exciting new space," Romero said. "And this legislation that we're about to introduce is about creating this balance. Supporting the lab's mission, while fostering the growth of small business, providing more housing and making our neighborhoods more walkable and more accessible."
McDonald, from the 108th district, says the Wadsworth project, expected to be completed by 2030, aligns with Governor Kathy Hochul's vision for downtown revitalization and sustainable growth.
"For over 25 years I've been hearing about 'we need to do some development on Harriman'. 'We need to do some development on Harriman.' 'We need to do some development on Harriman.' And it's time to actually do some development on Harriman campus. We know that Wadsworth lab is known, not only statewide, not only nationally, but internationally, as being the public health lab in the world. We are going to attract, we already have talented folks already working there, we are going to attract even more talented individuals to call New York State, and specifically Albany, home. It's critical that we advance this legislation, which will not impede this project whatsoever, because all approvals have actually already been done. We need to advance this effort to build the new homes, the new opportunities for the people that are going to call the Capital Region home," said McDonald.
