An Albany County land authority is moving forward with plans to build a housing complex for older adults on the former College of Saint Rose campus.
The proposal calls for the construction of a four-story apartment complex with roughly 160 one- and two-bedroom units for adults 55 and older. Up to 17 campus buildings, including two former dorm complexes, would be demolished as part of the project.
Albany County Executive Dan McCoy said he knows some people will be unhappy with the demolition, but he said some of the residential buildings on the chopping block are beyond repair.
"We have to make this work. It costs a lot of money to maintain these buildings and the infrastructure," McCoy told reporters. "Trust me when I say this. So we need to be due diligence, listen to, to the people, but also move in in a way that we can have an overall project we can all be proud of."
The Albany County Pine Hills Land Authority board selected the project put forward by Jankow Companies after soliciting proposals from developers and seriously considering two others.
The authority is now entering formal negotiations with Jankow, but nothing is final.
Other parts of the Saint Rose campus are being used to house county offices and provide exercise classes and other recreational programming.
