The Port of Albany has become a critical component of the city’s revitalization.
Citizens of New York's Capital City are more aware of Albany's riverfront presence - whether it be the association of the port with the notorious oil trains or the importance of the facility as a hub of commerce. However you look at it, the port of Albany is becoming more critical to the downtown renaissance. General Manager Rich Hendrick is enthusiastic about the future and grateful to receive federal funding for an upgrade. "The grant that Senator Schumer secured for us through the TIGER grant program is the middle piece of all of the expansion that the port is going to undertake in the next few years. We're building a new dock at the south end of the facility which will incorporate a roll-on roll-off slip for barge traffic. That traffic that we plan coming in which is heavy lifting project cargo will move from the new portion of the dock to a new warehouse that's being built at the north end of the facility."
U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer says the upgrade will enable the port to support the regional manufacturers that are developing next-generation technology equipment. "There's gonna be an increased need for electrification upgrades in the Northeast over the next five years. Interested manufacturers have already contacted the port about transportation assistance, saying they'll need the ability to efficiently ship large cargo if they're gonna capitalize on this. Large parts of the globe, overseas, they're getting electricity now. Who makes the stuff that makes them electricity? Well, GE and Siemens."
Hendrick says the grant money will be used to renovate and repave the entire marine terminal, upgrade docks and build new solar-powered warehouses. "Last year we became the 100th member of "Green Marine," an envrionmental group that works towards making all of the ports energy efficient and environmentally sound."
Hendrick says the port is looking into a 25 percent expansion by buying land in the Town of Bethlehem - which could attract more companies to locate there. "It's actually an 80-acre piece of property that is somewhat contiguous to the south end of the port. It's separated by the Norman's Kill Creek. It's land that runs from the Norman's Kill Creek down to the PSEG power plant which in the past was the Niagara Mohawk steam-generating plant. It's east of Route 144 in Glenmont (Bethlehem). It has 3000 foot of waterfront. We hired a company to do a strategic assessment for us back in February of this year. The early direction we got from them was that the capabilities and abilities of the port it's necessary to expand."
The land includes easy access to road, water and rail. Once environmental and traffic studies are completed, and there are no issues, land can be cleared.
Hendrick wants residents to know the port isn't just handling oil - there's a large grain facility, with thousands of tons of flour regularly moving through the port along with other food-grade wheat products. Wood pulp, scrap metal, fertilizer and Molasses also make up a good chunk of port activity.
I asked Hendrick what he'd like to see the port become by the time he's ready to retire. "The staff here is very energetic and we're all behind all these expansions. I would love to see all of that completed and employment continue to grow. You know it's a great day when we can hire more people that are working on the docks and everything down here. This place will be a much better place when I leave than when I came."
New construction and expansion projects at the port are expected to be completed by the end of 2018.
