Josh Landes: And now an update to our ongoing coverage of the Pine Hills Land Authority taking charge of the former campus of the College of Saint Rose here in Albany. We are joined now by Cailin Brown from the WAMC news team.
Hello, Cailin. Hey, Josh.
I understand the Pine Hills Land authority took a significant step today in plans to redevelop the campus of the College of St rose.
Cailin Brown: They did, Josh. At a public meeting in the former Lally School of Education, the Authority approved the county's request to buy five properties on the 27-acre campus. The county has agreed to spend $6 million to buy five buildings, two of those along Western Avenue, the Events and Recreation Center formerly used by the college's sports teams and everyday athletes, along with the Hellman Library, named after a patron of the college who once operated a rather popular theater on Washington Avenue years and years ago. And the authority also approved the county's bid to buy three significant buildings along Madison Ave., the college's Administration building, which was once the Pine Hills Library as well as the Huether School of Business and the Hearst Center for Communications and Interactive Media.
Josh: Now, as I understand it, members of the public got to weigh in before the authorities vote. What's the temperature for folks out there? How are they feeling about this step forward?
Cailin: Well, the residents in the neighborhood were the primary contributors during this segment of the meeting today. They were supportive of the county's decision to buy the Events and Recreation Center, and they were also supportive of the decision to buy the Hellman library.
Josh: How about any pushback? Any residents who opposed any of these sales?
Cailin: There actually were. Several of those residents weighed in today, Josh. A number of the speakers asked the authority to reconsider approving the sale of the Hearst, Huether and Administration buildings. Neighbors suggested those buildings might be differently used for purposes more beneficial to the neighborhood, including for an arts district.
Josh: Now, how did the Land Authority respond to that feedback?
Cailin: Well, the Chief Executive Officer of the authority, Kevin O'Connor, said that the county's investment in the property will serve as a catalyst for further investment from elsewhere. He compared the county presence as similar to that of an anchor tenant at a shopping mall. Anchors, he said, essentially get a better rate for investing first in property after the initial investment. He said more investors generally will follow.
Josh: What about all the residential houses on campus, particularly the standalone houses that were once family homes.
Cailin: One of the residents at the meeting, Margie Skinner, has lived in the neighborhood for a long time, and she attended two of the three public meetings held on campus where the Land Authority was encouraging input from the neighborhood. She asked today that a meeting be held for residents to hear the results of the final report, and she recalled that most feedback focused on neighbors wanting affordable housing on campus. Let's take a listen.
Marggie Skinner: I always saw housing 24/7, occupancy, senior housing, mixed use buildings. I don't remember seeing a big government sign there, and I just wonder, hope, that you will get to the priorities that came up at the public meetings.
Josh: Now Cailin, what other issues were residents concerned about?
Cailin: Well, Skinner mentioned that the county's decision to use the former Interfaith Sanctuary on Madison for a faith-based operation was a good idea. But she also questioned how a government entity could host or allow space for an initiative centered around faith.
Josh: Reports have noted that the University at Albany and the Henry Johnson Charter School have both expressed interest in space on the campus. Did that come up today?
Cailin: It did come up. The University has expressed interest in the old dormitory space called Centennial Hall, and the Henry Johnson Charter School has an interest in the former science building, which runs between Western and Madison. In his comments, the land authority's O'Connor suggested that criticism about these tenants on the campus was either hypocritical or racist.
Kevin O'Connor: If it's if it's okay for the University of Albany to buy an asset here, it should be okay for the Henry Johnson Charter School to buy an asset on this campus. I don't know what the difference between the two is. I doubt it's the populations that they serve. Henry Johnson serves Black and brown children, right? Because we want them on this campus. And the University of Albany serves middle income students or upper middle income students. So, you know, I think we've all got to be intellectually honest in our assessment of what's going on in this campus.
Cailin: State Education Department data shows the Albany City School District has a total of 8,434 students enrolled in public schools in kindergarten through grade 12. A total of 39% of those students are black, 24% are Hispanic or Latino, 17% are white, and another 20% fall under the categories of Asian, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander or multiracial. At the Henry Johnson Charter School, which is interested in the campus, about a mile from Saint Rose, is where it is located, 65% of the students are black, 23% are Hispanic or Latino, 6% are American Indian or Alaska Native, and 1% are white. Meanwhile, at the University at Albany, interested in the Centennial Hall property, 49% of the student body is white, 16% is Hispanic or Latino, and 10% is Black.
Josh: WAMC's, Cailin Brown. Cailin, thank you so much for the report.
Cailin: Thank you, Josh.
