ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Thursday night was the second installment of three Reimagine St. Rose workshops giving the community the opportunity to come together and share their visons for the former college campus.
Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox!
“St. Rose the monster that ate Pine Hills.” Albany County Historian Jack McEneny spoke up even when his voice was giving out. He said the McEneny family has been in the Pine Hills neighborhood for over 90 years and said some of the buildings should be used for what they were intended for, education. But he also said there is a need for essential housing, “They can easily put some affordable apartments in there and plenty of room to live. And I said, that’s how you rebuild the neighborhood.”
Some of the Pine Hills neighbors who showed up to the last workshop attended Thursday’s meeting as well. “People were making presentations, and they were fabulous presentations. I was very interested; they were very informative.” Wendy Kennedy said she was told at the last meeting she could request to take on a more active role in the process, “We were told that we could put our name in a box and request to be put on a breakout committee, and someone would contact us. I had my name on more lists and put my name twice in the box. Nobody contacted me.”
“Reimagine Saint Rose” workshops begin, public vision shared
As Wendy awaits a response, Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple said he is moving forward with taking up space on the former campus. “If you don’t use them, you’re going to lose them. And from the time that I’ve come in and out of these buildings over the last few months just trying to lock down where we were going to go, I can see the change in the buildings.” Apple said if all goes well and after the paint dries, they will be up and running in their new location by November. “I think it’s a great repurpose of the building. You’re getting a lot more security in the area, which also helps with crime deterrence, moves vagrants along. So, I think it’s a good thing for the area. And I look forward to meeting some of our neighbors.”
The sheriff wants county residents to know that their downtown office is still the place to go, for now. “I wanted to get the administration up here. Then they can oversee the next phase, which is the building behind us. It will be the civil and the internal affairs and pistol permits bureau, H.R. all of that stuff and I just want to make sure that the public knows continue to use 16 Eagle Street. That is still is where our civil office is,” explained the sheriff…