Albany, New York
Columbia was selected to begin the transformation of Park South, one of Albany’s busiest, yet deteriorating neighborhoods, by sparking public and private investments.
485,000 Total SF
5 Medical, Office and Mixed-Use Buildings
2 Parking Structures - Over 2,300 Spaces
3 Apartment Buildings
Project Start 2008
Project Completion 2016
Columbia Development was selected to begin the transformation of one of the city’s busiest yet deteriorating neighborhoods by sparking public and private investments in its reconstruction and rehabilitation. As with all of its projects, Columbia Development was (and still is) committed to making the Park South neighborhood transformation as positive and efficient as possible for the City, its residents and businesses.
Park South connects Albany’s historic downtown to one of the region’s largest employers—Albany Medical Center—as well as several colleges including the Albany Medical Center College, Albany Law School, Albany College of Pharmacy and the Sage Colleges. Each day there are 7,000 Albany Medical Center employees and 1,000 students working around the clock within two blocks of Park South.
SERVICES
Joint Venture Partnership
Fee Developer
Market & Site Analysis
Construction Management
Property Manager
The project aimed to eliminate the blight that plagued the neighborhood and replace it with vibrant new buildings which fit into the vision of the City’s Planning Department. The project also increased residents’ access to essential community services and create employment opportunities in a low-income area.
485K
Total SF
5
City Blocks
60+
Tax Parcels
Restoring Residential and Commercial Vitality to an Essential Connector Neighborhood
Goals
Provide retail, medical and administrative offices with associated parking facilities to AMC in a confined, urban environment
Spur private investment and neighborhood quality of life improvements
Create new construction and permanent jobs, retain existing jobs
Transform vacant, abandoned and deteriorated properties into an attractive “Gateway to Albany Med”
Provide new residential options in neighborhood
Municipally and federally designated Urban Renewal Area
Environmental remediation (asbestos containing building materials, lead based paint, abandoned fuel tanks, etc.)
5-block stretch marred by blight, crime and absentee ownership
Over 60 tax parcels
New construction in constricted, urban area with little maneuverability
28% of the residents live in poverty, 44% below the median income level
The Sites and Challenges
The Projects
In Order of Completion
22 New Scotland Avenue | 2008
5-Story, 77,370 SF Administrative Office Building for Albany Medical Center
Acquired and merged parcels 20 and 22 New Scotland
Retained and relocated 300 Albany Medical Center jobs including 240 professional and 60 skilled positions
Created approximately 225 construction jobs
Record-setting five month construction
16 New Scotland Avenue | 2009
3-Story, 54,000 SF Medical Office and Retail Building
Environmental remediation of a a 2-acre area of residential and commercial structures and construction a 54,000 square foot, three-story medical office and retail building with related parking.
Tenants include a CVS pharmacy and SEFCU credit union (both with drive-thru) on the first floor and new Class-A medical offices and educational facilities on the second and third floors
Created over 120 new jobs, including 28 physicians
Employed 200 construction jobs
40 New Scotland Avenue | 2010
1,500 Car Parking Structure
Constructed a 1,500 car parking facility behind what is now the 50 New Scotland Avenue building for Albany Medical Center. The garage operates as a community parking facility, equipped with a keycard entry and security systems, addressing the parking needs created by the revitalization
Created 9-12 permanent skilled positions upon completion.
Created approximately 200 construction positions
67 Veterans Way | 2010
3-Story, 33,000 SF US Department of Veteran Affairs Administrative Office Building
In order to secure necessary land from the Federal Government to build the parking garage and the office building at 40 and 50 New Scotland Avenue, Columbia Development travelled to Washington, DC and negotiated with Veteran Affairs officials to lease the land in exchange for the construction of the new office building for Veterans Affairs
Constructed a 3-story, 33,000 square foot office building with a partial basement. The new building consists of modern furniture with removable and replaceable cubical walls
50 New Scotland Avenue | 2011
9-Story, 67,000 SF Mixed-Use Medical Office and Retail Building
Developed a 9-story, 67,000 square foot mixed-use medical office/retail building for Albany Medical Center
8,000 square feet workout facility with breathtaking views on the 9th floor
Integrated connections to both adjacent parking structures and to AMC main campus across New Scotland Ave
Panera bakery and café on the first floor
Created 135 construction jobs, 175 permanent full-time jobs and 75 permanent part-time positions
Built a connector from parking structure, to new building at 50 New Scotland Ave, to main hospital campus
405 Myrtle Avenue | 2015
6-Story, 816 Car Parking Structure
Developed a 6-story, 816 car parking garage for Albany Medical Center
Integrated connection to the adjacent medical office building (391 Myrtle Avenue)
The parking garage supports the development of the Park South neighborhood and is utilized by Albany Medical Center and by the new residential apartments being constructed
First parking structure in Park South
Garage has exterior upgrades for aesthetic purpose
391 Myrtle Avenue | 2016
5-Story, 135,000 SF Medical Office Building
Developed a 5-story, 135,000 square foot medical office building for Albany Medical Center
Built pedestrian connector bridge from MOB to hospital
Integrated connection to the adjacent parking garage (405 Myrtle Avenue)
Tenants include Albany Medical Center (AMC Neurology, AMC OB/GYN and AMC General Pediatrics), Community Care Physicians (CCP Albany Family Medicine and CCP Urgent Care) and the Albany Vascular Group
The medical office building is home to 420 total employees
The Brownstone Apartments at
Park South | 2010
Complex 1 - 54,000 SF, 48 Unit Apartment
Complex 2 - 27,000 SF, 24 Unit Apartment
Complex 3 - 38,000 SF, 36 Unit Apartment
Columbia assisted in the site design and acquiring of all site plan approvals for the three complexes: 119,000 square feet of residential space for Tri-City Rentals
Two more complexes (Complex 4 and 5) for a total of 73,000 square feet of residential space still to be built
Well-designed one and two bedroom apartments
Apartments feature gourmet kitchens with stainless steel appliances, granite or quartz counter-tops, and contemporary custom cabinetry
Living and dining rooms have plank flooring, 9 foot ceilings, with over-sized windows
The spacious bathrooms feature tile floors, granite counters, tubs and elegant showers
Transforming Neighborhoods
Building Now and for the Future
Infrastructure
Traffic Improvements
Shared lane for motorists and cyclists; Crosswalks for pedestrians; designated turning lanes on New Scotland Avenue; new traffic signals; traffic signal upgrades; Roadway striping improvements
Streetscape Improvements
Where possible, buried existing overhead electrical and communications lines for improved appearance; Where infrastructure remained overhead, new poles installed; New decorative street lighting, wider stamped concrete sidewalks; new trees and planters
Waterline
Replace old City water mains as required