Recommendation of the Site Selection Sub-Committee

The site selection sub-committee of the Albany County Convention Center Authority (ACCA) is ready to make a recommendation to the full authority board that will narrow the preferred site for the development of Albany’s convention center.

The sub-committee had based this recommendation on the following factors:

• Site selection criteria developed by the sub-committee and reviewed and adopted by the ACCA in March 2006.  A copy is Attached.
• Public comment provided to the sub-committee at its 6/27 public comment meeting.
• Further comment provided by the NYS Office of General Services.

It is important to note that this narrower preferred site is being established for the purposes of preparing a Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) which is key to the Plan for Development that the ACCA is charged with producing.  The boundaries, we believe, are those that will be helpful in understanding how a convention center will work within the confines of Albany’s compact downtown area.  The Center will be located within the preferred site; the center will not encompass the entire site.

In its deliberations, the committee noted several priority criteria that will be identified to the GEIS consulting team as important to the ACCA and more generally to Albany.

• Historic resources within the preferred site.  Several including Plaza Row (Broadway), Liberty Park (Hudson Ave.) and 48 Hudson Avenue will require careful review and analysis.
• Connectivity to downtown, to and between other major assembly facilities (Pepsi Arena and Empire State Plaza Convention Center and to governmental buildings.)

The preferred site for the preparation of a GEIS that the sub-committee is recommending is bounded on the south by Madison Avenue, on the north by State Street, on the east by Broadway and on the west by South Pearl Street.  The sub-committee believes that this preferred site will provide the most cost effective building solution; that is required minimal demolition and that it will ultimately provide new amenities and enhanced public facilities for nearby residents.

It should be noted that this is just the beginning of the process initiating the Plan for Development and that no immediate action is anticipated that will impact any parcel or building within the preferred site for GEIS study.

Preferred Site with Boundaries Only [pdf*160 KB]

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