From this bench and bike rack outside what used to be Wells Fargo Bank you now have a view of a nicely groomed gravel lot ready for development.
Under the terms of the city contract, the demolition of the former Wells Fargo branch in downtown Albany had to be finished by the end of June. Laneco, the Portland-based contractor, got the job done with three weeks to spare.
Last week the demolition of the century-old building was complete and the hole left by the basement filled. By today, the gravel had been smoothed and the fence around the site at 300 W. First Ave. removed.
Sidewalk benches installed a few years ago as part of the CARA district’s downtown streetscape project used to face the outside walls of the building. Now they overlook the vacant lot and a newly paved length of asphalt sidewalk.
The city council hopes a developer will become interested in the lot, buy it and build a combination of commercial and residential structure on it. “No offers yet,” said Sophie Adams, the city’s acting manager of economic development, on Monday.
For now, the lot seems to resemble a function CARA consultant George Crandall envisioned a dozen years ago. Crandall’s downtown “downtown retail refinement plan” of 2011 proposed that the Wells Fargo property be converted into an open central plaza.
What will actually happen there? We’ll just have to wait and see over the coming years. (hh)
That’s a wide band of asphalt around the leveled lot. The view is northwest along First Avenue.
It looks so small with the building gone
Why doesn’t the city council use this for the hotel they want to put in and save the parking lot we need?!
Albany Needs More Downtown Parking!!
Hopefully it will be a parking garage
Does the city require any new structure to be of a design that is harmonious with and does not detract from the charm of our historic downtown?
Perhaps some small music groups with a canopy for the musicians. Very little amplification. Lunch concerts for summer and fall. Music always does the heart and soul good! The canopy comes down afterwards. No muss, no fuss, but MUSIC!
Few things are as attractive and compelling as sitting on a bench overlooking a gravel-covered empty lot. This will be certain to draw hundreds of additional people to the downtown core.
If you’re advocating an open plaza like Crandall wanted, then the city council needs to dictate that the blighted backsides of the “historic-contributing” properties on Broadalbin (Natty Dresser, Pix) be improved at the owner’s expense.
The ugliness doesn’t strengthen the historic character of downtown. Look at those inappropriate black windows! Look at those garbage cans! How revolting.
Food Cart Court…?? Just spit-ballin’ an idea.