Five years after it was adopted, Albany’s law on excluding “persistent” criminals from the central part of town has proved either useless or unnecessary. Either way, it is not being applied.
The Albany City Council has shown no sign of wanting to go along with a request to repeal the city’s “enhanced law enforcement area,” a law it passed three years ago to keep persistent petty criminals out of the central part of town.
The city council has asked for a report on Albany’s so-called Enhanced Law Enforcement Area, including how often it has been enforced. Another question might be: Does the public know what or where it is?
Aimlessly wandering around central Albany, as I did on New Year’s Day, you come across an interesting sight now and then. Today’s example: the storefront in the two-story brick building at 212 First Ave. S.E.
Albany city officials want more building and business downtown. To that end they’re launching a review of the city development code, hoping to get rid of regulations that needlessly stymie developers and builders.
If you are not a member of the advisory board of the Central Albany Revitalization Area, be glad. The board faces a very tricky choice next week. If it attempts to support the city’s police and fire building projects with a big enough sum to make a difference — say $5 million or so — it would essentially gut […]
An open plaza for now, as a 2011 plan said
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.
Tags: CARA district, Central Albany, downtown Albany, Laneco Demolition, urban renewal, Wells Fargo lot