downtown

A new chapter for old Schultz Building

Written January 5th, 2026 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 17 responses.

For more than a century, the Schultz Building has stood at 212 East First Ave. in Albany. Now the ground floor of the historic two-story brick structure is getting a new use.

Posted in: Bicycling, Commentary, News
Tags: downtown, East First Avenue, East First Street, Historic buildings, Landmarks Commission, Schultz Building

Saving historic ‘Briggs Building’ downtown

Written October 15th, 2025 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 9 responses.

A while back someone asked my why there was a giant tarp shrouding the front of a building in the 300 block of Albany’s N.W. First Avenue. The shroud was gone when I stopped the bike there Sunday, and everyone now can see the remodeling going on.

Posted in: Bicycling, Commentary, News
Tags: 333 NW First Avenue, Albany Downtown Association, Briggs Building, downtown, Main Street Grants

Dead trees downtown: What’s being done

Written July 27th, 2025 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 19 responses.

At a city council meeting this month, I think I heard that someone had complained about “dead trees” in downtown Albany. With nothing better to do on a Saturday evening bike ride, I went looking for these trees.

Posted in: Bicycling, Commentary, News
Tags: CARA streetcape, city forester, dead trees, downtown, street trees

Downtown housing: The latest addition

Written March 30th, 2025 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 2 responses.

Two buildings containing eight three-story townhouses are under construction in the 200 block of Southeast Third Avenue, the latest project by the Lepman organization to increase housing in and near Albany’s downtown.

Posted in: Bicycling, Commentary, News
Tags: Central Albany, downtown, housing, Lepman, Third Avenue Townhomes

What I learned from a food card visit

Written October 3rd, 2024 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 10 responses.

Sandwiched between Pacific Boulevard and Seventh Avenue in Albany, there is a lot that is partially paved but usually vacant. On a recent Sunday I saw a food cart there, so I stopped the bike for a closer look.

Posted in: Bicycling, Commentary, News
Tags: 237 Second S.E., brick & mortar restaurant, downtown, food carts, restaurants, SEcond Avenue

Fifteen years on, the zombie still flies

Written July 1st, 2024 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 11 responses.

Someone must have looked up from the street on First Avenue and didn’t like what they saw. Which may explain the email I got last week.

Posted in: Bicycling, Commentary, News
Tags: Albany downtown, downtown, Icarus, mural, murals, mythology, public art

A week later, checking on Water Avenue

Written March 5th, 2024 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 5 responses.

After a few days away, the bike and I returned to my Albany riverside beat on Monday and found that much had changed since the week before.

Posted in: Bicycling, Commentary, News
Tags: Albany Waterfront Project, Dave Clark Path, downtown, railroad crossings, riversidecrossinggs, Watter Avenue