The conversion of this building near Hackleman Park has been completed. (Photographed on March 21, 2023)
The bike occasionally takes me past the 1100 block on Sixth Avenue across from Hackleman Park in central Albany. Last week I noticed how the area has been spruced up with the completion of this building’s conversion to an apartment house.
I wrote about this building in June 2021, when the city’s planning commission approved a conditional use permit to convert it to 13 apartments and make improvements to the site.
At that time, the property was owned by a Portland firm. The following month, according to county tax records, an Albany-based real estate investment company, Circle 6 Holdings LLC, bought it for $1,050,000.
I’ve been told the property may have been part of the Veal Chair Factory, which closed in 1982. But I’m not sure of that. Captions under historical photos place the longtime Albany furniture factory between Sixth and Seventh, meaning south of Sixth. But this building is on the north side of the street.
In any case, the city’s online file of building permits summarizes the 2021 application for alterations as “converting existing factory use to multifamily apartment.”
An entry from 2006 in the city’s files mentions an inspection to see what changes would be needed for the structure to be used as apartments. The notation adds: “Site was previously approved for 13 motel units and RV park.”
Apartments require a conditional use permit in the Main Street Zone, which includes this site. The planning commission took care of that and cleared the way for the conversion that has now been completed.
I didn’t get a look inside the units. But from the outside the complex looks pretty spiffy — a gleaming new sidewalk, landscaping, a stormwater swale, and even a covered parking space for bikes. (hh)
From across the street, the place looked like this on March 15.
Good location, uses existing infrastructure, didn’t destroy agricultural land – lots to like.
Thanks, Hasso, for writing about those new apartments. There are a lot of things we wouldn’t know about if it weren’t for you and your bike!
If these are the same units on apartmentlist.com….
1 bath studio with 600 square feet goes for $1,495/month
Plus $50/month flat fee for utilities.
Household income of 2.5 times monthly rent is required (approx $45k/year).
Not exactly what I would consider the “low income/affordable housing” that the politicians always harp for.
Many no skill, entry level jobs are paying over $20/hr, undeservedly, so 45k is about what they are making. Keep raising the minimum wage and the cost of everything else goes up. They’ll keep raising the rent and everything else. I know it’s tough math for democrats.
Can you leave the bike out of the picture? It detracts from the reason for the photo.
Sorry, no. This blog is largely about what I see from the bike while riding around places.
Hasso,
Nice touch adding your bike. I think you should add a bike to the “Hasso Hering” headline. You do a service that some people don’t appreciate or even get. It’s all about the branding as you know. Thank you for all the info you provide.
Am I reading the sign correctly?
1127-1195 6th Ave SW
??? Isn’t that over by the hospital ???
It’s on SouthEAST Sixth. Your previous comment about the rent was right.
The sign appears to say SW (meaning south WEST).
A typo, I presume, on their part.
You are reading it correct though. Looks like a mistake was made.
It’s by the habitat humanity restore, the skate park & the park….
Is this beside Habitat for Humanity?
Yes, it’s on the same block as Habitat’s Restore.
Nice to see a story where people aren’t complaining about the City of Albany, who issued the necessary permits and approved the construction.
The idea that Albany city government knows best what economic choices a private entity should make is humorous to most of us.
Requiring city permission and approval is simple arrogance exceeded only by its ignorance.
Government intervention stifles freedom and prosperity. The best role for local government is to get out of the way.
Good grief, Gordon. Just button it up. Fer god’s sake….
I agree, good job! Worse is the role of the state, where they prepare to toughen their existing rent control law. Perhaps, it’s an attempt to buy votes with apartment owners’ equity, but the effect will accordingly be less new such construction. It’s time to get rid of the current majorities in state government.
If that’s the true rent per month for that apartment, that is insane! That is more than a house payment. Where is our low rents situated in Albany anymore?
No it isn’t. Unless you can find a house for less than $250,000 and have 20% to put down. Good luck
My husband now was living in one of those apartments in 2002 before moving to Sodaville with me and my children to be closer to work and because we decided that we were going to get married in 2003 in which we did, and that I would quit my job at the time and care for his two orphan children at that time, cause both their mamas had passed away from health complications, one in 1996 and the other in 2001