Bulldozing the Albany Pine Bush

They paved paradise and put up a parking lot,
With a pink hotel, a boutique,
And a swinging hot spot.
Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone?

They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.
They took all the trees and put them in a tree museum.
And they charged all the people
A dollar and a half just to see ’em.

Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone?
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.

Dusk From The GAL

The closed GAL (Greater Albany Landfill) in the Albany Pine Bush at 385 feet above sea level is almost as high as some of the highest dunes in Pine Bush and with just a grass cover, makes for a good place to view the sunset, especially on Saturday evening when the landfill is closed.

Taken on Saturday February 15, 2020 at The GAL.

Contours

Looking up at the closed Greater Albany Landfill at about 385 feet elevation to the top of the Rapp Road Landfill which is about 45 feet or 5 stories higher.

Taken on Saturday February 15, 2020 at The GAL.

Before Crossgates Maul

Before Crossgates Maul

A 3D rendering of what a bird would have seen flying over the area near where the Thruway and Northway meet over US 20, looking out at the area that would become Crossgates Maul. 

1973 Crossgates Mall

1973 Crossgates Mall

By 1973 the area around the future Crossgates Mall was much more built up but still a fair amount of open space remained and the area of the mall was still fairly heavily forested.