more than 30 years now, various politicians, civil engineers, businessmen and all kinds of entrepreneurial spirits have debated how best to use the Corning Preserve.

Since that area, a small strip of land between downtown Albany and the Hudson River, was first dedicated as the Corning Preserve in 1978, work has been done to enhance its parklike presence and to improve its accessibility from downtown. And, while many grandiose plans to enhance the area have been scrapped or put on the shelf, the Corning Preserve has nonetheless evolved into a nice escape from the urban landscape of downtown Albany.