Empire State Plaza

The Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller Empire State Plaza is a unique architectural masterpiece which houses 11,000 New York employees in a complex of ten buildings. The Plaza offers a world-class modern art collection, New York State’s Museum, Library and Archives, a distinctive performing arts center, convention center and more. It serves as a monument to the diversity and significance of New York, and also as a testament to Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller, whose determination and vision brought about its creation.

http://www.ogs.ny.gov/esp/

State Tree 2021

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On December 1, 2021 they will continuing to put lights on the state tree, and had it lit up for testing. It's not common to see the tree all lit up like it was this morning during the daylight.

Taken on Wednesday December 1, 2021 at Empire State Plaza.

Autumn Holdouts

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The Empire State Plaza is often warmer then other locations and autumn holds on a bit longer then most other area in the region.

Taken on Monday November 9, 2015 at Empire State Plaza.

Progress Toward Powering the Empire State Plaza with Renewable Energy – Sheridan Hollow Alliance for Renewable Energy

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Progress Toward Powering the Empire State Plaza with Renewable Energy – Sheridan Hollow Alliance for Renewable Energy

Representatives of the Sheridan Hollow Alliance for Renewable Energy (SHARE), the New York Power Authority (NYPA) and the NY State Office of General Services (OGS) met on December 15, 2021 for an update on the energy-related work being done on the Empire State Plaza.

Several years ago, SHARE successfully advocated for the state agencies to drop their former plan to build a gas-fueled combined heat and power plant in the Sheridan Hollow neighborhood to provide heating, cooling and electricity to the Empire State Plaza and other governmental buildings in downtown Albany. In September, 2019, NYPA and OGS announced a revised plan that included partially converting the Plaza’s cooling system to electric power in place of steam, installing LED lighting, replacing the emergency generator with one that is less polluting, and getting electricity from a solar farm that would be built at an old airport in Oriskany, Oneida County.

In the December 15 meeting, NYPA and OGS reported that one of the steam-powered chillers has been replaced with a new 6,500 Ton electric chiller. It will need to be tested further but work on it is expected to be finished in the summer of 2022. Two new 500 Ton electric chillers for data protection are installed and running. The exterior lighting has been changed to LED and the interior lighting is still being changed.