If the state hadn't decided to stay downtown and build the Empire Plaza, where would Albany be today?
There are many critics of the Empire State Plaza. Many are revisionists of history or misplace their hopes in a city that could have survived without the state’s massive intervention by creating the Empire Plaza. But I have to wonder what would have happened to the City of Albany, had the Empire Plaza never been built, and the alternative of building out the suburban State Office Campus next to SUNY become a reality.
When the Governor’s Mansion downtown burned in 1961, a popular alternative was to build a new governor’s mansion in a more secure and accessible location in the suburban state office campus. Many state agencies were plan to move out there and expand there, leaving downtown to the Capitol and related legislative offices in the Alfred E Smith State Office Building. Many other state agencies were moving into buildings built out in the suburbs.
The question becomes could the city have sustained its downtown, with most of the state’s offices outside of it? Certainly as demand for cars grew from legislative employees, there would be an impetus to move even more of state government to a suburban location. Possibly even the Capitol building could have been put up for auction, and the state construct a modern, suburban office building for governmental roles.
While it’s true the Capitol was regarded a historic building in the 1960s, it was a derelict building without air conditioning or modern amenities like automatic elevators. It’s not clear that it would be worth saving a structure that while beautiful lacked parking, and was shifting and had an unstable foundation. There was poor traffic patterns around the Capitol, with no modern expressway connecting it to the Thruway and other important expressways. The state could have just put a suburban office building as it’s Capitol, abandoning the old and dated building, much like they had done with a previous Capitol buildings.
Without state government, downtown might have survived, but it would have been a struggle. The D&H Railroad was bankrupt by the late 1960s and the big banks were closing down shop downtown. Without state government making up some of the lost of private industry, could have downtown survived? Or would it have become increasingly ghettoized and abandoned, left decades before the masses rediscovered the cultural value of downtown living?
In 1963-1964, the State of New York spent $20 million to condemn 96 acres of Downtown Albany for the construction of Empire State Plaza and the South Mall Arterial. That was more money then entire city budget for the years of 1961, 1962, and 1963. Inflation adjusted, that would be $155 million in contemporary dollars.
New commonsense traffic regulation will prohibit traffic lights from turning green to protect children from automobile accidents.
Recognizing the danger of having automobiles potentially crossing paths in Albania, the Common Council has passed a commonsense traffic regulation that makes it so traffic lights never turn green. To ensure enforcement of this law, not only would traffic lights be prohibited from turning green, they also would be posted with “No Turn on Red” signs and be photo-enforced.
“Children die in automobile accidents,” said Common Council Speaker Margie Smith. “Recently, a child in California was burned to death when their family car crashed. By prohibiting individuals from driving through intersections with red lights in private automobiles, we can save lives.”
City leaders denounced “pro-business extremists”, who claimed these common-sense traffic control measures would impact business by making slightly more difficult for motorists attempting to access their businesses.
“We must protect our children,” said Ms. Smith. “I understand business owners want to make a profit, but their corporate profits can not come at the risk of health and safety of our children. Children must stop dying in automobile accidents. Moreover, most business owners are Republicans, and as such do not represent the values of people who live in the city.”
Chief of Police Andrew Johnson, spoke in favor of traffic lights that never turn green. He noted that this law would enhance the ability of law enforcement to stop criminals, by allowing them to stop anybody who disobeyed traffic signals on roads. As this would provide probable cause, local law enforcement would be allowed to search any cars that violated the law. He also noted, “it’s for the children.”
The new traffic regulation that prohibits traffic lights from turning green, takes effective immediately. Violations of this law caught on traffic camera would be a $50 fine. Violations caught be law enforcement would be a $150 fine plus a 6 points on one’s driver license.
“People are still free to choose to drive cars within Albany,” said Ms. Smith. “However they must do it safely, and in compliance with all our traffic laws that are designed to keep the children safe.”
The original 1963 Albany Plan for the Capital City shows what became the Corning Preserve to be a network of high-rise housing, a marina, and good connection via a series of bridges crossing the Riverfront Expressway. The Riverfront Expressway also was to be buffered a thick row of trees to reduce both noise and pollution. It would have been a very different city had this been built out.
