Union Station

The Times Union website is reporting that Bank of America will consolidate its Albany offices to the State Street building and move out of Kiernan Plaza (formerly, Union Station) early next year. Every time I think of the building I wish the inside were accessible to the general public in some context consistent with downtown Albany's recent attempts at drawing people in instead of forcing them out. Mayor Jennings was quoted in the article: "My feeling is that it should be a part of our downtown rebirth...It's a beautiful building, inside and out." Also, "It's an opportunity for us to make it part of the city...It was kind of closed up." It is a good sign to hear the mayor apparently has such a sentiment and it would be wonderful if a plan could actually be developed and financed within the next century to ensure the building's life continues and becomes even more relevant.

The few photos I've seen of the interior of the building show that it is architecturally stunning, refined, and continues to reap the benefits of its renovation in 1986. Times change and so does the methodology that goes along with dealing with cities' aging infrastructures. In 1968, when Union Station closed as a transportation hub in favor of Amtrak's new rail station across the Hudson in Rensselaer, the building lay vacant and subject to the demise so much of Albany suffered during the same period: eviction, vacancy, demolition, and, in many cases, vacant lots for years before rehabilitation. Thankfully, this building never reached demolition as people began to wise up to the values of reusing such architectural gems. Norstar bought the property after years of vacancy, vandalism, and general lack of maintenance which made Union Station an eyesore. The building was renovated and rechristened as Peter Kiernan Plaza as Norstar bank moved in for its headquarters. Norstar became Fleet Bank and Bank of America has been there for a few years. As bank headquarters go, I guess security is a reasonably important thing. A couple years ago, on a weekend excursion downtown with my camera, my fiance and I wondered if one could simply walk in and possibly see the lobby or some part of the interior of the building from the entrance in back, by the parking garage, in the old area where passengers boarded the trains to New York, Boston, Chicago, etc. Two guards rather rudely made us leave and looked at us as if we were from outer space for wanting to go inside the building.

This would be a tremendous opportunity for Union Station, a wonderful relic of Broadway's past in Albany, to show off all of what it was built to show off. Reuse as "mixed use" (retail, convention, residential, etc.,) as Mayor Jennings suggested is a great idea, but any idea which would boast the building being a public asset and not another sign of holed-up elite (government or corporate) would further the tradition this building and Norstar began in the early eighties when they went against the grain by simply saving the building. Some quarter of a century later, it is time to show our maturation as a city by giving this building back to its rightful owners, the citizens of Albany, and show it off to those coming through Albany to visit, as they did for so many years when their trains arrived and departed from Union Station.

Corning Preserve Bike Path

Well, I just gave Miss Lizzy a little midnight snack so she'll be all set for another 2 minutes.

I just wanted to note that, on Saturday, Alex and I finally rode our bikes just a few miles up the bike path leading north from the Corning Preserve boat launch almost to the 378/Menands Bridge before turning around. I must admit I didn't expect it to be as nice and as varied of an environment as it was since the land is mostly artificially joined together natural elements (Hudson River islands) with parcels of mowed lawns and tree-lined areas along with plain old wooded areas. It was beautiful. Since it was one of the few nice days we've had this summer, everyone and their brother was out on the path including walkers, runners, bicyclists, etc. The views of the Hudson that open up every so often are perfect and, for the time being, the opposite shore from Rensselaer north to South Troy is relatively undeveloped except for a modest power facility. The river was sparkling and some boaters were stationed near one of the tributary outlets for fishing. The path crosses over the outlets of the Patroon Creek and Little River, of note. I loved that there are interpretive signs along the path, including one for Al-Tro Park (historical) which existed after Pleasure Island in the Menands portion of the old river flats east of current Simmons Lane. Now, as I-787 has linked all the old islands together with fill and separated the river from the downtown portions of Albany, Menands, Watervliet, and Cohoes, it is important to inform people of what used to exist on the very ground this bike path covers. The river used to be an important part of everyone's lives before we decided to throw an interstate highway in front of it.

We walked down to the Riverfront Park portion of Corning Preserve and had a small picnic while watching the river and all the people enjoying the beautiful day.