SECTION 6 : THE COMMUNITY SPEAKSThe Lakota Group 135 Community Engagement Summary
Continuous community feedback is vital to the creation of the City of Online Survey (Round 1) Albany’s first citywide Historic Preservation Plan. The plan will acknowledge On July 16, 2019, The Lakota Group launched the first online survey on the the role historic preservation plays in shaping the city’s character, while Albany NY Historic Preservation Plan website. The online survey remained recognizing the additional efforts necessary to identify high priority areas for open for the community to take until Friday, August 16th, 2019. The online preservation, reinvestment, and economic development. To do so, community survey had 246 respondents, totaling 354 participants during the first round feedback regarding future districts, landmarks, and historic resources is of community outreach. Of the 246 participants of the online survey, 87 pivotal to the plan’s success in identifying critical preservation issues and percent were residents of the City of Albany; and many of the respondents shaping the future of Albany. Two rounds of community open houses, ranged between 51 and 65 years old (35 percent), followed by those each followed by interactive surveys, were completed to gather important residents in the 36 to 50 years old age bracket (26 percent). A majority of community feedback. the respondents were Caucasian (79 percent) and work within the City of Community Open Houses (Round 1) Albany (75 percent). The majority of respondents had a graduate degree (53 percent) or a four-year college/bachelor’s degree (36 percent) and had an During the week of July 9, 2019, the first round of community open houses annual income over $100,000 (43 percent). When asked if the respondent were held. In total, five (5) community open houses were held in different currently or previously lived in an existing historic district, the majority of locations throughout the City of Albany. Two open houses were held on participants live or lived in Center Square-Hudson Park (36 percent), none of Tuesday, July 9, 2019 at The Point Restaurant from 12 PM to 2:30 PM and the districts (26 percent) or in Washington Park (16 percent). Ten Broeck Mansion from 6 PM to 9 PM. The following day, two more were Big Map Sticker Exercise scheduled at the Arcade Building from 12 PM to 2:30 PM and at Lark Hall from 6 PM to 9 PM. On Thursday, July 11, 2019, the final session of the first round was held at the African American Cultural Center from 10 AM to 12:30 PM. Over 100 participants attended the community open houses. An online survey was available for residents unable to attend the community open houses. Also, all exhibits and materials displayed at the community open houses were posted online for residents to view. The community was encouraged to post any comments or concerns to the project’s website at albanyhistoricpreservationplan.com.
An outline of the Community Open Houses format is provided below: • Albany NY Historic Preservation Plan Introduction (Station 1) • Albany NY Fast Facts (Station 2) • Albany NY Historic Resources (Station 3) • People and Places That Matter (Station 4) • Community Engaging Exercises (Station 5)
Community Open House at the African American Cultural Center
136 Albany, New York Historic Preservation Plan HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLAN
COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSES Online Survey Social Media Post #1 (07.18.2019) Community Open House Post #2 (07.09.2019)
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o e o one or ore o e e o en o e o n or yo r el on e n or re o r e , Thursday, July 11, 2019 ro e ee ba k on re or re o r e an o el A en y r al re er a on A r an A er an l ral en er e o earl ree
a l y no A A a e ble albanyhistoricpreservationplan.com WE NEED YOUR INPUT!
Community Open House Flyer Handout (06.26.2019) Community Open House at Lark Hall
The Lakota Group 137 Online Survey Demographics (Round 1) Age Ethnicity Gender Residence Ownership Occupation Education Income Here is the demographic summary of the first online survey available to the community from Tuesday, July 16 to Friday, August 16, 2019.
57% 41% 79% 87% Do you currently live, or have you previously lived in are residents of 89% identify as Bachelors degree the Albany any of the Historic Districts? Caucasian 56% or higher 44% owned or have over $100,000 2% 46% annually 47% Female owned a historic 51+ Male property 75%
Center Square-Hudson Park 36% : 91 people 26 - 50 work locally in Under 25 Under 6% Albany 1% No response None of the Above 27% : 67 people
Washington Park 16% : 40 people
Lark Street
South-End Groesbeckville
Mansion
Upper Madison Avenue
Ten Broeck Triangle
Downtown Albany
Broadway-Livingston Avenue
Clinton Avenue/North Pearl Street/Clinton Square
Pastures
South Lake Avenue
Elberon Triangle
Knox Street
South Pearl Street Commercial Row
Washington Avenue
Lafayette Park
Lexington Avenue
Lustron Homes of Jermain Street
Rapp Road Community
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% Community Open House at the Point Restaurant
138 Albany, New York Historic Preservation Plan Online Survey Feedback (Round 1) Are there any additional areas in the City of Albany which should be classified as Historic Districts? Below are some of the community feedback of the first online survey available to the community from Tuesday, July 16 to Friday, August 16, 2019.
Please share people and places of Albany which contribute to the city’s character! North Albany-Warehouse Corridor
Arbor Hill Early Dutch Settlement Kate Stoneman
Pine Hills
SUNY Albany Campus
Source: Albany Institute of History Source: Albany Law School and Art Manning Boulevard Toni Morrison Quackenbush Distillery
New Scotland Avenue Source: Albany Times Union Distillery Site, Source: Discover Albany
Alphonso Marinello Prof. James Hall Helderberg
South-End Groesbeckville
Whitehall
Delaware Avenue Source: Delaware Avenue Neighborhood Source: Albany Times Union Survey (2013)
The Lakota Group 139 Which Albany landmark is endangered or warrants Are there any additional sites in the City of Albany ion Un es im some form of preservation action? which should be classified as landmarks? T ny a lb : A m e .co rc ny u lba o A S Church of the Holy Van Ostrande-Radliff e: , rc s u e o 1 Innocents & Chapel 2 House S m , o g H o D r o A d C u T R e d
h n t a r l l e o p
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275 North Pearl Street 48 Hudson Street
All Ov urce: er Alb So an Cherry Hill Lincoln Park er, y 3 4 at he T n o is d a M
ver treet, Source: Th e: All O Alban rio S e C urc y ta ity , So On o e d f A rv n lb se a a re e n P u y li n o e v v ri A T n o t n Source: Albany Times Union Source: Albany.org li C
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g Fort Orange Albany Felt n E 5 Archaeological Site 6 Company Complex
Source: New York State Museum Source: All Over Albany
140 Albany, New York Historic Preservation Plan Are there any additional areas in the City of Albany which should be surveyed?
North Albany-Warehouse Corridor
Tivoli Preserve
Pine Hills
Community Open House at the Point Restaurant
Melrose Neighborhood
Manning Boulevard
Big Idea Exercise at the Lark Hall Community Open House New Scotland Avenue
Helderberg
South-End Groesbeckville
Delaware Avenue
Second Avenue
Community Open House at the Point Restaurant
The Lakota Group 141 Community Priorities Can you think of any other initiatives you would want the City of Albany to support?
Choose your top priorities! Participants received seven ($7) planning dollars to • Ensuring proper permitting and expectations for historic resources for all. • Work with City organizations to update all information outlets to better spend on different preservation actions. The actions were priced at different • Prioritize home ownership and infill development. inform the public of historic resources. amounts resulting in participants having to spend their money wisely. • Promote sense of place with transforming vacant lot into park or open • Provide historic preservation training for City staff spaces in order to strengthen neighborhood pride and aesthetics. • Hire additional staff for the Historic Preservation Department
$720 $702 $277 $263 $122 NEIGHBORHOOD ECONOMIC EDUCATIONAL ADDITIONAL OTHER 1 REVITALIZATION 2 DEVELOPMENT 3 INITIATIVES 4 LANDMARKS-DISTRICTS 2 INITIATIVES
Choose Your Top Priorities Exercise at the African American Cultural Center Community Open House
142 Albany, New York Historic Preservation Plan What issues/concerns do you have related to Historic Preservation in the City of Albany?
While wealthier (and typically white) historic neighborhoods I am concerned that some historic districts with low property values, such as South End- are protected and prosper, the lower income (typically black) City Building Department must Groesbeckville, are being hurt by the historic designation. The historic designation adds historic neighborhoods tend to fall into disrepair and are become more aggressive in significant cost to rehabilitation and we are in a crisis situation with hundreds of vacant eventually torn down by the city. dealing with derelict buildings. buildings. I’d rather have the buildings be rehabilitated without meeting all historic requirements than continue to sit vacant.
I feel a lot of the energy is spent on less significant Seeming lack of care for Albany’s historic properties, and it dilutes the impact of the fabric. In this City, where green initiatives are importance of preserving significant properties. Additionally the HRC is too subjective in their Lack of interest important, City leaders don’t realize yet that decisions on what to approve based on what by the City the greenest building is the one already built! they like in a drawing instead of what could Departments. work in a rehab or new development.
What are the most significant barriers to promote Historic Preservation in the City of Albany? Preservation is one of the most responsible and sustainable acts possible and yet in Albany new building and demolition of older building stock “appears” to be the City Administrations priority and Lack of financial incentives sensitive deconstruction of salvageable materials made a rule, not the rare exception. Also, it is unfortunate that City owned buildings No long-term vision for historic preservation in the City of Albany aren’t setting a great example of preservation, maintenance and stewardship.
Lack of knowledge and understanding of historic preservation’s benefits
Red tape / building code / zoning / regulatory barriers
Weak investor / developer interest in historic properties Albany needs a Plan to deal with Lack of a comprehensive vacant and abandoned buildings. Emergency demolitions need Lack of citizen interest and involvement understanding of the building stock that survives in the city, lack of a public oversight. prioritized preservation list based Lack of skilled preservation craftsman / tradesman / contractors upon a considered evaluation of resources. Lack of public-private partnership / organizational collaboration
Lack of ongoing, organized historic preservation advocacy efforts
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
The Lakota Group 143 What role(s) should Historic Resources play in enhancing quality of life and economic development in Albany? What organizations could partner with the City to help strengthen its preservation efforts?
Encourage businesses to move into under/unused Capitalize on all the history buildings downtown rather than moving off to the Cataloging Preservation League of NYS SUNY Albany that happened here. Make it a suburbs, and assist them in adapting/renovating/ landmarks tourist destination for history. restoring buildings as necessary. and property. Keeping records. NYS Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
NYS Library Archives The Albany Institute of Art Downtown Albany’s architecture is unique for its diversity & Attract tourism, local Albany was a colonial city and exceptional quality visitors and encourage St. Rose History Department Private foundations should feel as old and historic especially that of the more people to live as Boston or Philadelphia. masonry buildings. downtown. Neighborhood Associations Land Banks
Albany Urban Planning & Architectural Students When you take the time to promote the history and architecture of this city, you What is historic should be celebrated and what increase tourism dollars, which helps the is just old rehabbed and or demolished for new M.E. Grenander Dept. of Special Collections & Archives entire community, and you increase pride by development. the residents.
Habitat for Humanity Capitalize Albany
To enable restoration, the Affordable Housing Partnership Public Schools Create big picture and vision for future To preserve the government does best when it development (tie the past to future). historic fabric enables good redevelopment. of the city and Underground Railroad History Project (Capital Region) create safer, more livable communities. Neighborhood Preservation Coalition Public Library More tours and educational I believe foremost, they should not only serve to preserve, but events. to educate. Outside of this mission, there are many excellent Historic Albany Foundation Business Leaders opportunities to drive economic development by fostering businesses and recreational opportunities that can exist around the mission to preserve and educate. Albany County Historical Association Youth FX
144 Albany, New York Historic Preservation Plan Community Open Houses (Round 2) Online Survey (Round 2) On September 11, 2019, the second round of community open houses were On Thursday, September 12, 2019, The Lakota Group launched the second held. In total, two (2) community open houses were held in two different online survey on the Albany NY Historic Preservation Plan website. The online locations in the City of Albany. The first was held at the Philip Livingston survey remained open for the community to take until Sunday, September 22, Apartments from 12 PM to 2 PM. The second open house was held at 2019. The online survey had 74 respondents, totaling 122 participants during the Delaware Community School from 6 PM to 8 PM. Forty-eight (48) the second round of community outreach. Of the 122 participants of the participants attended the second round of community open houses. Similar online survey, 91 percent were residents of the City of Albany; and many of the to the first round, an online survey was available for residents unable to respondents ranged between 51 years old and older (52 percent), followed by attend the community open houses. Also, all exhibits and materials displayed those residents in the 36 to 50 years old age bracket (31 percent). A majority at the community open houses were posted online for residents to view. of the respondents were Caucasian (86 percent) and work within the City of The community was encouraged to post any comments or concerns to the Albany (58 percent). The majority of respondents had a graduate degree (55 project’s website at albanyhistoricpreservationplan.com. percent) or a four-year college/bachelor’s degree (30 percent) and had an annual income over $100,000 (42 percent). When asked if the respondent An outline of the Community Open Houses format is provided below: currently or previously lived in an existing historic district, the majority of • Albany NY Historic Preservation Plan Introduction and Vision Statement participants live or lived in Center Square-Hudson Park (35 percent), none of (Station 1) the districts (17 percent) or in Washington Park (11 percent). Potential Districts and Landmarks Exercise • Albany NY Existing/Recommended Historic Resources (Station 2) • Albany NY Historic Preservation Plan Goal Statements (Station 3)
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Goals and Policy Statements Exercise
The Lakota Group 145 Online Survey Demographics (Round 2) Age Ethnicity Gender Residence Ownership Occupation Education Income Here is the demographic summary of the second online survey available to the community from Thursday, September 12 to Sunday, September 22, 2019.
48% 52% 86% 91% Do you currently live, or have you previously lived in are residents of 85% identify as Bachelors degree the Albany any of the Historic Districts? Caucasian 56% or higher 42% owned or have over $100,000 0% 44% annually 52% Female owned a historic 51+ Male property 58%
26 - 50 work locally in Center Square-Hudson Park 34% : 24 people Under 25 Under 4% Albany None of the Above 17% : 12 people 0% No response Washington Park 11% : 8 people Washington Avenue Mansion Elberon Triangle Upper Madison Lark Street South Lake Avenue Bleecker Stadium/Swinburne Park Downtown Albany Fort Orange/Downtown Pastures South End-Groesbeckville Ten Broeck Triangle 744-750 Broadway Lafayette Park Broadway-Livingston Avenue Clinton Avenue/North Pearl Street/Clinton Square Knox Street
Lafayette Park Lexington Avenue Lustron Houses of Jermain Street Normanskill Farm Rapp Road Community South Pearl Commercial Row St. Casmir’s Church Complex
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% Community Open House at the Delaware Community School
146 Albany, New York Historic Preservation Plan Online Survey Feedback (Round 2) What actions are of highest priority? Below is the community feedback of the second online survey available to the community from Thursday, September 12 to Sunday, September 22, 2019. The table below is showing the respondents’ top three (3) highest priority actions in each recommended goal.
Goal Statements Rating Action Items
Goal 1: Document, inventory, and designate Albany’s significant Action 1.1 Survey and Inventory Albany’s older 19th century residential areas that 67% are not currently listed in the National Register or designated as Local Districts. historic, cultural, architectural and archaeological resources. 65% Action 1.5 Create a Significant Property List.
46% Action 1.7 Consider a Downtown Albany Historic District Expansion.
78% Action 2.14 Designate a preservation specialist among City building inspectors. Goal 2: Review and enhance preservation policy and program administration. Action 2.13 Provide specialized historic preservation training for building and fire 77% inspectors and code enforcement officers.
74% Action 2.4 Develop a design guidelines manual for historic districts and landmarks.
Action 3.9 Leverage available tax credit incentive programs to facilitate vacant Goal 3: Revitalize and maintain Albany’s historic neighborhoods 82% property rehabilitation. and commercial areas through conservation, adaptive use, and Action 3.5 Create an “early warning system” on neighborhood building conditions other enhancement efforts. 78% and property abandonment.
Action 3.6 Adopt demolition notification provisions within the Albany Unified 73% Sustainable Development Ordinance.
Action 4.11 Expand partnerships with the Historic Albany Foundation. Goal 4: Promote increased awareness and public understanding 68% of historic preservation benefits through ongoing education and 67% Action 4.7 Create an internet portal for Albany survey and historic property data. advocacy efforts.
Action 4.8 Create online versions of brochures, materials and other historic 67% preservation information.
The Lakota Group 147 Any additional comments regarding improving historic preservation in Albany?
All of these are great ideas but none better than expanding partnership with Historic Part of the magic of Albany’s historic core is that Albany. They’ve been doing it a long time it was not designed for motor vehicles and cars. and it only makes common sense that they While some cars and trucks are necessary to assist There’s a great deal of preservation help steer this ship. businesses and the disabled, reducing the parking expertise in the region. The city needed for construction, and facilitating safer would benefit from tapping into that walking and biking through downtown would help to community as much as possible. Funding for improve the core and the city as a whole. homeowners would be a BIG help.
We must South End and Warehouse district preserve may be most threatened by neglect Partnering with Historic Albany, the Preservation our history. or potentially indiscriminate League and others to use their existing brochures, demolition. Prioritize these. training opportunities, etc, is better use of time and funds than newly produced manuals and brochures.
Consider traditional building trade I like the idea of training to address supporting mixed both preservation use buildings to Historic preservation should not prevent upzoning, Make funding, in and workforce make more walkable new construction, or safety improvements. all forms, useful development needs. businesses and and helpful for services available. those who dream of rehabbing a It would be nice if building. the manual had a detailed list/ dictionary of historic architectural Consideration for modern improvements that improve components. the sustainability and carbon footprint of historic Keep affordability in buildings are missing. Current regulation incentives are mind when updating a wasteful use of energy resources and discourages In order for homeowners to research their codes and sustainable smart reuse. historic homes, the County Hall of Records ordinance. needs to have more convenient hours, such as evenings and weekends! They also need more online records.
148 Albany, New York Historic Preservation Plan