ALBANY, New York — Governor Andrew Cuomo has approved the plan for the Albany Capital Center, an 82,000-square-foot space that will serve as a link among downtown Albany, the DeWitt Clinton Hotel, the Times Union Center and the Empire State Plaza. Construction at the 1.3 acre site is set to start in June.
“This project, which requires no new state money, will generate $160 million in investment and create hundreds of new and much-needed jobs to revitalize downtown Albany,” said Cuomo. “When completed, the new Albany Capital Center will help transform the capital region into a top destination for major events and conferences, attracting visitors and growing the local economy.”
The Albany Capital Center, located at the corner of Eagle and Howard streets, will house the most meeting space of any venue in upstate New York, as well as a three-story parking garage with 250 spaces. The total cost of the project will be $66.5 million, with no additional state subsidizing required. The Capital Center is projected to generate $2.1 million in annual stabilized revenue and $900,000 in annual fiscal benefits.
The proposal includes footbridges that will serve as a link connecting the convention center, the DeWitt Clinton, the Empire State Plaza and the Times Union Center, which is the area’s largest indoor venue. In doing so, the proposal will almost double the meeting space offered in the Albany Capital Center and will create a meeting space triple the size of any other convention center in upstate New York.
The first floor of the Albany Capital Center will have a porte cochare on Eagle Street, a 6,300-square-foot prefunction space and a 25,000-square-foot multipurpose room, in addition to administrative and storage spaces. The second floor will feature a 9,700-square-foot prefunction room, 9,000-square-foot meeting rooms, a 10,000-square-foot junior ballroom and a 3,500-square-foot kitchen.
