Albany County Executive Dan McCoy gave his 14th State of the County Address Tuesday at the former campus of the College of Saint Rose — which is part of his plans for the county’s future.
McCoy spoke as the county prepares to take over the sprawling campus in Albany. The Pine Hills Land Authority's Board of Directors voted unanimously February 13th to approve a $40 million bond to purchase the property. The college in Albany closed in June after more than a century,
Preceded by a prerecorded video reviewing the past year, the Democrat told the gathering that as soon as the county has full ownership of the property, the campus will spring back to life.
“In the short time since winning the bid, we have already begun to make great progress in securing the future of the campus," said McCoy. "We were here earlier this month, with the governor in this very room as she announced the new On Ramp to be located on this campus. It would be a creative workforce hub to prepare New Yorkers for growth in advanced manufacturing industries. It will also provide training and tech skills and then connect them to hands-on training elsewhere with our network of partners. This hub will provide an opportunity for the unemployed and underemployed throughout the Capital Region. I'm also already laying the groundwork for several county departments, as well as a new sheriff substation to move in.”
Republican County Legislator Minority Leader Frank Mauriello issued a statement that says in part "We may have had our differences on formation of the Pine Hills Land Authority, but now that we own it, we must work together and try to encourage sorely needed private investment and opportunity in the City of Albany."
Republican Legislator Mark Grimm is on the Audit and Finance Committee. "We still don't have a clear vision of what to do with the Saint Rose property, and yet, the taxpayers are on the hook. $35 million is an opener to purchase the property. But obviously there's going to be expenses," Grimm said.
Noting 2025 is the 11th year of tax decreases, McCoy says he is committed to an effective, efficient government.
He highlighted key programs like Homeless Outreach and the Albany County Re-entry Workforce Development Initiative, which provides comprehensive support and job readiness training to individuals released from county correctional facilities and another that helps probationers obtain driver licenses.
McCoy thanked Governor Kathy Hochul for proposing a $400 million dollar investment in Albany in her budget.
Born and raised in Albany, McCoy says in order for the county as a whole to thrive, the city must succeed.
“The biggest example of blight we're trying to address is the Central Warehouse. The biggest eyesore in upstate New York for decades. The end is near, and we recently closed on the purchase of the property. In the coming months, we will see the startup of asbestos removal with the demolition shortly thereafter,” said MCoy, pointing out that the county continues to provide a wide range of essential services to the city, often at the scale he says is more cost effective than current city operations.
“I believe it's time-relevant to share services to create the most effective use of resources," McCoy said. "If we were to consolidate services between the city in Albany and Albany county, we could eliminate administrative costs, reduce bureaucracy overlap, ensure taxpayer dollars are spent more effectively together. We could build a smarter, leaner government that puts the residents first.”
McCoy says with Mayor Kathy Sheehan's 12 years in office coming to an end, the idea of consolidation offers "a great opportunity to be open minded."
A spokesperson for the mayor says her "office has not had any specific discussions with the county about combining services, nor do we have any indication which services he is referencing."
