Gov. Spitzer is hoping to transform the Harriman State Office Campus into a hub for education, high-tech jobs and smart growth.Smart growth, environmental protection and the revival of the upstate economy have been important goals of the Spitzer administration. With his proposal [1] to redevelop Albany's W.A. Harriman State Office Campus, the governor is hoping to bring all three under the same roof.
Last month, the governor announced his support for a large-scale, sustainable redevelopment plan for the 330-acre campus, which is located near the interchange of I-87 and I-90, north of downtown. As an important piece of Spitzer's upstate economic policy [2], the proposal would transform the campus into a showcase for green development, green workplaces and sustainable communities.
"This plan will transform an underutilized state asset into a center for technological innovation, job creation and economic development in the Capital Region," Spitzer said. "The new Harriman Campus represents a crossroads where technology and regional growth meet. This blueprint reflects the very essence of the innovation economy and it is now time to take these plans from the drawing board and make them a reality."
The proposal calls for marketing four unoccupied buildings on the campus and dozens of undeveloped acres to builders and tenants, with the goal of implementing best practices in sustainable building design. It would also take advantage of the campus' proximity to SUNY-Albany [3] and its Nanotech Institute [4] to create a high-tech hub, with computer industry companies, retail outlets and new housing.
Spitzer's plan differs in many respects from the previous redevelopment plan put forward by former Gov. George Pataki. Rather than demolish and reconstruct the site from the ground up, the new plan emphasizes adaptation and reuse of existing buildings, as well as the retention of the 7,400 state employees at the site. Development opportunities for business, government, academic, and recreational projects will attract private retail development and create a more community-like atmosphere. The site is currently used for government offices and generally sits unused beyond the Monday through Friday workweek of state employees.
Gov. Spitzer has likened the project to Research Triangle [5] in North Carolina, which anchors Chapel Hill, Durham and Raleigh. The Harriman Campus redevelopment seeks to link Albany, Schenectady and Troy in the same manner.
It has also won the support of local elected officials, including Sen. Neil Breslin [6], Assemblyman Jack McEneny [7] and Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings [8]. "The Harriman Campus site's proximity to Albany Nanotech makes it an ideal location to attract new development, which will result in job creation opportunities and an increased tax base for the city," Jennings said.
The effort is being spearheaded by Patrick Foye, co-chairman of the Empire State Development Corp. [9], and Michael John Phillips, president of the Harriman Research and Technology Development Corp [10].