Thank you!
Grateful for our 2nd Jane Jacobs Walk Albany! Resources & photos...
We didn’t let the weather stop us — the 2025 Jane Jacobs Walk in downtown Albany was a success! Or perhaps more aptly named, the Rain Jacobs Walk. :)
Our group of 20+ walked and talked about I-787, the “parking lot district”, Albany’s oldest Dutch building, the MVP Arena (or Times Union Center, Pepsi Arena or The Knick depending on your historical preference). We headed up to the Empire State Plaza to talk about the 98 acres of neighborhood that was demolished for its construction, we strolled past the New York State Capitol and Albany City Hall before coming back down to North Pearl, over to the Palace Theatre and Clinton Market Collective.
We often get asked, what’s next?!
The Jane Jacobs Walk is an annual event in a global festival of free, community-led conversations inspired by the work and legacy of Jane Jacobs. So while our next official walk won’t be until May 2026, keep walking and exploring on your own!
Find that new friend you made this weekend at the walk and meet up. Suggest ideas for next year’s neighborhood exploration. And remember, Jane Jacobs Walks are community-led, so we envision a future where there isn’t just one walk celebrating Jane in Albany, but many different ones throughout our great city! Check out Toronto’s festival for inspiration.
We might send out a few newsletter updates between now and next year’s walk, so stay subscribed if you want those. And we’re still dreaming about a Jane Jacobs book club, maybe for the fall.
Tag us on Instagram or email us your photos at janejacobswalkalbany@gmail.com.
Links and resources mentioned during our walking conversation
Reimagining I-787 (New York State Department of Transportation)
The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) is undertaking a Planning and Environment Linkages (PEL) study to reimagine the Interstate 787 Corridor and its proximity to the Hudson River. The study will expand on the previously completed I-787 Hudson Waterfront Study completed in 2018 by the Capital Region Transportation Council (Transportation Council).
Via Capital Streets
Capital Streets is “dedicated to building a more vibrant Capital Region for people of all ages and abilities through grassroots action and advocacy.”
Historic Albany Foundation and 48 Hudson
“Built in 1728, the Van Ostrande-Radliff House is one of a handful of Dutch urban buildings to survive in America and is documented to be the oldest building in Albany.” Learn more about the building and Historic Albany’s plans for its restoration. Join a tour of the building on June 6 as part of First Friday.
“Drawing on government documents, oral histories, and local reporting, this blog tells the stories of the 98 acres seized by the State, before demolition and during redevelopment. It is the rough draft for a book and part of a larger project, exploring how urban renewal changed one American city.” You can also read the authors’ Substack Researching Urban Renewal.
The Neighborhood That Disappeared
A documentary about the creation of the Empire State Plaza and the neighborhood destroyed to make way for the State office complex.
Empire State Plaza Art Collection
“This collection features the work of artists who practiced in New York during the 1960s and 70s, and is the most important State collection of modern art in the country. In its embrace of abstract art, the collection positioned the State as a forward-thinking patron and its government as enlightened and advanced.”
Ten Big Ideas from Jane Jacobs
This was the handout we passed around at Stacks.
Thank you to everyone who showed up on a rainy day for a great walk and even better conversation.
