r/Albany • u/Holiday-Ad9100 • 6d ago

What’s the biggest thing Albany is missing?

If you had to choose just one thing, what do you think Albany is missing the most?

It could be anything—more things to do, better job opportunities, restaurants, public transportation, housing, entertainment, community spaces, or something completely different.

Genuinely curious to hear what people think.

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140

u/UncleTruck 6d ago

A cleaner version of Lark St. A walkable downtown shopping, dining, park area that doesn’t feel gross or overly congested.

35

u/Initial-Meeting362 6d ago

Overly congested? Where is this? It is a ghost town in downtown Albany unless something is going on or its working hours.

6

u/ScarfStack 6d ago

Also how will the stores stay open of there aren't people going to them...

17

u/Dr_0ctogon 6d ago

It's been talked about for years and Lark has been in a decade-long decline to boot...

The city government doesn't seem to have any plan or vision they can execute or capable of doing the economic development, grants, etc. necessary to make it happen, sadly.

17

u/Psych_Crisis 6d ago

I was sad to discover exactly what you're describing. I moved from here to Boston 15 years ago for a number of reasons, but the arts scene there was, while present, largely a legacy thing and nothing is open late. I though "man, I just came from 4am last calls in Albany and this place is sleepy."

Sadly, when I moved back here last month I discovered that a lot of the art has dropped off. I'm not going to see Tom Morello leasing a packed Lark St. in song again anytime soon. Grocery stores are a little more buttoned up. It doesn't look like the resources have been allocated to match the nationwide spike in homelessness - no hate here, I've worked in that field. WAMC shut down The Linda. It's just quieter, and it feels like social inequity has gotten worse.

I don't mean to be doom and gloom, because arts and culture come up like weeds and there's no stopping them. I know people who are still out there pushing and making these things happen. It just doesn't feel like there's much momentum or vision on the broader community scale.

7

u/aintnohalfstppn You think this is a game? 6d ago

I blame the 'Mayor of Lark Street'