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South End

Albany’s “South End” is a very broad area of the City.  It is bounded by the City limits to the south, the Hudson River to the east, and following Frisbee Avenue to Empire State Plaza along the west.  The South End includes a diverse community with a mix of residential neighborhoods, public and private investments, as well as commercial and industrial areas, such as the Port of Albany.  It is not easy to overlook the charm of the Pastures, Mansion and South End / Groesbeckville historic districts, which include interesting historic sites such as Howe Library, Schuyler Mansion, Cherry Hill and the Governor’s Mansion.

In July 2007, the City of Albany finalized a plan for the South End called the Capital South Plan .  The purpose of the plan is to develop a consensus on strategic actions to revitalize the South End. Since the completion of this plan, the City of Albany and South End stakeholders have worked to implement the stabilization of this area.

Though the South End encompasses a number of different neighborhoods with varying physical characteristics and investment opportunities, the Capital South Plan focuses on one specific core area .  The core area is bounded to the north by Morton Avenue and Lincoln Square, to the east by South Pearl Street, following along Third Avenue to Hawk Street. This area was recognized in need of revitalization for three key reasons: 

    (1) At the beginning of the planning effort, this area was the only community within the South End that was without an active neighborhood association; 

    (2) This area lies in the heart of the South End adjacent to significant community assets and opportunities including, Lincoln Square, Giffen Memorial Elementary School, Schuyler Mansion, and several churches and civic buildings; 

    (3) Plan coordinators recognized the need to work at a small scale where an immediate impact could be felt, and where existing public-private investments could be bolstered.

The community recognizes the challenges to revitalizing the South End and has positively embraced efforts to do so. Aside from the dedicated residents, businesses and representatives, the South End has the full support of the City, including the Mayor and Common Council. 


South End Committees

The South End Action Committee (SEAC) was created as the key advisor and implementation leader of the Capital South Plan.   SEAC led an inclusionary planning process with key goals, such as, providing opportunities for current residents to remain and thrive in the community, while recognizing that area stabilization and growth is dependent on an increase in new, higher-income residents and new businesses.  Today, SEAC has evolved into the South End Implementation Team (SEIT) and meet on a quarterly basis to oversee the implementation of the Capital South Plan.


2007 Capital South Plan

In recognition of South End’s ability to balance their common planning interests with the independence of their distinct neighborhoods, the Capital South Plan exposes this community for all that it offers and how it connects to the Capital City.  

Key Recommendations of the Capital South Plan
The Capital South Plan presents a vision that ties together diverse issues with short and long-term success. The plan identifies three steps towards revitalization:  

- Stabilize the neighborhood to provide the foundation for market renewal. 
- Energize the neighborhood while ensuring resident participation and equity in market renewal. 
- Growth in the neighborhood will benefit residents and enhance South End’s connection with the City. 

Action Items for Revitalization Steps
Each step of the Capital South Plan builds upon each other. Action items for each step are organized into four primary focus areas:

South End Planning Contact

South End Implementation Team Members