Our neighborhood association has major concerns with Albany Medical Center's proposed Park South garage.
The huge structure with entrances and exits only onto Myrtle Avenue will create safety issues for people who want to walk or bicycle from their Pine Hills homes to stores on New Scotland since the most direct route for many neighbors is Myrtle Avenue. The only sidewalk is on the north side of Myrtle Avenue, making the route perilous for pedestrians.
The garage is the tallest building in Albany Med's proposed development, towering over the new apartment buildings. A picture is worth a thousand words and this picture screams, "Albany cares more about cars than people!" This contradicts the strong voice of residents in Albany's many planning documents including "Albany 2030 — the city's comprehensive plan."
The garage is poor urban planning that affects the entire city. Developers claim they need significantly more parking in the garage than agreed in the 2006 Park South Urban Renewal Plan. Albany Med must emulate other urban hospitals that offer employees incentives to walk, bus, carpool or bicycle to work. They also should consider more neighborhood-friendly alternatives to one huge parking structure. Developers admit parking demand will increase as Albany Med grows — the time is now to change the culture of its employees and encourage sustainable transportation choices.
The Common Council should seek the advice of the professionals within the city's Planning Department and reject the "all-or-nothing" approach of the developers. Albany's residents deserve no less.
Virginia Hammer
President, Pine Hills Neighborhood Association Albany