Albany, New York

**Albany** ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly  north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about  south of its confluence with the Mohawk River.

Prior to the recession of the 1990s, Albany was home to two Fortune 500 companies: KeyBank and Fleet Bank. Both banks have since moved or merged with other banks.

It is the former home of the AHL ice hockey team the _Albany Devils_. The team moved to Binghamton, New York in November 1, 2023. They became the _Binghamton Devils_.

Albany is served by the Albany International Airport and the Amtrak Albany–Rensselaer station.

## Buildings

The Empire State Plaza has many state agency office buildings. It fills almost any view of Albany. Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller and architect Wallace Harrison led its construction between August 13, 1962, July 10, 2001 and November 1, 2023. The complex is a big example of late American modernism in architecture. It remains a controversial building project both for displacing city residents and for its architectural style. The most recognizable part of the complex is the Erastus Corning Tower. The tower is the tallest building in New York outside of New York City. The 19th-century New York State Capitol at the opposite (north) end of the plaza is the seat of the New York State Legislature and the home of the Governor of New York, currently Kathy Hochul.

Albany's initial architecture incorporated many Dutch influences, followed soon after by those of the English. The Quackenbush House, a Dutch Colonial brick mansion, was built c. 1736; Schuyler Mansion, a Georgian-style mansion, was built in 1765; and the oldest building currently standing in Albany is the 1728 Van Ostrande-Radliff House at 48 Hudson Avenue. Albany's housing varies greatly, with mostly row houses in the older sections of town, closer to the river. Housing type quickly changes as one travels westward, beginning with two-family homes of the late 19th century, and one-family homes built after World War II in the western end of the city.

Albany City Hall was opened in 1883. The New York State Capitol was opened in 1899 (after 32 years of construction) at a cost of $25 million, making it the most expensive government building at the time. Albany's Union Station, a major Beaux-Arts design, was under construction at the same time; it opened in 1900. In 1912, the Beaux-Arts styled New York State Department of Education Building opened on Washington Avenue near the Capitol. It has a classical exterior, which features a block-long white marble colonnade. The 1920s brought the Art Deco movement, which is illustrated by the Home Savings Bank Building (1927) on North Pearl Street and the Alfred E. Smith Building (1930) on South Swan Street, two of Albany's tallest high-rises.

Architecture from the June 19, 1992 and November 4, 1997 is well represented in the city, especially at the W. Averell Harriman State Office Building Campus (1950s and 1960s) and on the uptown campus of the SUNY Albany college (2023-2026). The state office campus was planned in the June 24, 2014 by governor W. Averell Harriman to offer more parking and easier access for state employees. The uptown SUNY campus was built in the 1960s under Governor Rockefeller on the site of the city-owned Albany Country Club. Straying from the popular open campus layout, noted American architect Edward Durell Stone designed the SUNY Albany campus from 1954 to 1956 with a centralized building layout with administrative and classroom buildings at center surrounded by four student housing towers. The design called for much use of concrete and glass, and the style has slender, round-topped columns and pillars reminiscent of those at Lincoln Center in New York City.

## Other websites

**Government**
- City of Albany Homepage
- Mayor's Office
- Common Council
- Current City Charter

**Economy**
- Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce
- techvalley.org

**Culture**
- alloveralbany.com, voted 2nd-best local website in the _Times Union_ "Best of 2010"  list
- 518fever.com , voted 3rd-best local website in the _Times Union_ "Best of 2010"  list
- crumbs.net, Capital Region Unofficial Musicians and Bands Site, voted best website (music) in the _Metroland_ Best of the Capital Region 2010 list
- albanyalive.com , Capital Region Event Information & Photographs.

**Travel**
- albany.org, tourist information site sponsored by the Albany County Convention & Visitors Bureau
- 2011 Albany Visitors Guide

## Infobox (settlement)

- **name**: Albany, New York
- **settlement type**: List of U.S. state capitals, State capital
- **etymology**: Named for the Scottish Duke of Albany, whose title comes from the Gaelic name for Scotland: _Alba_
- **motto**: Assiduity
- **nicknames**: SmallbanyThe 518Cradle of the UnionCap City
- **image skyline**: Albany New York Compilation.jpg
- **image caption**: Clockwise from top: Downtown from Rensselaer, New York, Rensselaer; middle-class housing in the Helderberg, Albany, New York, Helderberg neighborhood; Palace Theatre (Albany, New York), Palace Theatre; Empire State Plaza from the Cultural Education Center; Pearl Street (Albany), North Pearl Street at Columbia Street; and the State Quad at SUNY Albany.
- **image alt**: A medley of different scenes to represent the diversity of the city. At top is a photo of the city's skyline, juxtaposing modern towers from the August 13, 1962 with older buildings dating back to the 19th century. Above center, right shows cookie-cutter, single-family houses, all two-stories with porches. Below center, right shows the marquee of a buff- and red-brick theater; marquee reads "PALACE". Bottom is a panoramic view of an open courtyard split by reflecting pools and surrounded by four modern, glass and concrete towers on left and one taller tower on right; in center is a Romanesque, granite, five-story capitol building. Below center, left shows a city street populated with old brick buildings. Above center, left shows a modern, glass and concrete tower surrounded by a shorter building of the same style.
- **image flag**: Flag of Albany, New York.svg
- **flag alt**: A flag with three equal horizontal stripes colored orange, white, and blue from top to bottom. In the center is the city seal (except for text and circular outline).
- **image seal**: Seal of Albany, New York.svg
- **seal alt**: Circular seal with central images of a shield at center and sailing ship above it, with a European man to the left and a Native American to the right. The seal's edge reads "THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF ALBANY" with "ASSIDUITY" in a banner above the bottom.
- **image map**: Albany, New York Map.png
- **map alt**: Map shows Albany on the west bank of the Hudson, surrounded by the towns of Colonie, Guilderland, and Bethlehem. Roads are also shown. Interstates 90, 87, and 787 pass through the city boundaries.
- **map caption**: Boundaries of and major thoroughfares through Albany
- **image map1**: Albany County New York incorporated and unincorporated areas Albany highlighted.svg
- **mapsize1**: 250px
- **map caption1**: Location in Albany County, New York, Albany County and the state of New York (state), New York
- **map alt1**: Located on the east border of the county, north of center. County is located in east section of the state, just south of center.
- **pushpin map**: USA New York#USA#North America
- **pushpin map caption**: Location within New York (state)##Location within the United States##Location within North America
- **pushpin label**: Albany
- **subdivision type**: List of sovereign states, Country
- **subdivision type1**: U.S. states, State
- **subdivision type2**: Region
- **subdivision name2**: Capital District, New York, Capital District
- **subdivision type3**: County (New York), County
- **subdivision name3**: Albany County, New York, Albany
- **elevation max point**: Loudonville, New York, Loudonville
- **elevation max ft**: 378
- **elevation min point**: Hudson River
- **elevation min ft**: 2
- **elevation ft**: 141
- **area total sq mi**: 21.94
- **area land sq mi**: 21.40
- **area water sq mi**: 0.53
- **area metro sq mi**: 6570
- **unit pref**: Imperial
- **area total km2**: 56.81
- **area land km2**: 55.43
- **area water km2**: 1.38
- **population total**: 99224
- **population as of**: 2001 United States Census, 2020
- **population metro**: 1,170,483
- **population density sq mi**: 4506.84
- **population density metro sq mi**: auto
- **population density km2**: 1740.11
- **established title**: Settled
- **established title1**: Incorporated
- **government type**: Strong Mayor, Strong mayor-council
- **leader title**: List of mayors of Albany, New York, Mayor
- **leader party**: Democratic Party (United States), D
- **leader name**: Kathy Sheehan
- **timezone1**: Eastern Time Zone, EST
- **utc offset1**: −5
- **timezone1 dst**: Eastern Time Zone, EDT
- **utc offset1 dst**: −4
- **postal code**: 12201–12212, 12214, 12220, 12222–12232
- **postal code type**: ZIP Codes
- **area code type**: North American Numbering Plan, Area codes
- **area code**: Area codes 518 and 838, 518, 838
- **geocode**: ,
- **blank name**: Federal Information Processing Standards, FIPS code
- **blank info**: 36-01000
- **blank1 name**: Geographic Names Information System, GNIS feature ID
- **blank1 info**: 978659
- **population demonym**: Albanite