Albany, New York
Albany is the capital of the State of New York and the
county seat of Albany County. The City of Albany lies 136 miles (219
km) north of New York City, and slightly to the south of the juncture of
the Mohawk and Hudson Rivers.
Albany has close ties with the
cities of Troy, New York and Schenectady, New York, forming what is
generally known as the Capital District, which in turn makes up the bulk
of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area with a
population of 825,875, making it the fourth largest urban area in New
York State.
Albany is built on the site of the Dutch Fort Orange,
and its surrounding community of Beverwyck. The English acquired the
site from the Dutch in 1664 and renamed it Albany, in honor of James II,
Duke of Albany. A 1686 document issued by Thomas Dongan granted Albany
an official charter.
Today, Albany remains a center of government
and education. Between 1965 and 1978, the Empire State Plaza was
constructed in Albany's Midtown, west of Downtown and south of the
Capitol building. It was, and remains, controversial, in large part
because it required the demolition of several historical neighborhoods
and the forced removal of their inhabitants. The Plaza was conceived by
Governor Nelson Rockefeller and is now named in his honor. The Erastus
Corning Tower stands 589 feet (180 meters) high and is the tallest
building in New York State outside New York City. Four other smaller
towers, the Legislative Office Building, the Cultural Education Center
(which houses the State Library and Museum), the Justice Building, and
the impressive performing arts center known as "The Egg" make up the
rest of the Empire State Plaza. The design of the Empire State Plaza is
based loosely on the National Congress complex in the Brazilian capital
of Brasilia.
Albany possesses an active artistic community and
culture that is often regenerated by students at the region's colleges
and universities, the region's many nonprofit cultural organizations,
and by former residents of regional megalopolii such as Boston and New
York relocating to take advantage of Albany's affordable, historic
housing and commercial spaces. The Albany Symphony Orchestra, Capital
Repertory Theatre and Albany Insitute of History and Art provide
outlets for locally composed, created and curated works, as well as
traveling exhibitions and shows. There are several small, private art
galleries and antiquarian book shops in Albany, mainly clustered around
Lark Street between Washington Avenue and Madison Avenue. Albany also
has one independent film theatre (the Spectrum 8) one chain theater (The
Madison), as well as performing and fine arts venues associated with
the University at Albany and College of St. Rose.
Albany's
geographic situation as a "Crossroads City" (roughly equidistant between
New York, Montreal, Syracuse and Boston) also makes it a convenient
stop for nationally touring artists and acts. The Palace Theatre and
the The Egg provide mid-sized forums for music, theatre and spoken word
performances. The Times Union Center (previously the Knickerbocker Arena
and later Pepsi Arena) serves as the city's largest musical venue for
nationally and internationally prominent bands, as well as trade shows,
sporting events and other large-scale community gatherings. The New York
State Museum is a major cultural draw in Albany, focusing on fine
arts, natural history, and New York's economic, political and social
histories.
In recent years, the city's government has invested
marketing and financial resources to cultivate venues and neighborhoods
that can attract after-hours business, as well as public art
installations. Pearl Street, Broadway and Lark Street now serve as the
most commercially active entertainment areas in the City. Summer concert
series are sponsored by the City and local businesses at the Corning
Preserve, Riverfront Park, Washington Park, Tricentennial Square and the
Empire State Plaza. Metroland, the alternative newsweekly of the
Capital Region, generally provides a focal point for previewing,
reviewing and interviewing local artists and performers, as well as
traveling events that pass through Albany.
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