In 2023, the College of Saint Rose, once a cornerstone of the Pine Hills neighborhood in Albany, officially closed its doors. This left behind a legacy of education, community, and architecture, as well as a large footprint of vacant buildings and facilities. While the closure marked the end of an era, it also opened the door to new opportunities.

Recognizing the importance of the site to the future of the neighborhood, the Albany County Pine Hills Land Authority (ACPHLA) stepped in to purchase the former campus. This bold move ensured that the land would remain under public control and allowed for a more thoughtful, community-centered approach to redevelopment.

With local leaders, planners, and residents aligned around the vision of creating a vibrant and inclusive future, the Reimagine Saint Rose project is now moving forward with care and collaboration that honors the site’s past while embracing what’s next.

The ACPHLA is a NYS Public Authority created in 2024, at the direction of Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy, for the sole purpose of acquiring and redeveloping the nearly 27-acre campus of the College of Saint Rose. The ACPHLA was given the authority to issue bonds (up to $80 million) for acquisitions, maintenance, operations, and redevelopment of the Saint Rose campus. The redevelopment effort includes working with a consultant team to assist the ACPHLA board with certain planning, design, and development tasks. Working with the consultant team, the staff, and Board of Directors, ACPHLA intends to identify, plan, and execute the strategic redevelopment plan for the reuse of the campus in a manner that realizes tangible benefits for County stakeholders (especially those most impacted by the closure). Albany County’s interest in the redevelopment of Saint Rose extends well beyond the borders of the Pine Hills Neighborhood, and it’s imperative that any ideas, redevelopment plans, or specific projects are aligned with the needs of County residents and provides a tangible benefit to its tax base.