Downtown Albany Strategy
Downtown Albany Strategy
Downtown Albany Strategy
Downtown Albany Strategy

Downtown Albany Strategy

A Once-In-A-Generation Investment in Albany

The city of Albany, NY, has the motto “Assiduity,” meaning constant, careful attention. This is especially fitting now as the state’s attention turns to its capital with Governor Hochul $400 million Championing Albany’s Potential (CAP) Initiative, a once-in-a-generation investment to revitalize the city’s future.

A main component of the CAP Initiative is geared towards revitalizing Albany’s downtown area, which has long been challenged by fragmented development, aging public assets, and overreliance on state tenancy. Despite its civic and cultural assets, the area has yet to become a fully functional, inclusive urban center.

MIG is helping Empire State Development define a clear, cohesive growth strategy that builds momentum, maximizes the impact of state investments, and lays the groundwork for catalytic development over the next decade.

The MIG-led strategy will determine how this unprecedented commitment is translated into tangible outcomes—and whether it can catalyze a lasting shift for the city’s future. The team’s implementation-oriented planning process is designed to move from vision to action by:

  • Identifying priority sites for mixed-income housing and adaptive reuse
  • Unlocking state-owned and legacy public properties for redevelopment
  • Designing public-private investment frameworks and phasing strategies
  • Aligning zoning, infrastructure, and regulatory tools to support long-term transformation

The resulting Downtown Strategy Plan will be a practical blueprint for visible, measurable change—grounded in development feasibility and community goals, and ambitious enough to redefine the future of New York’s Capital City.

Work