The Albany Plan

NOW AVAILABLE

PLAN OBJECTIVES

Building Upon Past Plans and Strategies, Develop An Updated Blueprint to Guide the Next Decade of Growth and Investment in Downtown Albany.

BPI will leverage hands-on experience from 20+ projects in the Downtown Albany core with existing neighborhood, municipal, and property plans including but not limited to South End, Historic Preservation, Albany 2030, equity agenda and business improvement district agendas within the project area (Downtown, Lark and Central). Management service as Vice Chairman of the Albany County Planning Board (2019 - 2024) and Member of the Troy Planning Board (2024 - Present) will guide development of Downtown Albany core priorities, regional trends and challenges. Our blueprint work product is “The Albany Plan”. The Albany Plan is a 10-year phased development strategy that leverages tangible case studies from our experience in the New York State Capital with broad-based civic collaboration in urban planning to establish freedom by design and equity on purpose. The resulting strategies, tools and recommendations will result in a reinvigorated New York Capital City with ubiquitous opportunities, deliberate growth and national appeal for the character, consciousness and creativity of the people of the Capital Region of New York State.

Develop Solutions to Better Connect Downtown Albany to the Adjacent Neighborhoods.

BPI will analyze connectors such as amenities, transit and pedestrian waypoints to establish synergy strategies including collaboration between BID organizations, Greenway or “beltline” style pathways, and brownfield redevelopment. BPI will also use arts and entertainment as a means to establish buffer zones between neighborhoods.

Create Excitement and Engage Stakeholders and Residents in Realizing the Value of a Vibrant Core that Reflects Albany's Unique History Identity.

BPI will use our extensive events history and promotion skillset to establish strategic amenities including a Downtown Ferris Wheel, riverfront pier, citizen owned sports franchise (a la Green Bay Packers), and Million Dollar Business Plan Competition which awards ten (10) $100,000 investments to winners throughout the City to locate a new business Downtown. Regular working groups, community presence, and requests for feedback will ensure a productive feedback loop with stakeholders of various opinions.

Reimagine the Highest and Best Use for Underutilized Properties Within the Context of a Post-Pandemic Economic Environment (Examples Include Repurposing Vacant Office Buildings to Residential or an Assemblage of Underutilized Properties for a Mixed-Use Development).

BPI will perform analyses of all current emerging opportunities based on a complete portfolio analysis of Downtown Albany assets including property, financial instruments, staffing and municipal authority.

Attract New Office Tenants, Residents as Well as Additional Retail, Restaurants and Other Amenities.

BPI will use our extensive economic development and public engagement experience to establish a Downtown Development District which includes overlays for waterfront development, ad valorem taxes, tax increment financing, fast track business licensing and other interventions. BPI will encourage design of impactful financial assistance and amenities including a public fund to finance elevator accessibility in historic properties and a fleet of water taxis to traverse the redesigned waterfront following removal of I-787.

Propose Effective and Innovative Strategies for Funding and Implementing the Plan Recommendations.

BPI will leverage our fund management experience to detail relevant financing methods including: grant writing, corporate investments, small business association (SBA) 504 and 7a participation loans, community development finance institutions (CDFI), philanthropic appeals, pooled loan programs, community investment trusts, capital markets investment and revenue from user fees of new amenities.

Provide Tactical Development Strategies for Identified Priorities.

BPI will test and recommend tactical development strategies including but not limited to:

Encouraging vertical development through affordability offsets above 3rd floor
Establish Internet as a public utility through free Downtown broadband
Prioritize open market investment through assemblage of investor presentations
Decentralize planning efforts through creation of a regional development authority and or local waterfront development authority
Establish regional transit modes, light rail or otherwise, to connect Downtown with the Capital Region
Seeking connections instead of borders for place making
Using wayfinding kiosks at neighborhood visitor centers
Allotting CRA investment incentives to banks who forgive mortgages in Downtown
Encourage sales tax relief through a quarterly sweep to local BID organizations
Establish NYS as buyer investor in Downtown projects through ownership stakes in authorities, investment vehicles or investment securities
Promote inclusion and NYS priorities by funding a reparations institute in the Historic South End as an annex to NYS museum

Provide a Recommended Sequence of Timelines and Prioritization of Investment for Major Public and Private Sector Projects.

BPI will create a sequence of events dictated by the decision matrices and logical progressions outlined by research of standing issues and solutions. Any timeline will encourage the successful completion of priority projects. Over the estimated 7-month consulting period, BPI expects that prioritization and sequencing will happen concurrent with development of dynamic priorities over the 10-year development timeline including:

Regional transit center
Cross river tram
Waterfront district
Metro transit authority
Ferris wheel
Heated sidewalks
Daycare center
Grocery store
YMCA
Athletic facilities
Parking garage and retail center
Bilateral business council for BID and special event collaboration
RFP and RFI as tools for national partnership and innovation including Formula 1 track designs and planning partnership for Empire State Grand Prix
Encourage innovation through r&d partnerships, including IBM smart cities and design abstracts

INTRODUCTION

Operated by Four Local Partners in the Capital Region of NYS.

BPI is a local firm with an established track record of managing and fundraising for projects. Our broad stakeholder base and demonstrated ability to work under public scrutiny and make tough decisions will be invaluable to the public. With federal procurement experience and intimate knowledge of local government and power players, BPI can provide planning services with “teeth” throughout the Capital Region. Our direct experience with flagship projects including 15 Trinity Place, 106 South Pearl, 120 Madison Avenue, 135 South Pearl Street, Albany Waterway and others is a testament to our ground game and ideas. Particular attention should be paid to state funding awards made to the 135 South Pearl - 120 Madison Avenue project negotiated and architected via letter of intent by BPI. Our grant commitment and letter of intent to prevent foreclosure in 2021 and 2022 is evidence of our plan validity and skills. Our eight year track record has made us a clear and recognized voice for equity, civil rights, fair policy and government accountability.

Rigorous Scope and Detailed Work Plans With Decision-Trees.

To address the full scope of work set forth, BPI will methodically assemble data using proprietary CRM interface. The work plan below includes a Gaant chart and staff plan to ensure each element of the scope is (1) itemized, (2) with deliverables, and (3) reviewed by public and stakeholder committees. Each issue identified in the preliminary work plan is displayed with a solution matrix indicating solutions with short (1-2 years) and long term (3+ years) action steps. Issue matrices, when conjoined as a network of solutions and action steps over time, yields a decision tree that will guide implementation of all recommendations revealed during the consulting process.

Experienced Project Managers Across Diversified Industries.

BPI will deploy agile-lean-waterfall (ALW) project management styles to identify value, create flow and eliminate waste in cross-functional teams that develop innovative solutions swiftly in a planned and scheduled environment. BPI will leverage our extensive experience managing public projects with complex priorities on schedule using cross-industry teambuilding to ensure project efficacy. Please see a checklist below of specific methods to be deployed;

Account Management: Custom CRM IT infrastructure through BPI website; hosting data and interactive models/designs to better understand work product live; trackable outcomes with project management portal custom built for the project. Our advisory committee, project managers and support staff will be assigned to work groups based on project modules.

Analytical Precision and Comprehensive Methods of Approach.

Identified issues are to be analyzed with a portfolio methodology, meaning that individual issues will be viewed as interconnected contributors to overall performance of the Downtown Albany project area. Control variables will be established to determine the base-case for analyses under the consulting plan. Control variables form the basis for an overall statistical model that reveals coefficients of impact from the identified issues in Downtown Albany. These coefficients, when paired with the logical progressions of the decision tree, will reveal weighted-outcome paths assembled as interconnected matrices of topical strategies and interventions. Coterminous effects, correlation, exigent variables, and statistical relevance (p-values, r-values, logarithmic scales, multiple regression analyses et. al. will be deployed.

Focused Monitoring Efforts and Industry Best Practices.

Tracking and monitoring will be used to ensure adherence to all elements of the project scope. These methods include weekly team briefings, multiple weekly community engagement sessions, grading project key performance indicators, and maintaining live feedback channels at all times.

BPI will:

Use existing toolkit of resources to create a baseline system of analysis
Use existing local experience for data and lessons
Use network of stakeholders to comprehensively analyze and address objectives
Use director-manager structure to ensure timely workflow and milestones
Use KPIs to determine analyses’ proximity to stated goals
Use 3, 5, and 7 year milestones to guide the 10-year project timeline
Use reparative systems to achieve equity on purpose

DIRECT EXPERIENCE

South End Economic Development Center

The project ended with a $1.5 million federal allocation from Congressman Paul D. Tonko (Congressional District US-20), and a strategic exit plan with commercial partners at Save-A -Lot and Five Corners Development.

More Info

US-20 x US-32 Federal Superblock Coalition

The project ended with a $1.7 million ARPA award, completed LOI for purchase of 120 Madison Avenue, purchase of 106 South Pearl Street and $22,000 grant commitment to satisfy foreclosure proceedings of 120 Madison Avenue.

More Info

Chicago Park District
31st Street Beach

The project ended with a $162 million capital markets financing which successfully funded the design and build of the new 31st Street - Margaret T. Burroughs Beach facilities along Lake Michigan in Chicago, Illinois.

More Info

MODULE POLL

TAKE THE POLL

THE ALBANY PLAN

NOW AVAILABLE

PLAN OBJECTIVES

Building Upon Past Plans and Strategies, Develop An Updated Blueprint to Guide the Next Decade of Growth and Investment in Downtown Albany.

Develop Solutions to Better Connect Downtown Albany to the Adjacent Neighborhoods.

Create Excitement and Engage Stakeholders and Residents in Realizing the Value of a Vibrant Core that Reflects Albany's Unique History Identity.

Reimagine the Highest and Best Use for Underutilized Properties Within the Context of a Post-Pandemic Economic Environment (Examples Include Repurposing Vacant Office Buildings to Residential or an Assemblage of Underutilized Properties for a Mixed-Use Development).

Address Quality of Life Issues Currently Facing Businesses and Residents in Downtown Albany.

Attract New Office Tenants, Residents as Well as Additional Retail, Restaurants and Other Amenities.

Propose Effective and Innovative Strategies for Funding and Implementing the Plan Recommendations.

Provide Tactical Development Strategies for Identified Priorities.

Provide a Recommended Sequence of Timelines and Prioritization of Investment for Major Public and Private Sector Projects.

INTRODUCTION

Operated by Four Local Partners in the Capital Region of NYS.

Rigorous Scope and Detailed Work Plans With Decision-Trees.

Experienced Project Managers Across Diversified Industries.

Analytical Precision and Comprehensive Methods of Approach.

Focused Monitoring Efforts and Industry Best Practices.

DIRECT EXPERIENCE

South End Economic Development Center

US-20 x US-32 Federal Superblock Coalition

Chicago Park District
31st Street Beach

MODULE POLL

EMERITI

CONTACT

THE ALBANY PLAN

NOW AVAILABLE

PLAN OBJECTIVES

Building Upon Past Plans and Strategies, Develop An Updated Blueprint to Guide the Next Decade of Growth and Investment in Downtown Albany.

INTRODUCTION

Operated by Four Local Partners in the Capital Region of NYS.

DIRECT EXPERIENCE

South End Economic Development Center

US-20 x US-32 Federal Superblock Coalition

Chicago Park District 31st Street Beach

MODULE POLL

EMERITI

CONTACT

Chicago Park District
31st Street Beach