A walk up Wilson Street to the heart of the Ten Broeck Triangle neighborhood puts you almost smack-dab in front of the Gothic Revival-style St. Joseph’s Church – the centerpiece of the Albany neighborhood.

It’s this long-vacant, 157-year-old historic landmark that neighbors want to see included in the city’s plans for the state Downtown Revitalization Initiative. The effort will use $10 million in grant funding to jump-start projects in the Clinton Square area.

Albany was awarded the grant last year, and in the months since has come up with dozens of possible ways to spend it – from streetscape improvements to transforming an underutilized Interstate 787 exit ramp into a linear park. But not all ideas have been embraced by the community.

Ten Broeck residents say projects like the Albany Skyway park, which is projected to cost $15 million, shouldn’t be a priority when abandoned buildings in the neighboring Arbor Hill community and St. Joseph's, which is owned by the city, continues to decay.

“Aside from poverty and deeper issues, the biggest problem you see are these abandoned buildings. If you could fix the fabric of downtown, it would naturally make it more attractive for people to go to,” Ten Broeck resident Christina Rosati said. “If you add these amenities before you have a good foundation, eventually I do not think they’re going to last.”

These sentiments were echoed by Third Ward Common Council member Joyce Love after she voted against the city's plan to borrow $1.5 million for the Skyway – money that Mayor Kathy Sheehan's office expected would be reimbursed through state grants. Love and other opponents on the council defeated the motion during a vote on Jan. 25.

Love did not return requests for comment for this story.

“That money could certainly be spent in other ways that would have more of an impact on the city,” said neighbor John O’Neill, who is part of the Ten Broeck Triangle Neighborhood Association. “It’s a nice idea, but I don’t think that’s where we want to put $15 million. It’s not that high a priority.”

Ten Broeck residents also feel like they've been left out of the planning process, or ignored when it comes to their desire to tackle St. Joseph's Church first.

Yet other people see development in the works or other projects being presented as an opportunity that would benefit the entire city.

“The work we’re doing downtown and the neighborhoods throughout Albany have really laid a foundation to leverage this state initiative,” said Sarah Reginelli, executive director of the city’s economic development arm Capitalize Albany. “Downtown Albany is not just one neighborhood, it’s not the city’s downtown, it’s the region’s downtown, and the health and vitality and inclusiveness of downtown Albany has a direct impact, not only throughout the rest of the city, but the rest of the region.”

When it comes to the Downtown Revitalization Initiative process, the Skyway is a focal project, with a proposed $1.1 million for construction of spots for pop-up events and $800,000 for building an artistic gateway at the entry.

The mayor, who is part of the Local Planning Committee for the process, said she sees the Skyway as a low-cost opportunity for budding entrepreneurs in a struggling community.

“We’re looking to invest in transformative infrastructure in a low-income neighborhood where the poverty rate is double in the city, median income is almost half than in the city,” Sheehan said. “I find it surprising that investment in a project that would possibly create entrepreneurial opportunities is being met with resistance.”

It’s this linear park – set to turn an exit ramp into a connector for Clinton Square to Albany’s waterfront – that got Schenectady-based developers excited about investing in downtown. Couple that with other investments being made, and plans for the buildings the company had been eyeing for some time became viable, Redburn Principal Jeff Buell said.

“It’s our belief that the urban revitalization we are witnessing is not simply a blip on the radar, but a dramatic shift in generational thinking that will last for a very long time,” Buell said. “For every long-standing Capital Region resident that disparages what the cities are, there are an abundance of people at local colleges looking for what to do next, not poisoned to generational preconceived notions.”

Redburn is taking on a $78 million multi-building renovation in Clinton Square to create 350 mixed-income apartments along with commercial and retail space. It includes some of downtown's prominent structures, like the Kenmore Hotel, the Steuben Athletic Club, the former Times Union plant, and Capital Repertory Theatre.

Buell said they don’t intend to seek funding through the city’s downtown grant, but about $5 million in other state funding has been secured for Redburn’s pursuits.

Other projects in the downtown grant process include $3 million for streetscape improvements on Clinton Avenue; $800,000 to reconstruct the Sheridan Hollow steps up to Capitol Hill; as well as funding for signage, rehabilitating the Church of Holy Innocents on North Pearl Street, and rehabbing or building new structures for market-rate and affordable housing, according to Local Planning Committee documents.

To learn more about the proposed projects, visit here.

Neighbors note that a lot of the development is beneficial, particularly the influx of new residences.

“I think that is probably the biggest plus because it’s obviously going to draw more people to downtown,” O’Neill said. “I think there’s a lot of positive that’s going on, and it’s right on the edge of the neighborhood and will have a spillover effect.”

However, O’Neill and others expressed dismay over the lack of dedicated revenue for maintaining St. Joseph’s Church on Ten Broeck Street. It reverted to city ownership in 2013 after the Historic Albany Foundation couldn’t find a viable project. The foundation turned the church over after plans to open a brewery, bar and restaurant were scuttled by community opposition.

Rosati, who purchased her Ten Broeck home over 10 years ago, spent time rehabilitating the circa-1854 townhouse and has lived in it since 2013, said Albany should preserve historical architecture and St. Joseph’s Church is an opportunity to do so.

More Information Next public meeting When: Wednesday, Feb. 20 from 5 to 7 p.m. Where: Hampton Inn & Suites, Broadway A&B Room at 25 Chapel St. For more information regarding the initiative visit the city's website. See More Collapse

“It’s very depressing, frankly,” Rosati said. “I would like to see the city have a better vision, and to really focus that vision on the history of the city and preserving the city first. All the rest can come later.”

The Clinton Square focus area was expanded early on to include the historic church, but without a feasible plan, officials say it is difficult to provide funding to board up a building.

Sheehan said Albany is in the process of installing an alarm system and making sure the church is airtight but finding a viable use could be difficult. The neighborhood has expressed concerns about parking, traffic and hours of operation.

“It is a building that because of the way it’s laid out, it is really impossible to create housing there and be able to use historic tax credits,” she said.

The mayor said the city would "welcome a project if somebody" can finance it and the project is viable.