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The former St. Patrick's School is being converted into a tech
and arts incubator in the heart of Central Avenue's
Midtown Grid.
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Today, the Central District Management Association takes another leap forward in setting the standard for Business Improvement Districts and being an engine for economic development for the area it serves.
Today, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that the Central District Management Association (CDMA) will receive $850,000 through the Capital Region Economic Development Council for its tech savvy project “The S.T.E.A.M. Garden.” The project was listed as a priority project by the Regional Capital Regional Economic Development Council in September. The S.T.E.A.M. Garden will give new life to an underutilized building, and give it a refreshing new high tech purpose.
The project received $500,000 through the New York Main Street Program and $350,000 in Empire State Development Grant Funds.
“We thank Governor Andrew Cuomo and the Capital Region Economic Development Council for their confidence in this project. It’s another step forward in transforming Central Avenue into a vital, living neighborhood,” says Anthony Capece, Executive Director for the Central Avenue Business Improvement District. “It’s a compelling project, one that’s been in the works for two years, and we’re excited to get it up and running.”
With the help of a number of partners, including the University at Albany and Hudson Valley Community College, the CDMA will develop a once former Catholic elementary school building on Central Avenue into the S.T.E.A.M. Garden, an innovative multi-use tech start-up and learning lab. S.T.E.A.M., which is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math, will bring together entrepreneurs, creative technology professionals, college students, and arts organizations in a hybrid facility. The incubator will feature affordable work spaces for small tech companies and entrepreneurial tenants, blending educational, laboratory and business spaces for employees and artists, in the heart of the Capital Region’s most international community.
“This creates a very visible, and very real anchor for the creative economy in Albany. It’s something this city is ripe for, and I can see a future where this project expands beyond the four walls of this building, and into the neighborhoods to the north and south of it,” says Capece.
“Our region is full of talent. The STEAM Garden provides an opportunity to capitalize on that talent by giving professionals the tools and space needed to coordinate efforts that will spur economic growth,” says president of Capitalize Albany Corporation Sarah Reginelli. “The project will amplify this bustling commercial district’s momentum and catalyze investment throughout the City of Albany’s neighborhoods and surrounding business districts.”
The STEAM Garden meets six of the REDC’s goals for projects, including opening new doors, bringing our cities to life, and preparing for tomorrow.
The S.T.E.A.M. Garden is located at 279 Central Avenue, in the heart of Central Avenue's Midtown Grid. For more information about how to get involved, please contact the Central Avenue BID at (518) 462-4300 or visit our website: www.steamgarden.org
