PHNA Boundaries: N: Washington Ave; S: Cortland St & Woodlawn; E: Lake Ave; W: Up to Manning Blvd & West Lawrence
A Neighborhood to Discover;
A Place to Call Home —
Pine Hills
SPRING 2018
www.PineHillsNA.org
THE PINE HILLS
NEIGHBOR
* New to the neighborhood?
* Issues on your street?
* Have news for our residents?
Come to a Pine Hills
Neighborhood Association
monthly meeting!
Meetings are held
the 3rd Thursday of the month
at 7pm in the
Hanner Center for Excellence &
Lasallian Mission
LaSalle School
391 Western Ave.
(unless otherwise noted)
- UPCOMING MEETINGS -
Programs are subject to change,
please check our website for updates:
pinehillsna.org
March 15
Landlord/Tenant Relationships
Paul Lundberg, PHNA Board member
and award winning landlord
Zach Garafalo, Tenant
Representative from
United Tenants of Albany
April 19
School Board and Library
Board budgets
May 17
Christopher Spencer
Director, Planning Department
www.PineHillsNA.org [email protected]
Comfort Food
On a dreary, chilly Sunday afternoon in late January, I found a warm, inviting
refuge in our neighborhood. Despite the unenticing freezing rain coating
Western Avenue sidewalk, several tables in one of our neighborhood’s new-
est dining establishments (it opened mid-November) were occupied with hap-
py patrons. Located in the former Ginger Man location (an historic 19th cen-
tury era building near the Washington Tavern), the Cuckoo’s Nest has already
been reaching its capacity according to co-
owner Kaytrin Della Sala. “I wish it was a
bit bigger” was her response to my ques-
tioning of the space. Della Sala and her
partner Devin Ziemann also run Crave, a
popular counter-service establishment
within a stone’s throw. Thus they’re famil-
iar with the neighborhood and successfully
identified a need in this section of the Pine
Hills: a cozy establishment serving comfort
food, yet casual enough for kids to enjoy (yes...there is a kids menu). Pine
Hills residents will see Devin out and about in the neighborhood participating
in area cleanup events and is happy to get involved in the community. Con-
sider the comfort of the Cuckoo’s Nest as a refuge on the next foul weather
day, or set aside May 5 for their special Kentucky Derby Day.
-Jonathan Duda
Madison Ave Traffic Calming to be Completed this Summer
We recently checked in with the City of Albany's Coordinator of Traffic Engi-
neering, Bill Trudeau to learn about the progress of the Madison Avenue lane
reconfiguration project. This was a 2-phase project, with Phase 1 (Allen St. to
Partridge St.) completed in the fall of 2016. Last summer, work on the pro-
ject continued with Phase 2: Partridge St. to Lark St. Contractors completed a
significant amount of curb and side-
walk work along the corridor, un-
derground traffic signal replacement
work and new pole foundations at
all intersections along the corridor,
pedestrian traffic signal poles have
been installed at each intersection
within the project limits, and re-
placement traffic signal poles were
installed at Ontario St, Quail St, and
S. Lake Ave.
To view the plan for completing the
project, check out page 4
Support our 2018
business & organization members!
Hon. Judy Doesschate Albany Elks Lodge #4
Chris Van Doren Police Athletic League (PAL)
St. Andrews Episcopal Church
PINE HILLS
Saturday, April 28
Our first neighborhood-wide sale coordinated and
promoted by the Pine Hills Neighborhood Association
2 ways to register:
1. Online: www.pinehillsna.org
2. Call Eric: 518-396-7309
“Little Place of Great Peace”
These five words made up one of the many descriptive phrases uttered
by Liz Bishop while standing in front of the nearly 100 attendees in the
gymnasium of the Police Athletic League on February 11. She was refer-
ring to the “unique sacred space” sharing the same roof: Our Lady of
Lourdes Grotto. Not only were they gathered to acknowledge the 160th
anniversary of the apparitions at Lourdes, but to publicize the Save the
Grotto campaign. The Grotto is a replicate of the one in Lourdes,
France. to return it back to its splendor which many of those present
remember.
Numerous projects are in need of completion in order to attain the goal
of opening the space up again for devotions and services. These projects
include the construction of a wall to separate it from the DePaul apart-
ments, upgrade electric wiring, cosmetic improvements, and the replace-
ment of the fount mechanism that provided an ambient sound of water.
Ms. Bishop painted a poignant picture of football players praying before
games, students seeking help with Regents exams, and couples beginning
their lives together in the Grotto. Father Brian Slezak concluded the
presentation (which also included a short film with interviews of sup-
porters) stating they’re in the early stages of planning and seeking sup-
port, suggestions, and input. This was preceded by a mass at St. Vin-
cent’s where Bishop Sharfenburger in his address about the Grotto stat-
ed, “This is a gem.” One of many sparkling throughout our remarkable
neighborhood.
Visit www.albanygrotto.org to see how you can help “Save the Grotto”.
Become a part of this exciting event!
Join our planning committee this year!
Contact us at:
518-992-5363
Midtown Pine Hills
Community Dinner
Wednesday, April 4th ~ 6:30pm
First Lutheran Church ~ 646 State Street
In Case You Missed It
Our president, Virginia Hammer, was fea-
tured in a segment on ABC Channel 10 last
November. The appreciation piece acknowl-
edges her solid commitment to the commu-
nity highlighting her successes over the
years, not only for our neighborhood, but
for the City of Albany itself. Yes, she certain-
ly is an inspiring woman!
View the segment here:
http://news10.com/2017/11/08/inspiring-
women-of-the-capital-region-virginia-
hammer/
Residents had the opportunity to speak di-
rectly with common council members repre-
senting the Pine Hills during a discussion/
Q&A session at our January meeting. Topics
ranging from our school system to building
codes were raised along concluding with
many ideas with potential solutions.
L to R: Owusu Anane, Ginnie Farrell, Joe
Igoe, Alfredo Balarin, Judy Doesschate.
You Can Help our Theatre to Thrive
Pine Hills residents know that
rain, snow or sun, it must be
vacation days when they see
parents and children going up
the steps to the magic castle the-
ater portal. For over 25 years,
Steamer No. 10 Theatre, housed
in the old firehouse on Western
Avenue, has been the home of
children’s theater in the Capital
area. Since its beginning as a
children’s theater, Steamer No.
10 has become an institution in
the arts arena, expanding from offering just productions pre-
sented by adults to children, to a teaching venue where many
of the presenters are the children themselves. It has also ex-
panded to link in partnership with other theater arts endeavors
such as “Theater Voices”, the Madison Avenue Street Fair, and
most recently, the Pine Hills Film Colony. Under the direction
of Ric Chesser, Steamer No 10 continues to evolve as a center
for the arts in our community, and provides an eclectic menu of
entertainment.
It has not been without struggles—especially as funding for the
arts has been seriously shrinking and the general economic cli-
mate has retracted. In spite of those factors, residents will have
noticed that work on the Castle (the magical entrance to the
theater) has been moving forward with support from the
Friends of Steamer 10, our local Assemblywoman, and the work
of the Steamer No. 10 Board.
In February of 2016, a small group of community residents vol-
unteered to come together as the theater Board of Directors,
and this group is now making an appeal for both new board
members, and volunteers who are willing to see that the thea-
ter thrives. Sustaining an institution such as Steamer No 10 really
takes effort and the participation of “a village” for the many
tasks needed. Watch for the announcement of a “Steamer No
10 Community Meeting” planned for April, where volunteers,
potential Board members, and arts supporter community mem-
bers can join to help assure the future of our own “magic king-
dom”.
Carol June-Washington,
President of the Board of Directors, Steamer No. 10 Theatre
THE PINE HILLS BLOG is a contribution to the neighborhood by students of the College of St. Rose.
Hosted via the Times Union, the postings are researched and written by students.
“Albany High Gives Back with “Hoops Against Hunger” “Multi-Million Dollar Apartment Moving Forward”
“329 Ontario Street: An Address that Lives in Albany Lore”
blog.timesunion.com/pinehills
THE PINE HILLS BLOG
CONTACT US
FOLLOW US
www.facebook.com/PineHillsNA
_______________________________________________________________________
Name
_______________________________________________________________________
Street address
_______________________________________________________________________
City State Zip
________________________ ______________________________________________
Phone Email (used for PHNA email list only)
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
Mail to: John Hammer, 52 S. Allen St., Albany, NY 12208
Or fill out the online application and
pay via credit card at:
www.pinehillsna.org
Membership Dues
(check one and enclose check payable to: PHNA)
Household $10
Student $5
Senior (65+) $5
Business or Not-for-Profit Supporter $25
Business Sponsor $75
Institution $125
Comments, corrections? Send to newsletter editor, Jonathan Duda at: [email protected]
“The History of Here” —
The Pine Hills that is!
After seven years of researching, interview-
ing, and writing, local author and Pine Hills
resident, Akum Norder, has released her 100
years of discoveries and accounts with her
own house as the
heart of the story.
Akum has been
actively promot-
ing its release
throughout the
Capital Region at
various libraries
and venues in-
cluding a kick-off
celebration at
her own house
on February 2nd
where neigh-
bors, family, and
friends gathered
to hear a reading
from the author herself. You can grab
copy online at Amazon or directly through
the publisher, SUNY Press. Or support your
local bookstore, The Book House in Stuyve-
sant Plaza. Once you delve into the first few
pages, you’ll undoubtedly be inspired to
stroll along our streets and immerse yourself
into Akum’s compelling story!
-Jonathan Duda
As long as the weather cooperates, work will resume in
April 2018. Contractors will finish up the curb and side-
walk work, continue with traffic signal equipment installa-
tion, mill old asphalt on entire length of pavement, plant
new trees in areas designated on the plans, pave two
courses of asphalt, and install temporary pavement mark-
ings after each pavement course. Once all of that is com-
plete, they will install permanent pavement markings, in-
stall permanent traffic signs, and activate new traffic signal
equipment. We were curious about the plan for temporary
pavement markings especially after the final layer of as-
phalt was put down. Mr. Trudeau explained that it's built
into the plan because of construction phasing and the need
for consistency of pavement markings. The temporary
markings are planned because all of the paving will likely
not be completed in one day. The final permanent liquid
epoxy markings will then be installed on the entire final
length of the road. That's the current plan-- which could be
subject to a few tweaks along the way.
We can expect to be using the re-done roadway as de-
signed sometime during the summer of 2018.
Thanks to Mayor Sheehan and Bill Trudeau for moving
forward with a vision that came out of the Pine Hills
Neighborhood Association! We look forward to a safer,
smoother Madison Ave. in our terrific walkable and bike-
able neighborhood.
-Leah Golby