A long-standing educational landmark in Albany’s midtown, the 129,000 square foot, Neoclassical building originally served as Albany High School from 1913 to 1974. After the high school moved to its current location on Washington Avenue, the building housed Philip Schuyler Elementary School before the University at Albany purchased the property in 2013. During that 100-year period, the building retained most of its original character and charm, including the historic corridors, exterior envelope, entry foyers, stairwells, skylights, and the building’s 1200-seat auditorium.
In 2016, UAlbany announced plans to embark on a multi-phased, comprehensive renovation and adaptive reuse of the former Albany High School. Once complete, the building would house the University’s new College of Nanotechnology, Science, and Engineering (CNSE) to provide state-of-the-art educational, lab, and research facilities for engineering and computer science programs. Led by CSArch as the architect and engineer-of-record, the design focuses on restoring and preserving the most distinguishable features of the original building while creating state-of-the-art spaces for cutting-edge research and academic programming to take place.
The recently completed phase of the project restored the south wing, which encompasses approximately half of the building’s 129,000 square feet. Construction of the $85 million project will now shift to a comparable renovation of the north wing and restoration of the historic auditorium in the sixth and final phase of the project, which is expected to be complete in 2027. Upon completion, the project will achieve LEED Gold certification and expand the size of UAlbany's downtown campus by about 40 percent, while simultaneously serving as a testament to the city's rich history.
We will be touring the completed wing of the building and the wing that is currently under construction. Please be sure wear appropriate attire and provide your own hard hat.
Street parking is recommended as the nearby campus lot requires a UAlbany-issued parking pass.
Submitted for 1 LU/HSW
Registration is limited to 20 participants.
Registration is complimentary for members of AIAAENY