Albany Commissioners approve Harlem District Revitalization Project

ALBANY, Ga. – Albany city commissioners approved of a major project that’s been in the works since 2022, one that looks to reinvigorate a historical part of downtown.

CBS 44 reporter Brian Roche has the details on this latest revitalization effort.

At Tuesday night’s city commission meeting, Albany commissioners voted to approve the Harlem Revitalization Project; in which buildings in the Harlem District are going to get a much-needed facelift in a project that’s been in the works for over a year.

Albany’s Downtown Manager, Lequerica Gaskins says the project, which is focusing on buildings along Washington Street were initially pitched in October of 2022.

“This is an opportunity for us to hone in on the development specifically on the Harlem District. We’re so excited what’s going to happen for that particular area in terms of development,” said Lequerica Gaskins, Downtown Manager, City of Albany.

We met with Ward 6 Commissioner, Demetrius Young who gave us a small history lesson about the district’s heyday during the Civil Rights Movement.

Many of the buildings have lost their luster, but Commissioner Young knows this is a golden opportunity to preserve a neighborhood that gave Albany historical significance.

“…But it’s also an area that’s seen a lot of divestment, a lot of a kind of deterioration in the buildings and people leaving the area. But, right now the city stands to work with the developers, provide funding and incentives for people to come back to the area,” said Demetrius Young, Ward 6 Commissioner, City of Albany.

The plans in regards to the Harlem Project are to turn the neighborhood into a historical district, paying homage to those who fought for civil rights decades earlier while looking to attract new businesses downtown.

“The Harlem District, whenever you look at the plan, you’ll see that there are all kinds of opportunities for developers to take advantage of developing the historical spaces that are there. Also, an opportunity for us to bring in businesses to utilize the backdrop of Harlem as the home for their entrepreneurial ideas,” said Lequerica Gaskins, Downtown Manager, City of Albany.

But, in addition to paying their respects to a portion of Albany, the Harlem revitalization is also an opportunity to bring people back into the Good Life City.

“They’ve torn down those dilapidated buildings and they’re going to be building new structures that are going to showcase what we can do here in Albany, and make it look a whole lot better and more appealing for people to relocate to the area,” said Demetrius Young, Ward 6 Commissioner, City of Albany.

The city is now working on the next steps of the Harlem Revitalization Project. As it becomes another aspect of the overall revitalization of downtown.

No timeline has been given for the Harlem Revitalization Project at this time.

Brian Roche reporting.

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