Colonie Plaza Remains Vacant – What Does Albany Plan To Do?

As we approach the end of the year, a once busy plaza along Albany, New York's central avenue is nearly empty with the exception of a couple of stores. 

By now you all know my love for Albany, but honestly sometimes they don't do much to help themselves out. Letting formerly healthy shopping plazas seemingly turn into ghost towns isn't going to change people's perspective on this city.

I always love telling you guys about new places that are opening up in our area. Right now it feels like we're talking more about things closing than we things coming in and creating new business.

I went to Amazing Wok over on Central Avenue in the Colonie Plaza the other day to grab one of their lunch specials. While I love their food that plaza is just a depressing one to visit.

Ghost Town

Sitting empty are the spaces where Price Chopper once was and Big Lots. While Big Lots went out of business, Price Chopper switched over to Market 32 and moved down the road tot he old Shop Rite building. There was at least one other vacant spot that I saw along the rows of stores that are left.

All we have left are a nail place, a hookah lounge, Chinese food, the Dollar Tree and a barber shop.

How are they expected to thrive if everything around them is vacant?

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Obviously there are many shopping plazas in that area along central avenue in Albany and Colonie. From what I can tell in visiting the other ones, they are full and seem to be attracting a good amount of customers. So what can we do to ensure that this plaza doesn't dry up?

Sitting out front of that plaza is the Colonie Diner, which finally opened back up in October after being closed for a year. That diner is also a Capital Region favorite and if this are doesn't turn around I wouldn't want to see it suffer, too.

Not that long ago I remember coming here to shop at Price Chopper and hit up K-Mart (which is now a Car Max). I want to see positive change for this community. I want to hear people talk about how great it is to shop and be a part of this community.