ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – Over the years chunks of concrete have fallen from the Central Warehouse posing a threat to the public, the city of Albany said. The city plans to ensure public safety at that privately owned property after the owners failed to comply with a citation to install nets to keep more concrete from falling.

“Many consider the Central Warehouse building Albany’s greatest eyesore,” Democrat Assemblymember Patricia Fahy said.

The dilapidated building has been an ongoing issue in her district, she said. The developer estimated one wall was likely compromised and now they estimate it’s two maybe three walls that are compromised, creating new financial estimates and concerns.

The city of Albany is moving forward with plans to install netting around the Central Warehouse.

The city said this is due to noncompliance by the property owner. However, the property owner released a statement saying it has agreed to the installment.

Redburn Development released a statement that said they agreed to the netting installment. “We are working daily to try and solve the central warehouse problem so that we all never have to talk about this again.” 

The Director of Albany’s Buildings & Regulatory Compliance office Richard LaJoy said the city’s engineer recommended having the netting installed. He said both the old and new owners were cited and ordered to comply. After noncompliance, he said, it was determined that the city would step in and install the netting and plans to bill the owners.

The netting is expected to be installed in the coming weeks and will cost roughly $460,000 to install but Fahy questions whether it’s worth it?  

“So in other words, if it truly is so compromised, we are better off just trying to find the funds to take it down and re-develop the whole area,” said Fahy

She said there have been several efforts throughout the years to rehabilitate the warehouse, and Redburn’s was the most promising, but all of them have failed.