Plans for the redevelopment of the former College of Saint Rose campus are moving forward. The College of Saint Rose closed in 2024 after mounting financial challenges and declining enrollment.

The property was formally transferred from Albany County to the Albany County Pine Hills Land Authority on Thursday. Albany County Executive Dan McCoy on Thursday signed a temporary license agreement to establish some offices on the campus. There are plans to go beyond that.

“I’m obligated to the county to make this work for residents on the outside to want to come into the city and to visit this beautiful campus, where you’ll see new life and a mixed opportunity of stuff going on,” McCoy said.

Albany County was just one of the bidders who vied for the campus. McCoy said he was actually stunned they won.

“I’m like, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me.’ I go, ‘Are you serious? Are you messing with me right now,'” McCoy said. “I literally took a big breath because, I’m like, ‘We’ve got to make it work.'”

Since they did win, McCoy said it’s crucial to act quickly and not let the campus sit idle.

The county says key services and departments will be moving to the campus in the coming weeks.

However, McCoy wanted to make clear he’s not abandoning downtown Albany.

“The state’s at 50% workforce. They work two days one week, three the next. That’s what’s killing downtowns across the state of New York,” he said. “The state workforce has never come back since COVID. I had to reimagine.”

McCoy also said the security staff will stay on for the new project.

“I can almost assure you it will be one of the safest places in the city, because the amount of traffic you’re going to get here,” McCoy said.

McCoy is excited for the possibilities, he said.

“As a city resident, to give an opportunity to reopen this campus up to the public, to have a safe place to walk around, a safe place to come and get a cup of coffee or dinner, or just walk in this beautiful courtyard is going to be something.”