County legislators calling for the demolition of Central Warehouse

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Some local leaders want to demolish the Central Warehouse in Albany. Republican members of the Albany County Legislature wrote a petition to New York's congressional representatives and state leaders to ask for funding to take the structure down.

The warehouse was taken over by developers, who are hoping to turn it into apartments and retail space, but are unsure about how to cover rising construction costs.

"All of us were aspirational in supporting this redevelopment effort," Albany County Legislature Deputy Minority Leader Paul Burgdorf said. "It obviously is not working. It is paralyzed, and we are now putting it behind a curtain so that as it falls apart, the public can't see and is protected."

Netting was recently installed on the side of the warehouse to try and stop debris from falling. Chunks of concrete fell off the building in July 2022, which disrupted Amtrak service and lead to safety concerns.