Campus Area - Albany, NY Area Guide

The neighborhood started when a school was built in 1844 to train teachers for the growing population. By 1890, the school developed from providing a two-year education to students to a four-year program with a new curricula, new faculty and new standards for student enrollment. By 1962, the college had earned national distinction and joined with the State University of New York to become one of four university centers. Today, it is a major public research university with nationally respected programs and top ranked professors. As the school grew in popularity, so did the neighborhood around it.

The local museums and art galleries include the University Art Museum and the Sorelle Gallery for fine arts.

DiBella’s Old Fashioned Submarines have sandwiches that start with freshly baked bread from the in-house bakery. Submarine sandwiches can be served classic-style or grilled on several choices of bread and come in a variety of sizes. A few fan favorites to try include the Godfather — a submarine sandwich layered with Genoa salami, capicola and spicy ham — or DiBella’s cheesesteak, a sub smothered with melted cheese, grilled onions and peppers. Add a side salad such as potato or macaroni and grab one of Grandma DiBella’s chocolate chip cookies.

Across the Street Pub makes the perfect spot for Monday night football, and in the summer months, many NY Giants players can be found here when they are not in training camps. You'll find the pub across from the main campus of the University of Albany. Locals recommend the jalapeno poppers, the Black and Bleu salad, and the variety of chicken dishes. Join locals on Wednesday nights for trivia games and prizes.

Barcelona Restaurant and Wine Bar has many good things on the menu such as chicken paella and the butternut squash ravioli. If you just want a drink, prop up the Tuscan-style bar, but remember to try the tasty cocktails.

Southeast of the campus area lie the Points Restaurant and Lounge and George Bar.

Visit Madison Pour House for the 40 beers on tap. The inside of this establishment takes you to Scotland with a dark wooden bar and exposed beams overhead. Find wall-length benches with green and tartan patterned cushions to get comfortable. Wrought-iron chandeliers hang overhead as you find a spot standing at the bar, as there are no stools at the bar area. This keeps patrons moving and mingling, but if you want to disconnect from the crowd, head upstairs after picking up a pint of beer.

Most residents drive to work, and the average commute length is 15 minutes. About 75 percent of the labor force in the campus area primarily drive or carpool to work.

Capital District Transportation Authority provides bus services around the Capital Region and you can find plenty of cabs that service Albany. Many cabs can be easily hailed as they typically wait around the campus area, especially the university, making it ideal for students, visitors and residents to grab cheap transportation. Uber also services the area, and you can book one using the smartphone app.

Expect to pay for parking, whether via a meter or by purchasing a ticket if parking in a lot. Some lots have serious restrictions on who can park and at what times. They may also limit parking to a certain amount of time. Highways 20 and 85 and Interstates 90 and 87 surround the area, making access to the campus area easy.

The neighborhood is extremely walkable and bike friendly as many students use these modes of transportation to get to the university. You'll find a few marked bike lanes in this area.

Due to the university campus being central to the campus area, most parks are fields used by university students such as baseball field, athletic practice fields, Bob Ford Field, John Fallon Field and others. Residents are encouraged to use the fields when not being used for university sports. Most residents travel to Mcknownville Park along the Abele Park Pathway to get the park experience.

The campus area's cost of living hits 11 percent higher than Albany. But even with soaring costs of living, riding local transit is still affordable and will cost the rider $1.50 for a one-way ticket. If traveling by car, gas prices run 22 percent higher than the national average.

Rent in this area fluctuates considerable but the cost for a one-bedroom unit averages out at $992 per month, 18 percent higher than renting in Albany, but this is due to the high demand for being in close proximity to the university.

Most residents find it a better option to go out for beers than buying them at the market since an average domestic beer at a pub will cost $4 but purchasing at the market costs $7.

Just to the northwest of the campus area sits Stuyvesant Plaza which has many high-value stores such as Beck Furs. Beck Furs offers traditional and contemporary styles in furs and leathers. Mink, fox and chinchilla are among the types of furs carried and accessories like fur hats, headband and gloves make great gifts. Beck Furs has been providing the best fur options for over 75 years.

Other specialty stores in the area are Different Drummer’s Kitchen for kitchen supplies and gadgets, White House Black Market for women’s apparel and Stride Rite for comfortable shoes.

Most grocery stores are located just outside of the campus area but for bakery and deli items, Fiorello has a great selection. There are no farmers markets, so residents travel the short distance into Albany for the Albany Farmers Market.