All Over Albany

A bunch of photos from this year's Santa Speedo Sprint on Lark Street

People wearing all sorts of holiday-themed attire -- festive speedos, pajamas, costumes, formal wear -- dashed down Lark Street Saturday for charity as part of the annual Albany Santa Speedo Sprint.

The sprint -- now in its 13th year -- is always one of the goofiest, happiest events of the year. It's organized by the Albany Society for the Advancement of Philanthropy, with the Albany All Stars Roller Derby, and is a fundraiser for the Albany Damien Center and the HIV/AIDS program at the Albany Medical Center. Jim Larson -- one of the organizers and the sprint captain -- said this year's event raised $19,000.

Here are many, many photos from this year...

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Debbie's Kitchen is returning (with Debbie)

Debbie's reopening the kitchen.

There's wondrous sandwich news in Albany: Debbie's Kitchen is planning to return to its old location on Madison Avenue in Albany -- with Debbie herself at the helm.

Debbie, of course, is Debbie Klauber, whose soups, sandwiches, and desserts were Albany famous for 25 years.

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Follow up: Lark Hall

AOA is on summer break. So we'll have new follow-ups with people we've met and covered during the last year (or so)

Back in February 2017 word surfaced that 351 Hudson Ave -- AKA the EBA Building, at the corner of Lark and Hudson -- was going up for auction.

The eventual buyers: A team made up of Jeff Buell, a local developer, and the married couple Justin and Jennifer Miller (an attorney and teacher / yoga instructor, respectively). They didn't have an exact plan for the landmark building, but they were excited to get started.

Well, that part took a little longer than expected -- a year, in fact. But the group does now own the building -- which they're calling Lark Hall -- and work is moving along on renovations. (The Lark Street Flower Market is still there.) First up: a yoga studio to be run by Jennifer Miller. A juice bar will follow after that. And then there's the large auditorium space upstairs.

We stopped by 351 Hudson to talk with Jeff Buell and Justin Miller about what's been going on, how they're planning to use that auditorium, and the Lark Street neighborhood.

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Neon Dog

Speaking of Lark Street businesses... After visiting the new Pint Sized Friday we had a chance to stop in at the new pet supplies store just across Jay Street.

Neon Dog has been open a week in the second-floor retail space at 252 Lark Street. The shop, owned by Romel Pryor, offers a range of pet supplies, from food to toys to grooming accessories. And if you don't see something you're looking for, ask -- we heard today that they've already changed up the dog food lineup based on feedback from customers.

The store is open Monday-Sunday 9 am-7 pm.

And pets are welcome in the shop. (Even the unusual ones.)

A peek inside the new Pint Sized on Lark Street

The craft beverage shop on Lark Street -- Pint Sized -- has re-opened at its new, expanded location at 250 Lark. It's the former Enigma/Ben & Jerry's space at the corner Lark and Jay.

Pint Sized started out in 2014 as a retail shop in a below-street level space at the corner of Lark and State. Owner August Rosa made the move to the new spot so he could have a bar area and seating.

It's a format similar to the one that's been successful at Pint Sized's Saratoga Springs location.

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Kitchen 216

Kitchen 216 owner Emrys Young.

The newest restaurant on Lark Street: Kitchen 216.

The modern soul food spot is currently in a soft-open phase. It's grand opening is set for April 12.

Here are a few bits with the owner about what's in store, her take on modern soul food, and the remarkable DIY approach that got her to this point.

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Center Square, centered

A post shared by Albany From Above (@abovealbany) on Jan 22, 2018 at 4:05am PST

Above Albany snapped a great aerial pic of Center Square / Hudson/Park the other day. Love the way it captures the lines of the streets and buildings.

A new, expanded spot on Lark for Pint Sized

The planned new spot.

The Lark Street craft beverage shop Pint Sized is moving -- to a new location, and to a (somewhat) different format.

"It's time to grow, to move on to better things," owner August Rosa said Tuesday.

Here's a little bit about what's up with the shop and Lark Street generally...

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Lower Lancaster Street

This could be an interesting look into Albany not-so-long ago past: WMHT will be showing the 1981 documentary Lower Lancaster Street this Thursday at 7:30 pm. Blurbage:

LOWER LANCASTER STREET is a documentary film that focuses on the gentrification of a rundown block in Albany that was being taken over by the middle-class at the expense of the working-class and the unemployed. Produced over the course of an entire year beginning in 1980, the film captures the transformation that took place in the decade following the completion of the Empire State Plaza where areas close to the newly constructed New York State office buildings were largely purchased by those in the middle class who displaced a predominantly working poor population who had made these neighborhoods their home. LOWER LANCASTER STREET originally appeared on PBS stations across the United States as part of the US CHRONICLE series which was hosted by Jim Lehrer.

LOWER LANCASTER STREET was produced in a cinema verite style by Steve Dunn, who lived on Lancaster Street at the time while working as a cameraman for the iconic public television series, INSIDE ALBANY. LOWER LANCASTER STREET was narrated by INSIDE ALBANY host, David Hepp. Mr. Hepp has now recorded a new on-camera introduction and conclusion for the documentary to take the place of what Jim Lehrer recorded almost 35-years-ago.

That a short trailer embedded above. WMHT says it hasn't shown the doc in more than 30 years.

If you're a WMHT member, you can watch the entire 30-minute doc online at that first link above.

Lancaster now...
Here's the Google Street View (captured July 2017) of that same block depicted in the thumbnail of the embedded trailer.

Photos from the 2017 Santa Speedo Sprint

A bunch of scantily-clad people dashed along a chilly Lark Street Saturday for charity as part of the annual Albany Santa Speedo Sprint, which is now in its 12th year.

The sprint is always one of the most fun events of year, with lots of smiles and cheering. It's organized by the Albany Society for the Advancement of Philanthropy, with the Albany All Stars Roller Derby, and is a fundraiser for the Albany Damien Center and the HIV/AIDS program at the Albany Medical Center. This year's sprint raised $14,000.

Here's a metric ton of photos from this year...

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LarkFest 2017 music lineup

Cloud Nothings

Updated

LarkFest returns September 23. And the music lineup is out: the headliner is the indie rock band Cloud Nothings. The full lineup is below.

As you know, Larkfest is a free street festival on Lark Street in Albany between Madison and Washington that draws thousands of people with vendors, activities, and entertainment. This will be the 36th year of the festival.

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Follow up: Berben and Wolff's

AOA is on summer break this week. So we'll have new follow-ups this week with people we've met and covered during the last year.

A little more than a year ago, Joey Berben and Max Wolff opened a vegan restaurant on Lark Street with the goal of making food that appeals to all sorts of people -- vegan and non-vegan.

As Berben said last year, "It's just good food. Vegetable forward, plant-based food."

And it's worked. Berben and Wolff's has built a following of fans, expanded its wholesale business that sells to other restaurants, and now has an eye on expansion.

We talked with Joey Berben last week in the busy second-floor dining space that looks out onto Lark Street about drawing an eclectic crowd, staying positive, and snowballing small successes.

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Updates: 3Fish Coffee, 288 Lark Street

Quick updates on a couple of Lark Street-area storefronts...

3Fish Coffee
The new cafe next to the Downtube on Madison Ave across from Washington Park -- 3Fish Coffee -- has its grand opening this Friday-Sunday. It's run by Emma Fullem, daughter of the owners of the landmark bike shop, and the family was prompted to open the cafe by the fire that significantly damaged the building two years ago. The weekend will be a "grand (re)opening" for both businesses.

There's a pop-up art show with music Friday evening, and yoga, coffee, and bike activities on Saturday and Sunday.

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The next life of the EBA building on Lark Street

When the EBA building went up for auction last month, Justin Miller was part of a group that entered a bid of almost half a million dollars for the Lark Street landmark. And they won.

Then it sunk in what they'd done. And some panic set in. They had just put up half a million dollars to buy a century-old theater building.

Feeling the need to walk, Miller headed over to McGeary's in downtown Albany.

"Tess, I've got to talk to you," he said he told Tess Collins, the pub's proprietor and local mainstay, when he arrived. He had a glass of water. They talked. He started to feel better. "She's always a steady hand."

And this week, standing in the second-floor theater space at Lark and Hudson, he was sounding excited and optimistic about what's next for the building.

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Brew goes Pint Sized, plans second location (and a tiny bar)

The current shop on Lark Street.

Changes are coming to Brew, the popular beer/coffee shop on Lark Street.

Owner August Rosa says he's changing the name to Pint Sized. And he's opening a second location in Saratoga Springs -- what he believes could be the Capital Region's tiniest bar.

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The EBA building on Lark Street is up for auction

You know the building.

For sale: Century-old Lark Street theater. Only two owners.

The building at the corner of Lark and Hudson that houses the dance company EBA, a staple of the neighborhood since 1977, is up for auction.

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Santa Speedo Sprint 2016 photos

The annual Albany Santa Speedo Sprint was Saturday afternoon on Lark Street. For the 11th year, a bunch of scantily-clad people dashed 800 meters through the wintry air for charity.

The sprint is always one of the most fun events of year, with lots of smiles and cheering. It's organized by the Albany Society for the Advancement of Philanthropy, with the Albany All Stars Roller Derby, and is a fundraiser for the Albany Damien Center and the HIV/AIDS program at the Albany Medical Center.

Here are a ton of photos from this year

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The ongoing debate over what Lark Street is and should be

You've probably heard at least a little bit about the big Rezone Albany project, which is working to completely overhaul and modernize the city's zoning code. The process is nearing its completion, and as that approaches, people are starting to get a sense of what sorts of changes the project might prompt.

One that's getting a lot of attention is the zoning designations for parts of Lark Street between Madison and Washington and adjacent areas of neighborhoods there. Specifically, the new "mixed-use neighborhood center" designation along parts of Madison, Lark, and Washington will eventually require businesses to close by 2 am. And the "mixed-use neighborhood edge" designation for zones around the area will eventually require an 11 pm closing time.

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Thoughts on LarkFest in the future?

From a LarkFest past. / photo: Sebastien

LarkFest was this past Saturday in Albany -- as you know. And a few bits/perspectives about the street festival are circulating today on the Monday after.

First, from the Times Union, word from that the Lark Street BID could make LarkFest alcohol-free in the future in order to cut down on the costs and complications related to the fest.

And from August Rosa -- a co-owner of the Lark Street beverage shop Brew, and a Lark Street BID board member -- a call to not change the festival. A clip:

... Albany events are so important, especially when surrounding towns (you know where I am talking about) are getting lots of buzz. They take chances. They have nothing to lose.

In fact, Brew might not have existed in the first place if LarkFest didn't exist. In 2004 as a freshmen at St. Rose I came down to see LarkFest on a whim and The Dandy Warhols were playing. I couldn't believe that one of the recent bands I downloaded from LimeWire was playing on the block! This was the first thing that established Lark Street as the cool place to be. From there I came down every week to grab a bite or pop into shops. I ended up living on the block in a few apartments. I ultimately opened up a shop here because I really do think that Lark Street can be what it was 10 years ago.

People just have to let it be. Lark Street is not a suburb. If certain individuals want to dilute Albany's culture then the businesses will move. ...

The topic of what the Lark Street commercial corridor is, and should be, has come up a lot in the last year or so as some people have said the stretch is in decline and others say it's just going through some cyclical change. The question of what LarkFest should be in the future fits right in with all that.

So, we're curious about your take on the future of LarkFest -- whether it should change, and if so, in what ways?

Earlier on AOA:
+ Thinking about the future of Lark Street
+ Lark Street and the competition among the Capital Region's hip urban areas
+ Ideas for Lark Street's longterm future

LarkFest 2016 full music schedule

Montreal band Ought is one of the headliners. / photo: Hera Chan

LarkFest is this Saturday on Lark Street in Albany, from 10 am to 6 pm. The street will be closed to vehicle traffic from Madison Ave to Washington Ave for the free street fair.

And the full music schedule -- 16 acts across three stages -- is out. Let's have a look.

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Upstate Artists Guild leaving Lark Street space

The Upstate Artists Guild announced Tuesday that it will be leaving its longtime space at 247 Lark Street in Albany this fall. From a press release:

Over the years, members have dug into our own pockets to pay rent and other expenses. This past year, attendance is down, membership is down and people just aren't volunteering or donating like they used to. We are low on funds and manpower, so we are temporarily giving up our gallery space after our October show while we re-organize. This move will keep the Upstate Artists Guild running, and we plan to continue hosting 1st Friday events and have a pop-up show (still themed and accepting submissions) for each 1st Friday starting with November. We will most likely be at the current gallery space (247 Lark Street) for the November 1st Friday. The shows will only be the one night or possibly the weekend depending on the circumstance. We still plan on hosting our events- just in different spaces until we find a new home. Our goal is to find something more affordable and perhaps with another organization by April 2017's 1st Friday.

UAG has occupied the space since 2005. And it's hosted many, many exhibits, shows, and other events.

In other Lark Street storefront news... The clothing shop Enigma.co, which was once located in downtown Troy, has its grand opening at 248 Lark Street this Wednesday. And the Albany Ben & Jerry's, which re-opened on Madison Ave just down the street from Washington Park this past May -- will also be celebrating its grand opening.

Earlier on AOA:
+ Thinking about the future of Lark Street
+ Lark Street and the competition among the Capital Region's hip urban areas
+ Ideas for Lark Street's longterm future
+ Enigma.Co

LarkFest 2016 music lineup

Jana Hunter of Lower Dens. / photo: Frank Hamilton

Returning September 24: LarkFest in Albany. And the lineup of music headliners is out:

The Relationship
Brian Bell of Weezer

Ought
Post-punk from Montreal

Lower Dens
Indie pop from Baltimore

Delicate Steve
Multigenre multi-instrumentalist

Televisionaries
Surf rock from Rochester

Video clips of each act are after the jump if you'd like to have a listen.

From the Lark Street BID: "This is just the initial wave of bands and a full lineup including local music, artists, makers and retail vendors will be released at a later date."

LarkFest is Saturday, September 24 from 10 am to 6 pm on the section of Lark Street between Madison Ave and Washington Ave. Admission is free.

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Follow up: Lark + Lily

Lark + Lily. And Lilly.

AOA is on summer break this week. So, like last summer, we'll have new follow-ups this week with people we've covered during the last few years.

Just about this time last year we talked with Silvia Lilly as she was preparing to take over ownership of the popular Wine Bar and Bistro on Lark from Kevin Everleth. As she told us back then:

I understand that I have a lot to learn about the back-of-the-house, day-to-day, running of a restaurant, but I also feel as if I have a lot of front of the house knowledge to share.

I don't define success by making tons of money. Never have. I want to be successful in terms of giving our guests a memorable and positive experience from the moment they walk in the door.

Lilly -- a teacher by day, who has also worked in restaurants for most of her adult life -- has now owned the business for about eight months. She's renamed it Lark + Lily and revamped the menu to include some more casual dining options -- but kept the beautiful courtyard and the knowledgable staff.

So how's it going? We checked in with her to find out.

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The story behind Larkasaurus Rex

As seen last week. (Thanks again, Heather!)

Last week we posted a pic sent along to us by Heather for a dinosaur -- T. Rex, it appeared -- walking down Lark Street.

A lot of people seemed to get a good laugh out of the pic. So we followed up to ask the very important question: "What the (heck) was that about?!"

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On Lark Street, not extinct

T-Rex probably wears flip-flops because then there's no reaching down to tie laces. (And we all know arm length is a sensitive topic with Rex.)

Heather sent along this scene from Lark Street Thursday.

Just your typical summer evening.

(Thanks, Heather!)