The Banalbany Projects: To Be or not To Be - Madison Ave.

Assignmentt: If you could be any street in Albany, which street would you be and why?

Before Madison Ave was Madison Ave, it was known as Park View Terrace in the 1890s. This is the place to be. If you follow Madison Ave’s yellow brick road (or just road in this case), you will end up at the Empire State Plaza, The Egg, and the New York State Museum; all historic sites of Albany and New York State. This is one of the many reasons why I would want to be Madison Ave.

Of course I would want The Egg (http://www.theegg.org/) to be on my Avenue. It is one of the coolest structures out there. It was designed by Wallace Harrison and took twelve years to complete the construction, starting in 1966 and ending in 1978. I went to a college fair held in the basement of The Egg once; it was remarkable actually being “underneath” the egg, I loved every minute of it. Near The Egg is the New York State Museum (http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/), which is the home to many educational exhibitions including; Adirondack Wilderness, Earth History, Bird of New York, Native American Crafts, Minerals of New York, and many other fascinating things. This museum is so rich, and full of history it would be a great thing to be a part of this. Visitors would drive down my Avenue on their way to learn and have fun in this great museum.

The home to both The Egg and the New York State Museum is the Empire State Plaza. When you stand in the middle of the plaza you can see all the great historical buildings of Albany. Not only do you have The Egg, and the Museum next to you, but also the New York State Capitol Building is straight ahead. I think one of the best parts of the plaza is the ice rink located in the center. It is a great place to go on a winter’s day with the family, just not on a windy day; I learned that the hard way!

Another great aspect of Madison Ave is Washington Park (http://www.washingtonparkconservancy.com/washington_main.htm). This is probably one of the main reasons why I would want to be this avenue. It is a beautiful park, especially in the springtime when all the flowers are starting to bloom. Washington Park is home to the Tulip Festival, summer theater Park Playhouse, and my favorite Holiday Lights in the Park.

Other than historic sites and known parks, Madison Ave is also the home of many popular small businesses. One of my favorite places is Hill Street Café and Ralph’s. Hill Street Café looks like your typical tavern, but there is something different about it. It’s not a dingy little bar, it’s a nice place to have an ice-cold beer, some good food, and just hang out and relax. I would be proud to have this tavern on my avenue. Ralph’s, located on the intersection of Madison and New Scotland, and is by far has the best chicken wings in Albany; it is the place to go!