Menands is a small village bordering New York’s capital
Mayor Brian Marsh’s experience in Menands reflects the community’s quaint nature. His parents bought a home in Menands in the ‘70s, and Marsh grew up in the village before moving to Boston. He came back to Menands 20 years later and bought a home — seven houses down from where his mom still lives. Menands is within Colonie, a town of 86,000 residents, and is located alongside Albany, where nearly 100,000 people live. However, the village carves out a much smaller community along the banks of the Hudson River. Locals may run into friends and neighbors when attending a food truck festival or walking a trail. At the same time, Menands is less than 3 miles from the heart of Albany, New York’s capital city.
Homes built for Menands’ working class and Albany’s elite
History shaped the Menands housing market into what it is today. The working class traditionally lived on the southern end of Menands, closer to Albany. Small cottages and Arts & Crafts homes remain, along with split-levels that were built later. Elsewhere, large Colonial Revivals claim spacious lots in wooded enclaves. Some of these homes date to the 19th century. “Industrial powerhouses from the city of Albany lived here because it’s so pretty and because of the knoll overlooking the Hudson,” Marsh says. Move-in-ready homes generally start at $240,000 and climb to $560,000. Houses on half an acre or more can cost between $610,000 and $2 million.
Menands Union Free School District oversees elementary, middle grades
Kindergartners through eighth graders can attend the Menands School, the local district’s only school, which gets a B grade from Niche. After finishing eighth grade, students advance to one of four high schools. One of the closest is A-rated Shaker High. Teens who join a Career & Technical Education Program can spend half the school day at Shaker High and the other half at the Capital Region Board of Cooperative Education Services’ Career & Technical Education Center. There, students design video games, cook meals and more.
Village aims to improve its access to the Hudson River
Ganser-Smith Memorial Park has a playground, basketball court and horseshoe pits spread across the 3-acre green space. Coed teams in Menands Junior Baseball league play games at the park’s field. The Mohawk Hudson Bike Hike Trail passes through Menands as it follows the Hudson River for 11 miles between Albany and Peebles Island State Park. Currently, the trail is the only way to access the riverfront in Menands, but Marsh says he's advocating for state funds to change that. “When [Interstate] 787 was put in, we were cut off from having access to the Hudson River. All other municipalities have Hudson River access.”
Bands, food trucks and more at Ganser-Smith Memorial Park
Nearly every week in July and August, people gather at Ganser-Smith Memorial Park, the hub of Menands’ events scene. “For a small village, we have a robust summer entertainment program,” Marsh says. Bands play free concerts on Tuesday nights, followed by food trucks and additional live music coming to the park on Wednesday evenings. The annual Community Night in August caps off the summer events season. Kids can play in bounce houses and take pony rides, as well as go for rides in a Menands Fire Department truck.
The Capital District Regional Market started in Menands in 1933 for farmers to sell their products to grocery stores and restaurants, rather than directly to individuals. Wholesalers still come to the market during the week, but individuals can shop for locally produced fruits, vegetables and even whiskey on Saturdays.
Shops, restaurants and jobs along Broadway
Restaurants, shopping centers and office buildings line Broadway, the community’s commercial corridor. There’s a mix of local spots such as Tuscan Oven Pizza and chains including Dunkin’ and Subway. Roughly 1,000 people work at a large office complex called Riverview Center. Shoppers can stop at Dollar Tree and Family Dollar along Broadway, while Price Chopper supermarket is about 3 miles north of Menands. Marsh says the village plans to overhaul Broadway to draw more residents and businesses. “We’re putting time and effort into building a Broadway corridor that’s pedestrian-friendly and appealing with trees, streetlights. That makes it more attractive for retail businesses.”
I-787, I-90 provide access to the Albany metro
Interstate 787 runs the length of Menands, and residents can use the interstate to drive to downtown Albany. Interstate 787 intersects with Interstate 90, which travels east to west across the metro and passes by Samaritan Hospital’s Albany Memorial Campus. Capital District Transportation Authority buses stop along Broadway, picking up passengers on their way to and from downtown Albany. Planes fly nonstop to about 20 destinations from Albany International Airport, 7 miles from Menands.
Written By
Alex Soderstrom
