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Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan declared a state of emergency Friday, July 29, citing a structural engineering report warning that portions of the Central Warehouse building's southern wall face an “imminent” risk of collapse.
“We are working closely with local, state, and federal partners and engineering experts to determine the extent of the structural failure and develop a plan to ensure the safety of our residents and businesses, and get the trains running on time and interstate commerce back on track,” Sheehan said.
In a statement issued early Friday, Amtrak confirmed it had suspended rail service west of Albany “due to a potential safety concern with a non-Amtrak, privately owned building located near the tracks.”
The suspension affects both the Empire Service and the Lake Shore Limited routes. Service between Albany and New York City is not affected.
Customers with reservations on trains impacted were advised to contact Amtrak at 1-800-USA-RAIL or visit the Amtrak website.
Friday's emergency declaration follows multiples reports of chunks of concrete falling from the building close to the rail line.
A longtime eyesore, the Central Warehouse building was purchased by Evan Blum in 2017, CBS6 reports.
In doing so, the outlet said he inherited hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid taxes dating back to 2011 and filed for bankruptcy to stop a federal judge from allowing Albany County to auction it off.
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