Mansion Alternatives

Alternative Projects in the Mansion Dist. of Albany, New York

Initial Project Description for Compass Roses Exhibit at Opalka Gallery September, 2025

I will be creating a map of alternative projects—current and historical—in The Mansion District, where my partner and I purchased our first home 2.5 years ago. The map will consist of layered maps of the area, printed on semi-transparent mylar and divided by era (for example: 1960s–1980s), illustrating the locations of alternative projects active during those times. The use of layered, translucent material offers a visually ghostly historic view and invites viewer interaction.

When my partner and I bought our home here, the previous owners (and a few of the neighbors) told us that “The Mansion District is radical” — and it’s true. The neighborhood’s history as a hotbed of alternative projects goes back decades, if not centuries. The Free School, the oldest independent, inner-city alternative school in the country, is the most obvious historical example. But there are more. I’ve already begun gathering stories about other projects such as Food Not Bombs (1990s), communal living spaces, and Workspace, a “Marxist” gallery (1970s), from first-person sources.

The Mansion District currently hosts several alternative projects, including Radix, an urban ecological research center; Kiddie Pool, a residential space for art and literature projects (that’s me!); YouthFX, which empowers disenfranchised youth with Digital Film & Media Arts skills; and We Are Revolutionary, a grassroots organization that addresses Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) by empowering entire families to engage in the political process.