University at Albany announces plan to buy College of Saint Rose building for $12 million

Albany, NY (News10) — Albany County Executive Dan McCoy gathered the community on the former College of Saint Rose campus for a major purchase announcement that was several months in the making.

University at Albany plans to buy Centennial Hall dormitory for $12 million dollars. 

“It’s been a journey, but I knew when I took this on, I needed partners. And I knew we needed extraordinary partners,” McCoy addressed the crowd. “We have that partner in the University at Albany.” 

“This is another commitment of the University at Albany to continue to work, to continue to partner with the city, and also serve the needs of the University at Albany,” said University President Havidan Rodriguez.  

The dorm will be used to address the university’s student housing shortage, and both that the 225-bed dorm offers the type of apartment-style housing upperclassmen are requesting. 

Rodriguez said the impact of the sale, which will be under review with the Pine Hills Land Authority for the next 90 days, should benefit the school as well as the local economy with students, faculty and staff buying from area vendors. 

“We look at the educational impact, but we also look at the economic impact, and we believe the economic impact is going to be significant,” he shared.

Rodriguez said he anticipates the residence being ready for students as early as the fall semester 2026.