Capital District Regional Planning Commission

A new eight-bed wing at the Capital District Juvenile Secure Detention Facility in the Town of Colonie has been completed and is being dedicated today. The expansion was financed and constructed by the Capital District Youth Center, Inc. (CDYCI), a public benefit corporation jointly created by Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga, and Schenectady counties. Construction of the new addition began last August.

The original sixteen-bed main Facility, constructed on a four-acre site behind the Albany County Correctional Facility, was completed just twenty-eight months ago, and has been used at full capacity ever since it opened for service in December 1997. The Capital District Regional Planning Commission (CDRPC) was responsible for planning and implementing the Detention Facility project.

County and State officials planning to attend the dedication include Albany County Executive Michael Breslin, Family Court Judge Gerald Maney, Assemblyman Ronald Canestrari, Assemblyman Robert Prentiss, State Senator Neil Breslin, and Deputy Commissioner Louis Mann of the State Office of Children and Family Services.

"I am very pleased to see that the facility has successfully met all expectations. All four participating counties are well served by the facility in terms of easy access and cost savings. Furthermore, the detained children benefit from being closer to their homes," said Paul J. O'Brien, President of CDYCI, a former Albany County Legislator and current CDRPC board member.

In the past, the Region's counties had to transport juveniles placed by family court judges in secure detention to other facilities throughout the State, sometimes as far as Long Island or Buffalo. Placement of juveniles in remote detention centers prior to adjudication not only meant extra staff and transportation costs for the counties, but also made family visitations very difficult.

"I applaud the spirit of cooperation shown by our area county officials and the hard work of the members of CDRPC and CDYCI in bringing this Regional project to fruition. It is really an excellent project and program much needed by the Region," said Assemblyman Ronald Canestrari of Cohoes, who assisted in securing a $2 million State grant to pay part of the facility's original construction costs five years ago.

Tax-exempt bonds were issued by the CDYCI to financed the $3.8 million construction cost of both the original Facility and the new wing. The 24-bed facility now has a total area of 28,200 square feet.

Anticipating the need for more secure detention, all four of the sponsoring counties elected to increase their reservation of beds at the expanded Facility: Albany County up from 7.5 to 12 beds, Rensselaer up from 1 to 2 beds, Saratoga up from 1.25 to 2 beds, and Schenectady County up from 2.25 to 4 beds. The four remaining beds have been reserved by other counties: 3 by Oneida County, and 1 bed to be shared by Columbia and Greene counties. With the State-wide shortage of secure detention beds, there is a waiting list of counties expressing interest in leasing beds at the Capital District Facility.

Facility operations will continue to be performed under contract by Berkshire Farm Center and Family Services for Youth, a not-for-profit youth service organization based in Canaan, New York. The educational program, an important component of the detention center's services, is provided by the South Colonie Central School District. The facility has three class rooms and a three-quarter size gym per State requirements.

# # # # #

Capital District Juvenile Secure Detention Facility Location Map (Map will open in a new window)

Return to CDRPC Home Page