With ‘Downtown on the Cusp of A New Era’ Brown & Weinraub Expands Into New 76 N. Pearl St. Office Space

March 18, 2021

#DowntownWorks

A combined love of downtown and all it has to offer plus the proximity to the state Capitol ultimately sealed the deal. 

David Weinraub is a self-described “city person.”
 
“I’m not a corporate park person,” the veteran Albany lobbyist said. “I don’t like antiseptic. I don’t want to hear the ventilation. I like being around people, going for a walk to the river.”
 
Weinraub’s love of downtown Albany started when he moved to the Capital Region from Brooklyn decades ago. He and his wife purchased a house on Jefferson Street, and only reluctantly gave it up when the imminent birth of their twins mandated a need for more space.
 
Professionally, however, Weinraub has remained committed to downtown. His first office in 1995 was on Sheridan Street, next to the Victory Café. He has changed firms and relocated several times since then, but never strayed far from a roughly five block radius, purchasing buildings and rehabbing them along the way.
 
The latest home of Weinraub’s half eponymous strategic consulting firm, Brown & Weinraub, is Redburn’s The Kenmore at 76 N. Pearl St., where he and his co-workers thus far are the building’s only non-resident and non-retail tenants.
 
“It’s totally different because you see people in the elevator that live here; they’ve got their dogs and everything,” Weinraub said. “It’s a different vibe totally but we like it a lot.”
 
The firm’s move from its old offices at 50 State St., where it was spread out over two floors, was spurred in part by a flurry of new hires, which meant a need for more space. While the leadership briefly considered moving out of the city, a combined love of downtown and all it has to offer plus the proximity to the state Capitol ultimately sealed the deal.
 
Brown & Weinraub signed a lease for its new, 8,000-square foot space on The Kenmore’s sixth floor not long before the coronavirus pandemic hit last spring. But Weinraub said he does not regret the decision.

“We wear our masks, we wash our hands and we socially distance; it’s a big part of the culture,” Weinraub said. 

“There’s an app you have to use and check in, filling out five questions every day. I like to say the office is closed, but if you want to come in you can. We’re at about 50 percent on any given day.” 

Thus far, the firm has not experienced any widespread COVID-19 outbreaks, for which Weinraub said he is grateful, but not surprised. The firm now has sufficient space in which to spread out, and everyone who works there has been very careful to maintain public health protocols.
 
Weinraub feels downtown is on the cusp of a new era, and said that with more residents moving in regularly, it’s clear that the burgeoning neighborhood’s next step is to get more amenities to make it even more attractive as a full-service community.

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About #DowntownWorks

Downtown’s offices have in part operated remotely over the past several months and downtown Albany is eager to welcome the business community fully back when the timing is right.

National, and local trends signal the trajectory for progress and success downtown hasn’t slowed — businesses have adapted, and key strategic investments are taking shape. Now is the time to experience for yourself or remind yourself, why downtown works — why start-ups, Fortune 100 and world renowned international companies are containing to invest and grow in downtown Albany, and why downtown Albany has proven successful for your organization.
 
The many companies occupying downtown Albany offices, and their talent, are innovative and resilient. As more return to the office, Capitalize Albany Corporation and the Downtown Albany BID are gathering insights from industry experts to support office occupiers in making informed decisions. And in speaking with local businesses we’re also learning more about upcoming plans and opportunities, remote-work balance strategies, and of course — why downtown works.  

Learn more and share your stories at #DowntownWorks on social media, visit #DowntownWorks on CapitalizeAlbany.com, and www.DowntownAlbany.org/DowntownWorks.