North Gate Landing in North Albany: 185 Affordable Apartments Coming to 500 Northern Boulevard in 2027
Quick answerAs of October 6, 2026, North Gate Landing at 500 Northern Boulevard in Albany, New York is under construction and not yet leasing. Conifer Realty's page for the property reads "Coming Soon 2027!" and takes names for an interest list. The plan is 185 income-restricted apartments with one, two and three bedrooms in two four-story buildings on the former Red Carpet Inn site. No rents are published. Sources disagree on the income levels, which start at 30% or 50% of area median income and reach 80%.
Last checked: October 6, 2026, against Conifer Realty's North Gate Landing page and its June 30, 2025 release, the City of Albany Planning Board's decision in case DPR #0172 and the project narrative in the City's planning case file, the City of Albany Industrial Development Agency's project record, City of Albany building permits BLDG25-60021 and ELEC26-72312, a Times Union report of February 11, 2026, and HUD's 2026 income limits and fiscal year 2027 fair market rents. Rents and the application date are not published; confirm with Conifer before you plan around them.
- 185income-restricted apartments, in two four-story buildings
- Summer 2027when Conifer expects construction to be complete
- $92 millionthe cost Conifer gives; the City's 2024 estimate was about $81 million
- Oct. 24, 2023the Planning Board's approval, case DPR #0172
- $98,500HUD's 2026 income limit for four people at 80% of area median income
- 0.1 milesto the bus stop the transit authority still calls "500 Northern Blvd (Red Carpet Inn)"
What North Gate Landing Is and Who Is Building It
North Gate Landing is two new four-story apartment buildings going up at 500 Northern Boulevard, where a Red Carpet Inn stood, with 185 apartments that are all income-restricted.
- Names and addresses: North Gate Landing on Conifer's site; "Northgate Landing" on the Industrial Development Agency's (IDA) record. The Planning Board, the IDA and the permits use 500 Northern Boulevard. Conifer's page gives 482 Northern Blvd., and permits add "aka 482 & 486 Northern Blvd".
- Size: "two four-story apartment buildings totaling 233,864± square feet, to accommodate 185 dwelling units", on a 6.23-acre parcel, in the Planning Board's decision.
- Team: Conifer Realty is developer and owner. The Times Union names Conifer LeChase Construction as builder and SWBR as architect. The parcel's owner of record is North Gate Development Fund.
- Cost and program: $92.0 million according to Conifer; the IDA's January 2024 estimate was $80,962,365. Conifer lists "tax-exempt bonds, Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), and other public financing sources". The IDA approved a 30-year property tax agreement.
- Energy: the project narrative says the buildings "will be fully electric".
- October 24, 2023the Planning Board approves the plan with conditions, case DPR #0172.
- January 18, 2024the City of Albany IDA approves the tax agreement; it extends the approval on January 16, 2025.
- June 24, 2025the City issues a demolition permit and new-construction permit BLDG25-60021 for Building B.
- June 30, 2025Conifer announces "the successful closing of financing".
- February 2026the Times Union describes "a dirt-filled lot scattered with snow" with excavators on it.
- April and May 2026the City issues four elevator permits, a sprinkler permit and fire-alarm permits for both buildings.
- June 30, 2026the City issues electrical permit ELEC26-72312 for new construction.
- Summer 2027completion Conifer expects.
What it means: the permits moved from demolition and new construction in 2025 to elevators, sprinklers and wiring in 2026, which fits a 2027 opening. Nothing can be rented yet.
Source: City of Albany Planning Board decision, project P00525; City of Albany IDA project record; City of Albany permit portal, read October 6, 2026; Conifer Realty release, June 30, 2025; Times Union, February 11, 2026.
Where 500 Northern Boulevard Is
The site is on Northern Boulevard at Shaker Road in North Albany, in ZIP code 12204 and the City's Ward 4.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Address | 500 Northern Boulevard, Albany, NY 12204; also given as 482 and 486 Northern Boulevard |
| Neighborhood and ward | North Albany, Ward 4, in the City's parcel record |
| Parcel | tax map 65.7-4-1.11, 6.23 acres, zoned MU-CH (Mixed-Use, Community Highway) |
| Before | a hotel "currently operated as a Red Carpet Inn", in the 2023 project narrative |
| Nearby, per Conifer | "less than a quarter mile from Albany Memorial Hospital" and near Tivoli Lake Preserve |
| Layout | two buildings around a central parking lot, with a play area, lawns and two pocket parks, in the 2023 illustrative plan |
What it means: letters and map searches may use any of three street numbers for the same site.
Source: City of Albany Planning Board decision DPR #0172; City of Albany parcel viewer, record for 500 Northern Blvd; project narrative in the planning file; Conifer Realty release, June 30, 2025; the illustrative site plan below.
Rents, Apartment Sizes and Income Limits
No rent has been published for North Gate Landing, so the firm numbers today are the apartment mix, HUD's income limits and what two other new Albany buildings charge.
| Source | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conifer release, June 2025, and Times Union, February 2026 | 53 | 94 | 38 | 185 |
| IDA application, January 2024 | 57 | 90 | 38 | 185 |
| Planning narrative, 2023 | 56 | 90 | 38 | 184 |
What it means: the latest count has 94 two-bedrooms, about half the building.
Source: the three documents named. Conifer's page gives sizes of 820 square feet for a one-bedroom, 960 for a two-bedroom and 1,120 for a three-bedroom with one and a half baths.
- Planning narrative, 2023"50 units targeted to 30% AMI households", 47 at 50%, 51 at 60% and 36 at 80%.
- IDA recordhouseholds "with incomes ranging from 30% to 80% of the Area Median Income".
- Conifer, June 2025families "earning between 50% and 80%". Its release then lists 104 units at 50%, 36 at 60%, 51 at 60% and 45 at 70%, which adds up to 236, not 185.
What it means: the split by income level is not settled in public documents. Ask Conifer which levels will be offered when you join the interest list.
Source: project narrative in the City's planning file, a scan in which the second figure reads "5 %"; City of Albany IDA project record; Conifer Realty release, June 30, 2025.
| Household | 30% | 50% | 60% | 80% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $25,900 | $43,100 | $51,720 | $68,950 |
| 2 people | $29,600 | $49,250 | $59,100 | $78,800 |
| 3 people | $33,300 | $55,400 | $66,480 | $88,650 |
| 4 people | $36,950 | $61,550 | $73,860 | $98,500 |
| 5 people | $39,950 | $66,500 | $79,800 | $106,400 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $71,400 | $85,680 | $114,300 |
What it means: Conifer's page says applicants "must meet income criteria based on HUD income limits for Albany County", so these are the ceilings to expect in 2026. Limits for 2027 will be published before the building opens. County figures are on the Albany County income limits page.
Source: HUD fiscal year 2026 income limits for the Albany-Schenectady-Troy area (median family income $123,100). The 30% column is HUD's extremely-low-income limit. The 60% column is 1.2 times the 50% figure, and matches the limits on a State listing for another Albany building.
View the data table
| Apartment and level | Mosaic South | Colvin Avenue Commons |
|---|---|---|
| 1 bedroom, 50% | $1,013 | $1,050 |
| 1 bedroom, 60% | $1,244 | $1,271 |
| 2 bedrooms, 50% | $1,224 | $1,264 |
| 2 bedrooms, 60% | $1,501 | $1,529 |
What it means: two tax-credit buildings priced the same levels within $40 of each other this year. Mosaic South also lists three-bedrooms at $1,408 for 50% and $1,728 for 60%.
Source: NYS Housing Search listing HCR000272 for Mosaic South and Regan Development's page for Colvin Avenue Commons, both read October 6, 2026. These are other buildings' rents, not North Gate Landing's. Mosaic South's include water, sewer and trash removal; Colvin's include no utilities.
Watch outthese figures show what the same income levels cost elsewhere in Albany in 2026. North Gate Landing opens under 2027 limits and has its own utility arrangement, so its rents will differ.
Using a Section 8 Voucher at North Gate Landing
Conifer has not published a voucher policy, but the building is financed with federal tax credits, and that law bars refusing a renter for holding a voucher.
- Federal tax-credit lawthe building's agreement must be one "which prohibits the refusal to lease to a holder of a voucher or certificate of eligibility under section 8" (26 U.S.C. 42(h)(6)(B)(iv)).
- The Albany Housing Authority"The family may choose a unit with a higher rent than the payment standard and pay the owner the difference."
- The federal limit on that differenceat move-in, "the family share must not exceed 40 percent of the family's adjusted monthly income" (24 CFR 982.508).
What it means: whether a minimum income is waived for voucher holders is a question for Conifer once it takes applications.
Source: the statute and regulation linked above; the Albany Housing Authority's voucher questions page.
The Albany Housing Authority does not post its payment standards. Its Section 8 Administrative Plan commits to keeping them "between 90 and 110 percent of the published FMR for each unit size". The chart shows that range.
View the data table
| Apartment | 90% of HUD's rent | 110% of HUD's rent |
|---|---|---|
| 1 bedroom | $1,283 | $1,568 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,540 | $1,882 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,835 | $2,243 |
What it means: when North Gate Landing publishes rents, add the utilities you would pay and compare the total with this range. The 50% and 60% rents at the two buildings above are under the bottom of it.
Source: HUD's fiscal year 2027 fair market rents for the Albany-Schenectady-Troy area ($1,425, $1,711 and $2,039, utilities included), in effect since October 1, 2026; 90% and 110% calculated by VoucherMatch and rounded to the dollar.
- Utilities will count. The 2023 narrative says "Residents will pay for their own electric and heat", with hot water from a central electric boiler. A housing authority adds an allowance for those bills to the rent. See how the utility allowance works.
- Ask for the real number. Call the Authority at 518-641-7500 for the payment standard for your voucher size. See the Albany Section 8 guide.
- Voucher size matters. The standard follows the bedroom size on your voucher. See a two-bedroom with a one-bedroom voucher.
- The State law is in court. On March 5, 2026 the appeals court that covers Albany held New York's source-of-income protection unconstitutional as it applies to Section 8; the Attorney General has appealed. The federal tax-credit rule is separate. See the Commons West ruling.
What Ordinary Apartments Rent for in ZIP Code 12204
HUD's estimate of an ordinary rent in ZIP code 12204 is $1,470 for a one-bedroom, $1,760 for a two-bedroom and $2,100 for a three-bedroom, utilities included.
View the data table
| Apartment | ZIP code 12204 | Albany area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 bedroom | $1,470 | $1,425 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,760 | $1,711 |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,100 | $2,039 |
What it means: HUD puts rents in this ZIP code $45 to $61 above the area as a whole. A 60% rent like Mosaic South's would be $226 to $372 under the 12204 figure before utilities.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents and metropolitan fair market rents for fiscal year 2027, each HUD's estimate of the 40th-percentile rent with utilities included.
- Why this matters before rents exist: it is the yardstick to hold North Gate Landing's rents against when they are posted.
- The figure rose slightly. HUD's one-bedroom figure for 12204 went from $1,450 to $1,470 for fiscal year 2027. The fair market rent change report covers other areas.
What the Building Will Have, and the Bus Lines
Conifer lists the features and the lease terms, and six bus routes stop within a tenth of a mile.
- In the apartmentsEnergy Star appliances, a dishwasher, central air conditioning, washer and dryer hookups and "Internet included".
- Shareda fitness room, a community room, a kids' room, a laundry center, bicycle storage, a playground, a garden, a bocce court, package lockers and a shared workspace.
- Leasea "Standard 12-month lease" and a security deposit of "1-month's rent".
- Rulesa "Smoke-free community" where "Small pets" are "welcome". No size limit or fee is posted.
- Parking"Ample parking" and an electric-vehicle charging station. The planning narrative counts 196 spaces; the IDA application counts 166.
- Set-aside in the 2023 plan"20% of the units will include a preference for individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities", with services from Springbrook NY. Conifer's current page does not mention it.
What it means: ask Conifer whether the disability preference is still part of the plan and how many apartments it covers.
Source: Conifer Realty's North Gate Landing page, read October 6, 2026; project narrative in the City's planning file; IDA application, January 2024.
| Stop | Lines | Straight-line distance |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Boulevard and Shaker Road | routes 182, 801 and 803 | under 0.1 miles |
| "500 Northern Blvd (Red Carpet Inn)" | routes 182, 737, 801 and 803 | about 0.1 miles |
| Albany Shaker Road and Northern Boulevard | routes 737, 805 and 806 | about 0.1 miles |
| North Albany Station, Broadway and North 2nd Street | BusPlus Blue Line | about 0.6 miles |
What it means: local routes stop at the site. The nearest rapid line is the Blue Line on Broadway; the Red and Purple lines are about 1.3 miles away.
Source: stops and routes from the Capital District Transportation Authority's schedule data, valid September 20 to November 28, 2026; distances calculated by VoucherMatch in a straight line from the address, so the walk is longer.
How to Get on the List for North Gate Landing
There is no application yet: Conifer's page offers an interest list, and "More information coming soon".
- 1Join the interest liston Conifer's North Gate Landing page, use "Get On Our Interest List". Conifer says the form is "to receive an application or to request additional information".
- 2Check your incomefind your household size in the HUD table above. The limits for 2027 will replace it.
- 3Watch the State's siteNYS Housing Search is where State-financed buildings post lotteries. North Gate Landing was not listed there on October 5, 2026.
- 4Keep your contact details currentan interest list reaches you by the email or phone you gave.
- 5Ask the open questionswhich income levels, what rents, whether there will be a lottery, and whether a voucher waives a minimum income.
- Nowinterest list only. Conifer's page lists no office hours or phone number for the property yet.
- Before openinganother State-financed Albany building, Mosaic South, drew a lottery on July 20, 2026 and opened a waitlist on August 6, 2026, with completion expected in December 2027.
- Summer 2027completion Conifer expects.
- Not publishedthe date applications open, how applicants will be ordered, and any deadline.
What it means: Mosaic South shows one way a State-financed building in Albany has filled its first apartments. Conifer has not said North Gate Landing will do the same.
Source: Conifer Realty's property page; NYS Housing Search listing HCR000272 for Mosaic South.
- Income for every adult. recent pay stubs, benefit letters and your latest tax return
- Everyone who will live there. names and dates of birth
- Assets. bank and other account statements
- Rental subsidy. your voucher and your housing agency's contact details
- First month's costs. Conifer lists a security deposit of one month's rent
Source: VoucherMatch's list, built from what Conifer's page states: income restrictions, a 12-month lease and a one-month deposit. Conifer has not published a document list.
What Is Known and What Is Not Yet Published
The approvals, the size and the features are on the record; the rents, the income split and the application date are not.
- Known185 apartments in two four-story buildings; one, two and three bedrooms; completion expected in summer 2027.
- KnownPlanning Board approval on October 24, 2023; new-construction permit issued June 24, 2025; electrical permit issued June 30, 2026.
- Not publishedany rent, and which utilities the rent will include.
- Not settledthe number of apartments at each income level, and whether the lowest level is 30% or 50%.
- Not publishedwhen applications open, whether there will be a lottery, and the pet terms.
If You Need an Apartment Sooner
North Gate Landing will not open before 2027, so a household that needs to move sooner should apply elsewhere now.
- Albany Housing Authority sites: on October 5, 2026 the Authority's application page said it was taking applications for Capital Woods Apartments, Ida Yarbrough Phase II and Steamboat 20, and for public housing since August 31, 2026. Its voucher list was closed. See Section 8 and public housing compared.
- No voucher yet: check which waiting lists are open and read how Section 8 lotteries work.
- Nearby housing authorities: the New York directory lists each one's phone number, and the New York Section 8 page covers the State's rules.
- Already have a voucher elsewhere: see how portability works. For income-based buildings where you apply directly, see low-income apartments.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will North Gate Landing open?
Conifer expects construction to be complete in summer 2027, and its page reads "Coming Soon 2027!". No move-in date or application date has been published.
How much will rent be at North Gate Landing?
It is not published. Two other new income-restricted buildings in Albany listed one-bedrooms at $1,013 to $1,271 and two-bedrooms at $1,224 to $1,529 for the 50% and 60% levels in 2026.
How much can you earn and still qualify for North Gate Landing?
Conifer says limits follow HUD's for Albany County. In 2026 the 80% limit is $68,950 for one person and $98,500 for four. The 50% limit is $43,100 for one person and $61,550 for four.
Will North Gate Landing take Section 8?
Conifer has not published a policy. The project uses low-income housing tax credits, and federal law bars a tax-credit building from refusing a renter for holding a voucher.
Is North Gate Landing at 500 or 482 Northern Boulevard?
Both refer to the same site. The Planning Board, the IDA and City permits use 500 Northern Boulevard. Conifer's page gives 482 Northern Blvd., and permits also list 486. It is the former Red Carpet Inn property.
How do you apply to North Gate Landing?
You cannot apply yet. Conifer's page has an interest-list form "to receive an application or to request additional information". The building was not on NYS Housing Search on October 5, 2026.
Who is building North Gate Landing?
Conifer Realty, with Conifer LeChase Construction as builder and SWBR as architect, according to the Times Union. Conifer gives the cost as $92 million, financed with tax-exempt bonds and low-income housing tax credits.
Sources for this article (14)
- North Gate Landing page (coniferllc.com)
- June 30, 2025 release (newsroom.coniferllc.com)
- planning case file (albanyny.gov)
- project record (albanyida.com)
- building permits (albanyny-energovpub.tylerhost.net)
- Times Union report of February 11, 2026 (timesunion.com)
- 26 U.S.C. 42(h)(6)(B)(iv) (law.cornell.edu)
- 24 CFR 982.508 (law.cornell.edu)
- voucher questions page (albanyhousing.org)
- Section 8 Administrative Plan (albanyhousing.org)
- Small Area Fair Market Rents (huduser.gov)
- schedule data (cdta.org)
- NYS Housing Search (housingsearch.hcr.ny.gov)
- application page (albanyhousing.org)
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