The UNITING LINE
Hoosick Street Underpass
Public Art Project
About the Project
The Uniting Line is a multiphase project that is transforming 500 feet of road under the Hoosick Street Bridge – an urban void that acts as a massive divider between downtown Troy and North Central Troy – into a space that draws people together, uniting what a highway divided. Through creative placemaking, the project is unifying the area graphically, revitalizing and beautifying the corridor, encouraging more pedestrian activity, and serving as a backdrop to activities that take place at the adjacent basketball courts and other open spaces.
Uniting Line is a collaboration of the City of Troy, The Arts Center of the Capital Region, TAP, Inc. and Collar Works. The project leadership team includes: Barbara Nelson, Executive Director, TAP, Inc.; Deputy Mayor Monica Kurzejeski; Elizabeth Dubben, Executive Director, Collar Works; and Elizabeth Reiss, CEO, and Belinda Colón, Curator, of The Arts Center of the Capital Region. The project’s artistic advisement committee includes Jamel Mosely, Daquetta Jones, Joshua Gyamfi, Judie Gilmore, Nicole Hayes, and Sharon Bates.
Phase One: Gems of Troy
Phase One of the project began with community engagement to design and paint a mural that unified the space. A call for artists was issued in 2021, and of the proposals submitted, three were chosen by a group of artists and community leaders as finalists. After receiving input from hundreds of members of the community, Jade Warrick was selected. Over the following months, Jade refined her vision in conversation with the neighborhood.
In October 2021, crews of professional and volunteer artists completed the mural.
Site History
In the late ’70s, NYS demolished nine blocks of a commercial district and hundreds of residences to build the Hoosick Street Bridge. It soars over the Hudson River, River Street, 5th and 6th Streets, and touches down on 8th Street. It was built with landscaped areas, pocket parks, basketball courts and an ice rink. Today, it is mostly paved for parking, punctuated by twenty two massive piers.
East of 6th Avenue the barrier is a fast speed on-ramp to NYS Rte 7. West of 6th is a slower darker expansive divide. Hoosick Street is a dividing line. To the South is downtown, a historic Victorian commercial district. To the North is our most disinvested neighborhood where activists and community organizations work to foster a livable, walkable, and affordable community.
The Artist: Jade Warrick
Uniting Line accepted proposals from Regional Artists for The Uniting Line Phase 1 Mural project to transform the underpass area of the Hoosick Street Bridge (Rt.7) in Troy, NY, focusing on the cement pillars between the areas of River Street and 6th Avenue. Regional Artists are defined as artists who live within the core Capital Region counties of Albany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Washington and Warren counties.
Of the proposals submitted, three were chosen by a group of artists and community leaders to be finalists. After receiving input from hundreds of members of the community, Jade Warrick (@trashkid_art on Instagram) was chosen!
Gems of Troy was funded with lead support from The Troy Redevelopment Foundation, and The Troy Capital Resource Corporation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Howard and Bush Foundation, The Massry Family, Troy Savings Bank Foundation, The Rosenblum Companies, Stewart’s, Gwen Krause, Chet and Karen Opalka, and many generous friends of the project.
Gems of Troy was painted under the direction of site supervisors Kendra Farstad and Cynthia Fiorini, and painted by: Krystal Ang, Mark Blicharz, Noelle Dommasch Joshua Gwamfi, Chloe Harrison, Melody Howarth, Lauren Jacobs, Ashley Kitto, Maya Lewis, Rachel Lorimer, Melody Often, Mercedes Scott, Jumaadol Smikle, Trent Stokes, Vanessa VanZandt, and generous volunteers from the community, especially Troy Look, Inc.
Interested in getting involved?
Email our Curator, Belinda Colón by clicking on the
button below.
Asphalt Art Inititaive
“The Bloomberg Philanthropies Asphalt Art initiative recognizes Troy’s continued use of public art to bring together transformative change and shared community experiences. Troy was selected for a winning grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies for the 2016 collaborative public art project ‘Breathing Lights’ with Albany and Schenectady.”
The initiative funds public art projects that help improve street and pedestrian safety, revitalize underutilized public space, and engage local communities around public art.
The City of Troy was selected as one of 16 cities nationwide to receive a $25,000 grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Asphalt Art Initiative to implement the project.
To learn more about the Asphalt Art Initiative and Bloomberg Philanthropies CLICK HERE.
