The fallen heroes who liberated Albany's sister city

Today in The 518

• Remembering the fallen heroes who liberated Albany’s sister city

• Downtown Cohoes gets a $10 million makeover

• A restored 1880 farmhouse is our Home of the Week 🏡

Albany and Nijmegen: A Tale of Two Sister Cities

On this Memorial Day, we’re taking you back to September 1944. German bombs had nearly destroyed Nijmegen, the Netherlands’ oldest city. With the help of British ground forces, the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division launched Operation Market Garden—a daring plan to push across the River Rhine and advance deep into northern Germany.

The Allies succeeded in driving the Germans out of Nijmegen (pronounced NYE-may-gun), a strategic stronghold along the German border where the Rhine, Waal and Meuse rivers meet. But the operation failed in its key objective: securing the bridge over the Rhine at Arnhem.

While the Allies were able to capture Nijmegen from the Germans, they ultimately had to retreat, suffering as many as 13,000 casualties (about 800 U.S. soldiers died in liberating the city). The Germans would later punish the Dutch by cutting off food supplies to the Netherlands and starving 20,000 people to death.

In July 1947, Albany residents launched a door-to-door collection and managed to ship 300 tons of relief supplies on the S.S. Westerdam from the Port of Albany. As a thank you, the Dutch sent back thousands of tulips to Albany, which is why the tulip became the city’s official flower and why the Tulip Festival is our biggest celebration.

A Times Union reporter visited Nijmegen on the 70th anniversary of the cities’ sisterhood, and found that the residents “love the people of Albany to an extent I did not understand... The affection and gratitude runs deep because the Americans were their liberators from the Nazis.”

With this history lesson in hand and a moment of silence to remember the fallen soldiers and citizens who fought for Nijmegen’s freedom, please go enjoy your Memorial Day.

Memorial Day happenings around the Capital District

For details on parades 🚒 and other events taking place today, check out this comprehensive roundup from the Times Union, or this roundup from Albany.com.

“I get my best ideas in a thunderstorm. I have the power and majesty of nature on my side." —Ralph Steadman

Thunderstorms might (literally) rain on your parade today, but at least it’s a holiday :)

Capital Region Veterans Memorial going well

A multi-million project to honor veterans from across the 11-county region is entering its second phase. The six-acre Legacy Park in Glenville is getting a welcome center, military museum, cafe and education center. Read the full story here.

Btw, the Albany Marching Falcons are going back to France to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings. The middle and high school band has been practicing for months for their return visit, after performing for the 75th anniversary in 2019.

Cohoes downtown getting a $10 million makeover

Civic leaders say Cohoes is going to be transformed with 11 revitalization projects, starting with turning the historic bank into the new Cohoes Public Library. Also included in the state-backed initiative are millions for new apartment units. The Times Union has the story.

Retail tenants coming to new Albany apartment project

Six commercial tenants have been announced for the apartment complex being built at 563 New Scotland Avenue in Albany (scheduled to be finished in the fall). They include a post office, a Starbucks, Bloom Boutique Bar & Eatery (from the owners of City Line Bar & Grill in Albany), Bombshell Hair & Beauty Studio, Frank Gallo & Son Florist, and Primo Hoagies. Yay, we need more good retail in Albany 👏

Looking for a farm-like setting to raise a gaggle of kids? This Colonial gem in Rotterdam was built in 1880 and recently renovated with wide-plank hardwood flooring, high-efficiency insulated windows, new bathrooms and new plumbing throughout. Store your stuff in the big barn (one of two outbuildings) and kick it on your two acres of land. Find the full listing here.

The deets: 4 bd, 4 ba, 2900 sf on 2.13 acres. Asking: $349,900. Days on the market: 5