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ATTEND

TROY, NY + EMPAC

Troy, New York is nestled in the beautiful Hudson Valley and boasts a revitalizing historic downtown (featured in HBO’s The Guilded Age for its exceptionally-preserved Victorian-era architecture). The city is a remarkable incubator of small businesses, from restaurants to game studios. Its proximity to the state capital, Albany, the larger Capital and Hudson Valley Regions, and major metro areas like New York and Boston make it an attractive place to learn, work, and live.

EMPAC is dedicated to the ever-changing relationship between our senses, technology, and the worlds we create around us. As both a world-class performing arts center and research and production facility, EMPAC provides an environment that supports the realization of complex artworks and research projects at any stage, from inception to completion. Under a single roof are four exceptional venues: a 1200-seat concert hall, a 400-seat theatre, and two large black-box studios. With this variety, the entire conference can be held conveniently in a single facility. The Theatre will host the single-track paper presentations; Studio Beta, smaller, break-out sessions and workshops; and Studio 1, a larger black-box space with a permanent ambisonic array, the evening concert. Studio 2 will also house EMPAC’s immersive environment with a 360º projection screen. The building’s large, central café will function as the primary hub and dining space.

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VENUE

All events will take place within EMPAC at 50 8th Street.

7th Floor
Check-in, Lobby, and Studio Beta

6th Floor
Mezzanine

5th Floor
EMPAC Studio 2
Evelyn’s Cafe at EMPAC

4th Floor
EMPAC Theater

PARKING
Plenty of free street parking is available along 8th Street* and College Avenue
If the College Avenue Garage is open, you can park at 67 College Avenue behind EMPAC.

*the 2-hour limit signs can be ignored (on 8th Street only)

WIFI
eduroam or Rensselaer’s public WiFi network: rpi_public_webauth*

*sessions will timeout after about 15 minutes. Simply reconnect to start a new session.

IN TOWN

Coffee
Jacob Alejandro
Alias Coffee

Eat (sorted roughly by price)
Naughter’s – Great creative diner food, open late
Ali Baba – Mediterranean
La Capital – Authentic taco joint
Liza’s – Fresh and delicious acai bowls and other healthy treats
Mallo’s – No-fuss sandwiches and lunch
Bard & Baker Board Game Cafe – snack foods and a selection of hundreds of board games
A Bite of Xian – Chinese
Sunhee’s – Great Korean food from locally-grown farms
little pecks – Cute cafe with good lunch and a garden
Tara Cafe – Delicious Moroccon
Donna’s – Italian with cocktail bar upstairs
Unagi – Sushi
Nighthawks – Burgers + interesting fresh farm-to-table meals (Only burgers Monday-Wednesday)
Finn’s – Good dinner spot, small-plate / shareables

Drinks
Rareform – Charming local brewery
Lucas Confectionary – Laid-back wine bar
Whiskey Pickle – Dive bar
Nighthawks – Super creative cocktails
Brown’s Brewing – Another local beer spot

Groceries
Uncle Sam’s on 4th – more staples and packaged items to cook with
Capital Roots – 15 minute walk north of downtown; great fresh, local produce

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TRAVEL

Air

Albany International Airport
737 Albany Shaker Rd,
Albany, NY 12211

The Albany airport is about a 20 minute car ride from the campus in Troy.

Train

The Albany-Rensselaer train station is a 20 minute car ride from the campus in Troy. Multiple trains daily from New York’s Moynihan Station in about 2.5h. One train daily from Boston’s South Station in about 5h.

Bus

There are a number of bus services that travel to the Albany area from other major metros. These include Greyhound, Megabus, PeterPan, OurBus. Check their websites for routes, times, and availability.

ACCOMODATIONS

Check back soon for discounted room blocks at nearby hotels. In addition to these hotels are available a number of Airbnbs around the town and campus.

Best Western Plus Franklin Square Inn Troy/Albany
1 4th St, Troy, NY 12180
Walkable to EMPAC in 10~15 minutes (<1km)

Courtyard by Marriott Albany Troy/Waterfront
515 River St, Troy, NY 12180
Walkable to EMPAC in ~20 minutes (~1.25km)

Hilton Garden Inn Troy
235 Hoosick St, Troy, NY 12180
Walkable to EMPAC in 25~30 minutes (~2km)

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REGISTRATION