Roadside Oddity; Why are There Giant Nostrils in Downtown Albany?

Giant Nostrils in Downtown Albany

Have you seen those two giant holes near the Egg at the Empire State Plaza in downtown Albany? Have you ever wondered what they do and why they're there?

Me too, and the answer(s) may surprise you!

Okay, some of you know what they are, and that's fine. Before we reveal the real answer, let's take a second to review the "wrong answers only" version of this quiz based on what some Upstate New York residents seem to think.

Wrong Answers Only

Someone on a Facebook group called "Looking Good, Albany" asked, "Does anyone have any idea what these are in downtown Albany?" The wrong answers were amazing. Here are some of the highlights:

• They were the bottoms of the giant mushrooms that used to be downtown. A t-Rex came through in 1991 and bit the tops off. The event was what spawned the idea for the Jurassic Park films

• That's where the UFOs drop off our alien politicians

• The devil's anus

• That right there would be Albany’s pie hole

• They put those there in case the egg was to roll off its base

Seriously, What are They?

Now that we had a little fun, what's the actual answer?

After contacting a spoke spoken from the City of Albany OGS, All Over Albany learned that the two tubes (one of them is roughly 50 feet wide, the other around 40 feet) serve as ventilation for the Empire State Plaza parking garage.

The spokesperson told them, "There are two tubes. The smaller one is for air intake, and the larger one is for exhaust. They serve the ventilation system for the Empire State Plaza garage. The high walls are a safety feature and provide an architectural/sculptural interest."

So, it's not the devil's anus?  Thank you for the laugh, but NO!