Written by Bill Dowd for drinkingny.wordpress.com
For our Albany/Saratoga area readers. Pictures courtesy Times Union and drinkingny.wordpress.com
ALBANY, NY — … The former Ballingers nightclub in downtown Albany is being redeveloped as a brew palace called Beer Land. A February opening is projected. The business is leasing the building, at Howard and Lodge streets, home for decades to the restaurant Ogden’s, from Douglas Ballinger.
Ballinger, who with his brothers has owned the New York City club and music venue Webster Hall for more than 20 years, bought the building in 2006 and handsomely renovated it over the course of a year. Ballingers was able to make go of it as a nightclub for three fitful years before closing for good in January 2010.
As Beer Land, the building will house three distinct 
environments … including a traditional, albeit not exclusively German, beer hall on the main floor. The basement, a cool grotto clad in Helderberg bluestone, right, will largely retain its look but have a separate theme from the main floor, as will the second floor. … Beer Land has been granted conditional approval of its liquor license for bars on all three floors, according to the State Liquor Authority, and plans to install dozens of draft lines for an eclectic selection of beer on tap, to be complemented by a large array of bottled brews.