The September shutdown of Delmar’s Albany Center for Independent Living displaced all 45 residents, and a month later there is still no clear timeline for a return. Three former residents—Chris Johannessen, Dan Hickey and Donald Williams—are among eight now living at Pineview Commons in Johnstown, about 65 miles from Delmar.
The Town of Bethlehem issued an Emergency Order to Vacate the 67-bed adult home on Sept. 3, citing severe life-safety code violations, according to the town’s account. The closure scattered residents from the Delmar community they had called home. NEWS10 ABC reported that the sudden move left former residents struggling to adjust; Williams described the group as a family.
The move has taken a particular toll on Johannessen, who is now away from his oncologist and his son. Dan Hickey, for his part, says he simply wants to return to Albany Center for Independent Living, even as his daughter now makes a two-hour round trip just to bring him his belongings.
Belongings Left Behind, Including a Wife's Ashes
Some belongings remain inside the shuttered facility. NEWS10 ABC reported that Williams’s late wife’s ashes were among the items left behind; after visiting, he said he had retrieved clothes for the winter, but the ashes were too heavy to retrieve. He had retrieved only a few bags and planned to return for more. Johannessen estimated that belongings worth at least $1,500 were still in the building.
The New York State Department of Health handled the relocation of all 45 former Albany Center residents and says it has maintained communication with receiving facilities, the facility's operator, the Town of Bethlehem, and displaced residents and their families. Per the department's statement, it has also provided the operator's contact information to residents who have been unable to retrieve their belongings on their own.
Emergency Planning Requirements
New York State regulations require adult care facilities to maintain written plans for protecting residents and staff during actual or threatened emergencies. The requirement is described in a 2015 New York State Department of Health directive, which cites 18 NYCRR Sections 487.12 and 488.12.
What Led to the Shutdown
Bethlehem’s decision to vacate the building followed inspectors’ documentation of multiple problems. Supervisor David VanLuven told WAMC, “we issued the order to vacate because we saw such serious code violations with structural issues, electrical issues, mold issues, the elevator not working properly.” Photos obtained by news10.com showed deteriorated walls, wet sheetrock, an unknown black substance consistent with possible microbial or mold growth, exposed electrical wiring and unsafe emergency exits.
The same documentation described substantial condensation buildup inside HVAC ductwork, an ongoing roof leak, an active combustible gas leak and an inoperable, unsafe elevator. State Department of Health records reviewed by news10.com showed the facility had been inspected 30 times between April 2022 and March 2026, racking up 77 violations in that span. The Town of Bethlehem's building department has described the closure as vital to protecting residents.
Community members rallied quickly once word of the relocation spread. Over 100 suitcases were delivered to Bethlehem's town hall in less than 24 hours to help residents pack up and move, the Daily Gazette reported. The Daily Gazette reported that residents were expected to be out of their rooms by 5 p.m. on Sept. 4. The closure didn't only upend residents' lives — it also cost 18 unionized employees their jobs, according to the Daily Gazette's reporting.
No Timeline for Reopening
A month out, there's still no clear path back to Delmar for the displaced residents. The Town of Bethlehem has received the property's engineering assessment and is now reviewing it, Sweeney told NEWS10 ABC. He said the assessment covers the issues laid out in the original closure order and that he'll offer comments and set up a schedule for next steps once that review is complete — but he could not provide a timeline for when, or whether, residents might be able to return.
The facility's operator has brought in a mold remediation contractor, who will evaluate the property before any repair work begins, according to NEWS10 ABC's reporting. That work is expected to start with a third-party assessment and will include removing sheetrock to expose and repair structural components underneath. Residents cannot be allowed back into the building until the owner follows through on what the order requires, Bethlehem officials have said, according to the Altamont Enterprise.
For now, Johannessen, Hickey, Williams and the rest of the displaced residents are left hoping for a quick return home, even as the timeline remains uncertain. The neighboring Delmar Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing, a 120-bed skilled nursing facility under the same ownership, remains under a separate New York State Department of Health investigation.
