The Story of SoBro Conservancy

For nearly a quarter century, many Saratogians had looked at the barren parcel at 209 South Broadway and asked why one of our most important gateway intersections needed to look so bad.  Why it could not be beautified and improved.  Why we couldn’t do better.

In 2016, during Joanne Yepsen’s tenure as Mayor, the landowner, David Eshaghian, offered to give this property to the City.  Mayor Yepsen brought this offer to the City Council but could not get a majority vote to accept the donation. 

In mid-2021, private citizens asked Joanne to explore whether Mr. Eshaghian would consider donating it to a non-profit land conservancy.  Mr. Eshaghian was willing, but the land conservancy did not yet exist. 

In September 2021, SoBro Conservancy of Saratoga, Inc. was incorporated as a non-profit in New York state.   It was not until May of 2022 that SoBro was awarded its 510(c)(3) status from the IRS. 

In July 2022, SoBro closed on the parcel and assumed ownership and began to build a community of volunteers and generous supporters, to design an ecological garden, to rehabilitate the soil, to raise the funds, and to plant the garden. SoBro Conservancy contracted Design Wild NY to work with our team on garden design. By May 2024, half the parcel was prepared and volunteers planted 600 plants in the first phase of the garden. One year later, another great crew of volunteers planted the second and final phase.  

On the summer solstice in 2025, a dedication ceremony took place to mark this milestone. The Eshaghian family traveled to Saratoga to participate in SoBro Conservancy’s unveiling of a plaque honoring family for their generous donation of the land. At the same ceremony, new signage revealed an official new name for the conservancy’s Project #1. Going forward, the garden will be called SoBro Triangle.