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15th Annual Capital Region Canstruction Exhibit Opens Tuesday, April 28 at Crossgates Mall

At the 15th annual Capital Region CANstruction design/build competition, talented teams of architects, designers, builders, and engineers will join forces to create innovative and gravity-defying structures embodying the theme, “The Great AmeriCAN Road Trip!” The structures will be made entirely of canned food, instead of bricks, stone, glass, and other traditional building materials. Structures are comprised of an average of 4,000 cans. Benefitting The Food Pantries for the Capital District, these structures will be on display at Crossgates Mall from April 28 – May 11, 2026. This will be the fourth year the event is being hosted at Crossgates Mall.

The 14 local participating teams include AOW Construction with Envision Architects, CSArch, Exyte, kW Mission Critical Engineering, LaBella, MJ Engineering & Surveying, Mosaic Associates, Ryan Biggs Clark Davis Engineering, Stantec, Colliers Engineering & Design, New Leaf Energy, Hyman Hayes Associates, and newcomers BCA Architects and Engineers, and Saratoga Associates with McLaren Engineering Group. Two additional structures will be part of the exhibit and will be constructed by Girl Scouts from the Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York in support of the 10th Annual Girls CAN Do, a program the girl scouts participate in that encourages not only STEM, but service to their community.

All “building materials” used in the displays were purchased with generous support and coordination from Market 32 and Price Chopper, the presenting sponsor, and will be donated to The Food Pantries for the Capital District, a coalition of more than 70 food pantries in Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga, and Schenectady Counties, at the end of CANstruction.

Visitors are encouraged to bring canned goods (tuna, beans, canned vegetables, soups/chilis, and fruit) to Crossgates Mall and participate in the CANstruction competition and food drive. Visitors can use their canned goods as ballots to vote for the winner of the People’s Choice award. Donation receptacles will be stationed at each structure. A jury of designers, local business owners, and local dignitaries will also judge the structures. Awards include Best Original Design, Best Meal, Best Use of Labels, Structural Ingenuity, Honorable Mention, and Jurors Favorite. Additional awards include Largest Cash Donation and Best Signage. Along with juried prizes, a People’s Choice Award will be bestowed on the structure that gains the most votes (most food donations) from visitors. Last year, nearly 7,000 cans were collected at Crossgates from the public.

Leslie Mugrace, Marketing Director at Crossgates remarked, “We’re excited to welcome the Capital Region CANstruction event back to Crossgates! Our visitors love seeing the unique structures come to life here in the center – and even better, it all supports a great cause. We’re so thankful for our amazing shoppers who always show up to give back. It’s an event we’re proud to be part of, and we can’t wait to see this year’s creations!”

“Canstruction blends creativity and purpose to address nutrition security in a meaningful way,” said Pam Cerrone, Director of Community Relations for Market 32 and Price Chopper. “We’re proud to be part of an effort that turns bold ideas into real support for local food pantries.”

“In celebration of our Nation’s 250th Birthday and our 15th anniversary, we’re celebrating the beauty of this country with a beautiful exhibit. Pack your bags, rev your engines, and get ready to hit the open road with Canstruction at Crossgates Mall. Expect to see vehicles of all kinds, landmarks, and some road trip favorites when you visit. Canstruction donations provide invaluable support to local food pantries and those who rely on them in the Capital Region, while also showcasing the deep expertise and unlimited creativity of design firms and contractors from the region,” said Jill Shorter, Capital Region CANstruction President and Director of Marketing at Ryan Biggs Clark Davis Engineering. “The space and staff at Crossgates are vital to the success of the program and they are aligned in our vision. We are excited for thousands of patrons of the mall to see the exhibit over the next two weeks. Market 32 and Price Chopper has provided incredible support to the program since its inception; we are incredibly grateful for their partnership, precision, and philanthropic spirit. Over the last six months, 14 creative and passionate teams have designed an inspiring edible art exhibition by utilizing the same engineering principles they design essential facilities and infrastructure with. At the conclusion of the event, the colossal structures will be deCANstructed and thousands of food items will be donated back to the local community. We invite all visitors to Crossgates to bring canned goods to vote for People’s Choice to further increase the donation we provide to The Food Pantries- together we CAN make a difference.”

Natasha Pernicka, CEO of The Food Pantries for the Capital District said, “CANstruction is a powerful example of how much we can do when we come together in the fight against hunger. We are incredibly grateful to the region’s design and construction community for collecting much-needed food and helping to heighten awareness of the need for our programs and services. With one in eight Capital Region community members visiting our coalition of 75 food pantries, this makes a huge impact.”

This year’s CANstruction is presented by Market 32 and Price Chopper, Crossgates Mall, with Ryan Biggs Clark Davis Engineering, Envision Architects, and C2 Design Group. Others lending support with generous sponsorships include Arnoff Moving, Storage & Rigging, Camelot Print and Copy Centers, Thompson & Johnson Equipment, Performance Contracting Inc., American Council of Engineering Companies of New York, Eastern Contractors Association, Girls Scouts of Northeastern New York, Mosaic Associates Architects, JMT, Curtis Lumber, DeCrescente Distributors, and CHA.