Architecture of Albany, New York
Encyclopedia
The architecture
of Albany
, New York
is a cornucopia of building design ranging from the early 18th century to the present. Its history dates back to the first building built in Albany, a French fort built in 1540. This was destroyed by the annual Hudson River freshet
and was rebuilt as Fort Nassau by the Dutch
in 1614. It too was destroyed and eventually Fort Orange was built in 1624. Since then, Albany saw great expansion, ranging from the Dutch influenced mansions of downtown to the English inspired colonial homes. The 19th century saw a great rise in wealth of many citizens, many of whom brought in numerous different architectural styles when designing homes, offices, and industrial buildings. Much of this architecture was saved due to the policies of Albany Mayor Erastus Corning 2nd
, who ran the city from 1942 until his death in 1983. One of the most monumental projects in the city's history was the Empire State Plaza
, a billion-dollar project that produced an 8-building state complex and the tallest building in New York outside of New York City
.
The Empire State Plaza
, a collection of state agency office buildings, dominates almost any view of Albany. Built between 1965 and 1978 at the hand of Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller and architect Wallace Harrison
, the complex is a powerful example of late American modern architecture
and remains a controversial building project both for displacing city residents and for its architectural style. The most recognizable aspect of the complex is the Erastus Corning Tower
, the tallest building in the state outside of New York City. Juxtaposed at the north end of the Plaza is the 19th-century New York State Capitol
, the seat of the New York State Legislature and the home of the Governor's office
.
Albany's initial architecture incorporated many Dutch influences, followed soon after by those of the English. The Quackenbush House
, a Dutch Colonial brick mansion, was built c. 1736. Schuyler Mansion
, a 1765 Georgian
mansion, was built for Philip Schuyler
, an American general
during the Revolutionary War
and later a United States Senator from New York; it became a National Historic Landmark in 1979. The oldest building currently standing in Albany is the Van Ostrande-Radliff House at 48 Hudson Avenue; scientific testing estimates it was built in 1728.
Albany City Hall
, a Richardsonian Romanesque
structure designed by Henry Hobson Richardson
and opened in 1883, houses Albany's city government. The New York State Capitol was opened in 1899 (after 32 years of construction) at a cost of $25 million, making it the most expensive government building at the time. So notable were these two buildings in their day that in 1885 American Architect and Building News listed them among the top ten most beautiful buildings in the country. Albany's Union Station
, a major Beaux-Arts design, was under construction at the same time; it opened in 1900. It was said that "perhaps no other building has been so important to the growth of Albany during the twentieth century as Union Station."
Albany's housing varies greatly, with mostly row houses in the older sections of town, closer to the river. The change in housing type looks like "ripples of housing styles radiating from downtown," with the row houses in the first ring. The second ring includes a surge in two-family homes in the late 19th century, which were serviced by electric street cars. Automobiles made it possible to move even further from downtown; outside the two-family home ring is a ring of one-family homes that were first built after World War II
and are still being built today.
The Washington Avenue Armory
opened in 1891; technically a Romanesque Revival design, its architect, Isaac Perry
, was strongly influenced by Henry Richardson, who had previously worked with Perry on the State Capitol. Today the Armory is an entertainment venue. In 1912, the Beaux-Arts styled New York State Department of Education Building
opened on Washington Avenue near the Capitol. It has a classical exterior, which features a block-long white marble colonnade
. The 1920s brought the Art Deco
movement, which is illustrated by the Home Savings Bank Building
(1927) on North Pearl Street and the Alfred E. Smith Building
(1930) on South Swan Street, two of Albany's tallest high-rises. In 1941, the Miss Albany Diner
opened as "Lil's Diner". A classic "Silk City Diner" Art Deco design, Miss Albany is one of the few pre-World War II diners in the United States in near-original condition.
Architecture from the 1960s and 1970s is well represented in the city, especially at the W. Averell Harriman State Office Building Campus
(1950s and 1960s) and on the uptown campus of the University at Albany (1962–1971). The state office campus, occupying a piece of land totaling nearly 330 acres (133.5 ha), is home to over 7,000 employees in approximately 16 buildings comprising about 3 million square feet (280,000 m²) of office space. It is a suburban-style, car-oriented campus bordered by an outer ring road that cuts the campus off from the surrounding neighborhoods. The state office campus was planned in the 1950s by governor W. Averell Harriman
to offer more parking and easier access for state employees. The first building was built in 1956, but most of the buildings were built in the 1960s under Governor Rockefeller.
The uptown SUNY campus was built in the 1960s under Governor Nelson Rockefeller on the site of the city-owned Albany Country Club. Straying from the open campus layout
made popular by both Union College
in Schenectady
and the University of Virginia
in Charlottesville
, Virginia
, SUNY Albany has a centralized building layout. At its core is a large "podium" containing the academic and administrative buildings. Four dormitory complexes, each centered by a high-rise housing tower surrounded by a low-rise grouping of support buildings, are located at each corner of the podium. The architecture called for much use of concrete and glass, and the style has slender, round-topped columns and pillars reminiscent of those at Lincoln Center in New York City.
Downtown Albany has seen a revival in recent decades, often considered to have begun with Norstar Bank
's renovation of the former Union Station
as its corporate headquarters in 1986. The Times Union Center (TU Center), originally known as Knickerbocker Arena, was once slated for suburban Colonie, but was instead built downtown and opened in 1990. The TU Center, on South Pearl Street, and the renovated Palace Theatre
(2003 renovation), on North Pearl Street, have anchored Pearl Street (around State Street) as an entertainment district with many bars and restaurants. Downtown has benefited from the Alive at 5 summer concert series, which takes place at the Corning Preserve, and the block party that follows each show on North Pearl Street. Other development in downtown includes the construction of the Dormitory Authority
headquarters at 515 Broadway (1998); the Department of Environmental Conservation
building, with its iconic green dome, at 625 Broadway (2001); the State Comptroller
headquarters on State Street (2001); the Hudson River Way
(2002), a pedestrian bridge connecting Broadway to the Corning Preserve; 677 Broadway (2005), "the first privately owned downtown office building in a generation"; and a Hampton Inn & Suites (2005) on Chapel Street. The late 2000s saw a real possibility for a long-discussed and controversial Albany Convention Center
; as of August 2010, the Albany Convention Center Authority has already purchased 75% of the land needed to build the downtown project.
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
of Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
is a cornucopia of building design ranging from the early 18th century to the present. Its history dates back to the first building built in Albany, a French fort built in 1540. This was destroyed by the annual Hudson River freshet
Freshet
A freshet can refer to one of two things:* A flood resulting from heavy rain or a spring thaw. Whereas heavy rain often causes a flash flood, a spring thaw event is generally a more incremental process, depending upon local climate and topography...
and was rebuilt as Fort Nassau by the Dutch
Dutch colonization of the Americas
Dutch trading posts and plantations in the Americas precede the much wider known colonization activities of the Dutch in Asia. Whereas the first Dutch fort in Asia was built in 1600 , the first forts and settlements on the Essequibo river in Guyana and on the Amazon date from the 1590s...
in 1614. It too was destroyed and eventually Fort Orange was built in 1624. Since then, Albany saw great expansion, ranging from the Dutch influenced mansions of downtown to the English inspired colonial homes. The 19th century saw a great rise in wealth of many citizens, many of whom brought in numerous different architectural styles when designing homes, offices, and industrial buildings. Much of this architecture was saved due to the policies of Albany Mayor Erastus Corning 2nd
Erastus Corning 2nd
Erastus Corning 2nd was an American politician. He was Mayor of Albany, New York for more than 40 years, from 1942 to 1983, when Albany County was controlled by one of the last two classic urban political machines in the United States. Albany's longest serving mayor, the Democrat died in office in...
, who ran the city from 1942 until his death in 1983. One of the most monumental projects in the city's history was the Empire State Plaza
Empire State Plaza
The Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller Empire State Plaza is a complex of several state government buildings in downtown Albany, New York....
, a billion-dollar project that produced an 8-building state complex and the tallest building in New York outside of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
History
Empire State Plaza
The Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller Empire State Plaza is a complex of several state government buildings in downtown Albany, New York....
, a collection of state agency office buildings, dominates almost any view of Albany. Built between 1965 and 1978 at the hand of Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller and architect Wallace Harrison
Wallace Harrison
Wallace Kirkman Harrison , was an American architect.-Career:Harrison started his professional career with the firm of Corbett, Harrison & MacMurray, participating in the construction of Rockefeller Center...
, the complex is a powerful example of late American modern architecture
Modern architecture
Modern architecture is generally characterized by simplification of form and creation of ornament from the structure and theme of the building. It is a term applied to an overarching movement, with its exact definition and scope varying widely...
and remains a controversial building project both for displacing city residents and for its architectural style. The most recognizable aspect of the complex is the Erastus Corning Tower
Erastus Corning Tower
The Erastus Corning Tower, also known as the Mayor Erastus Corning 2nd Tower or simply the Corning Tower, is a skyscraper located in downtown Albany, New York. Completed in 1966 and sided with Vermont Pearl marble and glass, the state office building is part of the Empire State Plaza...
, the tallest building in the state outside of New York City. Juxtaposed at the north end of the Plaza is the 19th-century New York State Capitol
New York State Capitol
The New York State Capitol is the capitol building of the U.S. state of New York. Housing the New York State Legislature, it is located in the state capital city Albany, on State Street in Capitol Park. The building, completed in 1899 at a cost of $25 million , was the most expensive government...
, the seat of the New York State Legislature and the home of the Governor's office
Governor of New York
The Governor of the State of New York is the chief executive of the State of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military and naval forces. The officeholder is afforded the courtesy title of His/Her...
.
Albany's initial architecture incorporated many Dutch influences, followed soon after by those of the English. The Quackenbush House
Quackenbush House
Quackenbush House is a historic building in Albany, New York. It is a house with a double-pitched gable roof that was built in about 1736. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.-History:...
, a Dutch Colonial brick mansion, was built c. 1736. Schuyler Mansion
Schuyler Mansion
Schuyler Mansion is a historic house at 32 Catherine Street in Albany, New York, United States. The brick mansion is now a museum and an official National Historic Landmark. It was constructed from 1761 to 1762 for Philip Schuyler, later a general in the Continental Army and early U.S. Senator,...
, a 1765 Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
mansion, was built for Philip Schuyler
Philip Schuyler
Philip John Schuyler was a general in the American Revolution and a United States Senator from New York. He is usually known as Philip Schuyler, while his son is usually known as Philip J. Schuyler.-Early life:...
, an American general
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
during the Revolutionary War
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
and later a United States Senator from New York; it became a National Historic Landmark in 1979. The oldest building currently standing in Albany is the Van Ostrande-Radliff House at 48 Hudson Avenue; scientific testing estimates it was built in 1728.
Albany City Hall
Albany City Hall is the seat of government of the city of Albany, New York. It houses the office of the mayor, the Common Council chamber, the city and traffic courts, as well as other city services. The current building was designed by Henry Hobson Richardson in his particular Romanesque style and...
, a Richardsonian Romanesque
Richardsonian Romanesque
Richardsonian Romanesque is a style of Romanesque Revival architecture named after architect Henry Hobson Richardson, whose masterpiece is Trinity Church, Boston , designated a National Historic Landmark...
structure designed by Henry Hobson Richardson
Henry Hobson Richardson
Henry Hobson Richardson was a prominent American architect who designed buildings in Albany, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Pittsburgh, and other cities. The style he popularized is named for him: Richardsonian Romanesque...
and opened in 1883, houses Albany's city government. The New York State Capitol was opened in 1899 (after 32 years of construction) at a cost of $25 million, making it the most expensive government building at the time. So notable were these two buildings in their day that in 1885 American Architect and Building News listed them among the top ten most beautiful buildings in the country. Albany's Union Station
Union Station (Albany, New York)
Union Station, also known as Albany Union Station, is a building in downtown Albany, New York. Built during 1899–1900, it originally served as the city's railroad station but now houses bank offices...
, a major Beaux-Arts design, was under construction at the same time; it opened in 1900. It was said that "perhaps no other building has been so important to the growth of Albany during the twentieth century as Union Station."
Albany's housing varies greatly, with mostly row houses in the older sections of town, closer to the river. The change in housing type looks like "ripples of housing styles radiating from downtown," with the row houses in the first ring. The second ring includes a surge in two-family homes in the late 19th century, which were serviced by electric street cars. Automobiles made it possible to move even further from downtown; outside the two-family home ring is a ring of one-family homes that were first built after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and are still being built today.
The Washington Avenue Armory
Washington Avenue Armory
The Washington Avenue Armory, officially known as the Washington Avenue Armory Sports and Convention Arena and listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Washington Avenue Armory, is now a multi-purpose arena in Albany, New York. It was the home of the Albany Legends of the...
opened in 1891; technically a Romanesque Revival design, its architect, Isaac Perry
Isaac G. Perry
Isaac Gale Perry , was a prolific New York State architect and builder. His works include New York State Inebriate Asylum, Monday Afternoon Club, Phelps Mansion and the First National Bank of Oxford.- Life and career :...
, was strongly influenced by Henry Richardson, who had previously worked with Perry on the State Capitol. Today the Armory is an entertainment venue. In 1912, the Beaux-Arts styled New York State Department of Education Building
New York State Department of Education Building
The New York State Education Department Building is a state office building in Albany, New York. It currently houses offices of the New York State Education Department and was formerly home to the New York State Museum and New York State Library...
opened on Washington Avenue near the Capitol. It has a classical exterior, which features a block-long white marble colonnade
Colonnade
In classical architecture, a colonnade denotes a long sequence of columns joined by their entablature, often free-standing, or part of a building....
. The 1920s brought the Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
movement, which is illustrated by the Home Savings Bank Building
Home Savings Bank Building
The Home Savings Bank Building is an office building located in downtown Albany, New York at 11 North Pearl Street . At 19 stories and tall, it is the tenth tallest building in the city. When it was completed in 1927, the Home Savings Bank Building was the tallest structure in Albany. However, the...
(1927) on North Pearl Street and the Alfred E. Smith Building
Alfred E. Smith Building
The Alfred E. Smith Building, known officially as the Alfred E. Smith State Office Building and sometimes called simply the Smith Building, is a structure located in downtown Albany, New York across the street from the New York State Capitol and One Commerce Plaza...
(1930) on South Swan Street, two of Albany's tallest high-rises. In 1941, the Miss Albany Diner
Miss Albany Diner
Miss Albany Diner is a historic diner in Albany, New York built in 1941 and located at 893 Broadway, one of the oldest streets in Albany. Used as a set for the 1987 film Ironweed starring Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep, it was added to the U.S...
opened as "Lil's Diner". A classic "Silk City Diner" Art Deco design, Miss Albany is one of the few pre-World War II diners in the United States in near-original condition.
W. Averell Harriman State Office Building Campus
The W. Averell Harriman State Office Building Campus is an office park in western Albany, New York, United States that houses sixteen New York State Government office buildings. The land totals roughly and over 3 million square feet of office space, and about 7,000 state employees work there...
(1950s and 1960s) and on the uptown campus of the University at Albany (1962–1971). The state office campus, occupying a piece of land totaling nearly 330 acres (133.5 ha), is home to over 7,000 employees in approximately 16 buildings comprising about 3 million square feet (280,000 m²) of office space. It is a suburban-style, car-oriented campus bordered by an outer ring road that cuts the campus off from the surrounding neighborhoods. The state office campus was planned in the 1950s by governor W. Averell Harriman
W. Averell Harriman
William Averell Harriman was an American Democratic Party politician, businessman, and diplomat. He was the son of railroad baron E. H. Harriman. He served as Secretary of Commerce under President Harry S. Truman and later as the 48th Governor of New York...
to offer more parking and easier access for state employees. The first building was built in 1956, but most of the buildings were built in the 1960s under Governor Rockefeller.
The uptown SUNY campus was built in the 1960s under Governor Nelson Rockefeller on the site of the city-owned Albany Country Club. Straying from the open campus layout
Campus
A campus is traditionally the land on which a college or university and related institutional buildings are situated. Usually a campus includes libraries, lecture halls, residence halls and park-like settings...
made popular by both Union College
Union College
Union College is a private, non-denominational liberal arts college located in Schenectady, New York, United States. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents. In the 19th century, it became the "Mother of Fraternities", as...
in Schenectady
Schenectady, New York
Schenectady is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 66,135...
and the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
in Charlottesville
Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, SUNY Albany has a centralized building layout. At its core is a large "podium" containing the academic and administrative buildings. Four dormitory complexes, each centered by a high-rise housing tower surrounded by a low-rise grouping of support buildings, are located at each corner of the podium. The architecture called for much use of concrete and glass, and the style has slender, round-topped columns and pillars reminiscent of those at Lincoln Center in New York City.
Downtown Albany has seen a revival in recent decades, often considered to have begun with Norstar Bank
FleetBoston Financial
FleetBoston Financial was a Boston, Massachusetts–based bank created in 1999 by the merger of Fleet Financial Group and BankBoston. In 2004 it merged with Bank of America; all of its banks and branches were given the Bank of America logo.-History:...
's renovation of the former Union Station
Union Station (Albany, New York)
Union Station, also known as Albany Union Station, is a building in downtown Albany, New York. Built during 1899–1900, it originally served as the city's railroad station but now houses bank offices...
as its corporate headquarters in 1986. The Times Union Center (TU Center), originally known as Knickerbocker Arena, was once slated for suburban Colonie, but was instead built downtown and opened in 1990. The TU Center, on South Pearl Street, and the renovated Palace Theatre
Palace Theatre (Albany, New York)
The Palace Theatre is an entertainment venue, in downtown Albany, New York, located on the corner of Clinton Avenue and North Pearl Street . The 2,844 seat theater is owned by the City of Albany and presents various music, drama, film and comedy performances...
(2003 renovation), on North Pearl Street, have anchored Pearl Street (around State Street) as an entertainment district with many bars and restaurants. Downtown has benefited from the Alive at 5 summer concert series, which takes place at the Corning Preserve, and the block party that follows each show on North Pearl Street. Other development in downtown includes the construction of the Dormitory Authority
Dormitory Authority of the State of New York
The Dormitory Authority of the State of New York provides construction, financing, and allied services which serve the public good of New York State...
headquarters at 515 Broadway (1998); the Department of Environmental Conservation
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is responsible for the conservation, improvement, and protection of natural resources within the U.S. state of New York. It was founded in 1970, replacing the previous Conservation Department...
building, with its iconic green dome, at 625 Broadway (2001); the State Comptroller
New York State Comptroller
The New York State Comptroller is a state cabinet officer of the U.S. state of New York. The duties of the comptroller include auditing government operations and operating the state's retirement system.-History:...
headquarters on State Street (2001); the Hudson River Way
Hudson River Way
The Hudson River Way is a pedestrian bridge that links Broadway in downtown Albany, New York with the Corning Preserve on the bank of the Hudson River. The bridge crosses Interstate 787.- History :...
(2002), a pedestrian bridge connecting Broadway to the Corning Preserve; 677 Broadway (2005), "the first privately owned downtown office building in a generation"; and a Hampton Inn & Suites (2005) on Chapel Street. The late 2000s saw a real possibility for a long-discussed and controversial Albany Convention Center
Albany Convention Center
The Albany Convention Center is a proposed convention center to be located in downtown Albany, New York. The complex was initially proposed by Albany Mayor Gerald Jennings in 1994, though no real action was taken until 2002; the project has been controversial from the beginning...
; as of August 2010, the Albany Convention Center Authority has already purchased 75% of the land needed to build the downtown project.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Albany, New YorkNational Register of Historic Places listings in Albany, New YorkThe National Register of Historic Places listings in Albany, New York represent the history of Albany from the Dutch colonial era, through the British colonial era, the American Revolution, the Industrial Revolution, and World War II, in addition to various periods of immigration into New York's...