Albany Heritage Project

Built Environment Group, January 2, 2002

Present:  Matt Bender, Tom Carroll, David Klinge, Richard Nicholson, Tony Opalka, Robert Petito, John Pipkin, Ned Pratt, Norman Rice, Warren Roberts,  S. Thyagarajan,  Diana Waite, Walter Wheeler, Clare Yates

Principal Points of Discussion:

Will the year and semester have a physical focal point such as an ongoing central exhibit?  Probably not, although there will be a continuous presence on the Web. The State Street Exhibit will also be in the University Art Museum for a portion of the semester and the atrium of the University’s new Science Library might provide an appropriate space for a long term exhibit. We should establish a symbolic presence in places such as the AUCP Visitors’ Center, the State Museum, and elsewhere.  In all these places the calendar of events should be displayed.

Several people felt that the Albany Heritage endeavor would benefit from an overall mission statement.  Although each working groups may have a fairly clear focus, an overarching statement would provide a clearer guide to the structure of the whole program.

We should not neglect the opportunity provided by the HeritageYear to celebrate Albany as a good place to live, work, and study. 

There was extended discussion of the relationship between the archaeological substrate of Albany and the present built environment.  To use the visible, built environment as a point of departure seems appropriate, since it is readily accessible and easily comprehensible.  However, everybody agreed that the extensive archeological knowledge about Albany, including recent discoveries and newly written and graphic resources, should be fully exploited in our events. 

If we choose a chronological structure for the year, it would be a good idea to focus on specific stages in the development of the physical fabric of Albany.  This would provide a concrete and comprehensible organizing principle, rather than relying on more abstract chronologies. 

Another possible thematic structure was discussed at length:   It would emphasize places and neighborhoods and would be structured by a sequence of historical maps.  Simplified maps on brochures or Web sites could be linked to more detailed maps of neighborhoods (displaying historical and census data) and to property lot plats with linked graphics of buildings and features of architectural and historical interest. 

The discussion of maps led to a discussion of the tours of Albany which already conducted by many groups. Historical, archaeological, and other specialized tours are available.  The Garden Tours of State Street are an example.  We specifically discussed tours of the cathedrals recently organized by the Society of Architectural Historians and Historic Albany Foundation. These might be repeated.  In general, we should not duplicate these efforts but link to them through appropriate mutual publicity.

It is important that our tours be put in appropriate contexts of background material.  This could include slide shows, exhibits, web-links, pre-tour lectures or presentations, and documentation ranging from brief brochures to more substantial pieces provided in paper and electronic form to participants. The tours might also connect with on-site presentations and exhibits in locations such as bank lobbies, the Visitors’ Center, Albany Public Library, and Albany Center Galleries, for example. Nor should we neglect the possibility of providing materials for self guided tours.

There was a long discussion of specific places that might be featured in the program.  They included, in no particular order:  the State Capitol, Albany waterfront, the Pastures and Mansion neighborhoods, Albany Rural Cemetery, the Empire State Plaza, Washington Park, the intersection of State Street and Pearl, the intersection of Broadway and State, Ten Broeck Triangle, the North and South Ends, Center Square, Washington Park, Sheridan Hollow, Pine Hills, and State Street Hill. The filtration plant by Bleecker Stadium in west Albany would provide an interesting opportunity to discuss the neighborhood and architectural history in a neighborhood such discussions often neglect.

We discussed the availability of a very large numbers of historic photographs of Albany in the Institute that could be used in an exhibit on "Lost Albany."

We discussed the educational mission of the year and semester in the context of distinct audiences and their needs including, lay, expert, secondary, and university audiences.  We also distinguished events that would attract large general-interest audiences (e.g. William Kennedy on North Albany), and those for more specialized interest groups (e.g. house tours in Arbor Hill).

We made up a checklist of other resources and contacts to explore including: State Capitol Commission, Albany Magazine, the congregation of Sweet Pilgrim Baptist Church, the South End Improvement Corporation (which would have good information on houses that might be open to the public), CANA, and appropriate neighborhood groups, including Ten Broeck Preservation Society.  We also discussed individuals who might be contacted about specific places, including Gene Garber on the Episcopal Cathedral, Dick Barrett on the West End, Ray Joyce and William Kennedy on the North End, Loraine Weiss on Pine Hills, Sandra Bapti for Washington Park Conservancy, and the Society of Architectural Historians in connection with an existing lecture program on the cathedrals.  We also hope that some of the authors of sections of Diana Waite’s book (in addition to her, Matt Bender, and Tony Opalka) would be willing to conduct tours of “their” neighborhoods.

We discussed some possible keynote speakers for the beginning and end of the semester, including Mayor Jennings and President Hitchcock.  Some also felt that it would be a good idea to bring in architects, planners, or historians from beyond the region to provide “outsiders’ views.”

Clusters of Themes, People, and Events:

We did not get to the point of developing ideas for specific events in any detail but the following clusters of interest emerged. Most are place-centered;  some are not.  

Albany Waterfront (Bill Bouchard, David Klinge, Walter Wheeler).

Albany’s “Public Square:” the environs of the Capitol, both west and east, including Academy Park: Tony Opalka identified this as a coherent place in which he had a long-term interest, an interest shared by Matt Bender.

Albany’s Cathedrals:  Ned Pratt.  Ned could also adapt his Society of Architectural Historians lectures.

West Capitol Park and Cathedral:  Gene Garber.

State and Broadway:  Robert Petito.

Albany Rural Cemetery as a mirror of social and architecture change:  Norman Rice.

Bleecker Stadium and environs:  filtration plant, architecture and neighborhood history:  Tom Carroll.

West End:  Dick Barrett.

North Albany:  William Kennedy and Ray Joyce (?).

Center Square Neighborhood:  Clare Yates.  Clare also suggests approaching George Dudley, an architect involved with the Empire State Plaza, who has photographs and drawings of many sites in Albany.  (Possible exhibit, or sub-exhibit in SUNY Art Museum?)

Elm Tree Corner (State and Pearl):  Norman Rice.

State Street Hill (link to Art Museum Exhibit):  Warren Roberts and John Pipkin.

Pastures and Mansion neighborhoods:  Tony Opalka.

Layered Map metaphor:  Tony Opalka.

Erie Canal Link:  Tom Carroll

Ironwork in Albany:  Diana Waite. 

“Architectural Education:” Diana Waite, Ned Pratt, and others mentioned the possibilities of educational events on architectural styles and vocabulary.  Ned has prepared school workbooks.

On a similar educational note, Matt Bender advocated focused presentations on some specific, important buildings.

Stained Glass in Albany:  Warren Roberts, Ned Pratt, Tom Carroll.

Albany’s Mansions, Ten Broeck, Schuyler, and Cherry Hill:  Clare Yates;  Warren Roberts.

Modernist megastructures in Albany, including the Plaza and the SUNY campus. (John Pipkin).

Social and civic symbolism in architecture:  John Pipkin.   More specifically, David Klinge and Walter Wheeler pointed to the unique local significance of Dutch Revival styles.

Note to working group members:  please put me straight if I have omitted or misrepresented your views.  JP