All Over Albany

Historic Albany's endangered building list

The Historic Albany Foundation released its 2010 list of "endangered" historic buildings around the city yesterday. There are 10 sites on the list (which is released every five years). A few that caught our attention:

Bath House Number 2, 90 Fourth Avenue - 1905
The mayor recently vetoed the budget amendment that would have provided funding to keep this indoor public pool open another year, citing a budget crunch. Historic Albany says of facility: "The building already has a long list of repairs needed that if left unattended, will contribute to deterioration and a less likely chance of rehabilitation."

558 Madison Avenue - c. 1880
This is the building at the corner of Madison and New Scotland across from Washington Park. With such a prime spot, we always wondered why the building has been vacant. Says Historic Albany: "Continued vacancy will only increase the deterioration and have a negative impact on development around it."

Argus Press, 1031 Broadway - 1913-17
This is the stately factory building just up the street from Nipper. It has huge windows. Says Historic Albany: "This massive industrial building has sat vacant for years and has no known plan for rehabilitation."

4 Madison Place - 1872
This one of the row houses in that great block along that thin slice of a park on the hill on Madison Ave. Numbers 4 and 5 were damaged in a fire in 2005. Historic Albany says No. 4 is a facade now -- and because there's no access to the back, except via yards from Elm Street, the property "remains a challenge."

The whole list is worth scanning.

photo via Historic Albany