All Over Albany

Victory Mill

Loft-y?

Sebastien and Bennett's Urban Decay Tour of the Capital Region continues with a stop at the Victory Mill in... Victory. Photosets: Bennett | Sebastien.

Bennett has a bit about the history of the mill, and the planned loft conversion project, on his blog. And Sebastien has an interesting bit from a friend who grew up near the mill:

The mill was a great motivator for me to go to college and leave the small village of Schuylerville. I grew up hearing stories from my father and brother of their days working in the mill and also telling stories that my grandfather told of his time working there. Hearing these stories made me realize it was something I never wanted to do.

Bonus bit about Victory: the current mayor ran for election on a platform that included a push to dissolve the village.

photo: Sebastien B

First Prize Center photos

That sign.

Sebastien and B's Urban Decay Tour of the Capital Regionâ„¢ continues with the First Prize Center, that huge complex near Everett Road in Albany/Colonie. As Sebastien wrote on his site, "it's a story of pipes, broken catwalks, vats, giant letters, zombies in barrels, 80's toys & Bugs Bunny." (B thought it might be their white whale.)

Photosets: Sebastien | B

Earlier on AOA: Jess looked at the backstory of the First Prize Center last year -- and peopled followed up with some interesting comments.

photo: Sebastien B

The Holy Cross Campus

"This is one of the most contemporary location we have visited so far."

Sebastien and B's Urban Decay Tour of the (Greater) Capital Regionâ„¢ continues with two stops in the Hudson Valley. The crew hit up the The Holy Cross Campus of Pius XII Youth and Family Services in Rhinebeck, NY. From Sebastien's photo set page:

This is one of the most contemporary location we have visited so far. There was a lot to see: a large gymnasium, a swimming pool, an auditorium, a water tower, several basketball courts and playing fields, dorms, classrooms, etc. While it has been reclaimed by nature and vandals for almost a decade now, I couldn't shake the feeling that kids recently walked those corridors. American-style campus are very new to me, we don't quite have that kind of infrastructure in France: despite its troubled past, I quite liked this sprawling institution hidden in the woods, overlooking mountains and a small lake.

Here's his slideshow. And here's the slideshow from B and the set from Darren.

This trip also included a "bonus track" -- Bennett College in Millbrook, NY. As Sebastien writes on the photo set page:

Bennett College, also known as Bennett School for Girls, was a women's college founded in 1890, in Millbrook, NY. It became a junior college in the 1900s. At the time of its closing, enrollment was around 300 students. The college closed in 1978 after entering bankruptcy. ...

It feels important to me that this location is documented and remains in the collective memory. Unfortunately, local residents do not really see it that way. We got busted and kicked out by the cops pretty quickly.

Slideshows: Sebastien and Darren.

photo: Sebastien B

The Chalmers Knitting Mill

The mill's been headed down for half a century.

Sebastien, B and Paul's Urban Decay Tour of the (Greater) Capital Regionâ„¢ continues with a stop at the former Chalmers Knitting Mill in Amsterdam.

The factory was built in 1913 to manufacture underwear. It's been closed since 1959. Uri Kaufman, the developer behind the Harmony Mill conversion in Cohoes, had proposed redeveloping the site in a similar project. The plan met opposition in the city and it now looks like the complex will be demolished. [NYS Parks] [Vintage Skivvies] [Daily Gazette $] [Daily Gazette $]

The urban decay tour crew grew to five this time around. Here are slideshows by Sebastien, B, Paul, Brittany and Darren.

photo: Sebastien B

The Al Tech Steel factory

Ick. But, you know, also kind of beautiful.

Sebastien, B and Paul's Urban Decay Tour of the (Greater) Capital Regionâ„¢ continues with a stop at the Al Tech Steel factory in Menands. From Sebastien's photo set:

Allegheny Ludlum Steel, an abandoned steel mill in Menands, NY. It took us more than 2 hours to expore this enormous site. According to this discussion online, it's a Class 2 Superfund Site, which means it poses a significant threat to public health and the environment. Some cleanup has been done but more is planned. It closed in 1999, and is currently listed as a hazardous waste facility by the EPA.

Here's B's photo set. And here's Paul's.

There's some oddly beautiful -- and creepy -- stuff in there.

photo: Sebastien B

Leather factory in Gloversville

Not the typical factory tour.

Sebastien and B's Urban Decay Tour of the (Greater) Capital Regionâ„¢ continues with a stop at a former leather factory in Gloversville (Sebastien's photoset | B's photoset).

As you might expect from its name, Gloversville has a long history with leather making. It was originally called Stump City -- but changed its name in the 1800s because it had become a center for making... gloves.

Earlier on AOA:
+ The Wellington Hotel
+ Abandoned train in Glenmont
+ The Starlight Music Theatre
+ Central Warehouse

(Thanks, Sebastien and B!)

photo: Sebastien B

The Wellington Hotel

A bath with a view

The latest stop on Sebastien's Urban Decay Tour of the Capital Regionâ„¢: the soon-to-be-no-longer Wellington Hotel in downtown Albany. From Sebastien's photoset page:

We pay a visit to The Wellington Hotel in Albany. One of Albany's once famous landmark, this slim 10-story building designed by Albert Fuller and completed in 1905 on top of State Street Hill has been empty for more than 20 years. Dust, old paint, graffiti, porn, World War II paintings and playing cards glued to the walls whisper the story of fairly strange inhabitants.

There's a lot more info posted there. B also has a photoset from the building -- it includes a lot of graffiti.

The Wellington is slated to be demolished this year.

Earlier on AOA:
+ Abandoned train in Glenmont
+ The Starlight Music Theatre
+ Central Warehouse

photo: Sebastien B

Abandoned train in Glenmont

The last stop.

Sebastien's Urban Decay Tour of the Capital Region™ took him to Glenmont recently and this abandoned train.

He says he's not sure about the train's history, but maybe you know something. Here's what he and B do know:

The eight rail cars are entirely derelict and rusting; apparently they were supposed to be part of a living museum that was scrapped. [...] the last three cars are commuter cars that were supposed to represent different eras of rail travel but are now neglected. One photo has a logo that reads "The D&H - Delaware and Hudson 1823-1973 Sesquicentennial", and the D&H is also the name of a building right next to 787.

Here are more photos of the site by B, Mike and Paul -- who has an especially good shot of the locomotive.

Earlier on AOA:
+ The Starlight Music Theatre
+ Central Warehouse

photo: Sebastien B

The Starlight Music Theatre

People used to refer to it as "The Tent."

Sebastien's ongoing urban decay tour of the Capital Region recently made a stop at the old Starlight Music Theatre in Latham (there's a whole photoset).

To say this place has seen better days is an understatement -- Bob Hope, Sammy Davis Jr., Milton Berle and Johnny Cash all played there at one point.

Earlier on AOA:
+ Central Warehouse
+ What's left of Heritage Park

photo: Sebastien B