{"nrhp_refnum":"88002429","name":"US Post Office-Schenectady","other_names":["Schenectedy Post Office"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"Jay and Liberty Sts.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Schenectedy","county":"Schenectady County","state":"NY","lat":42.814877885000044,"lon":-73.93884342299998,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1989-05-11","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Politics/Government","Architecture"],"significance_levels":["state"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A two-story, L-shaped, steel-framed post office clad in buff limestone at Jay and Liberty Streets in downtown Schenectady, New York. The original section was built in 1911-13 and a large enlargement followed in 1934-5.","why_significant":"The post office is argued to be an outstanding example of Neoclassical civic architecture in New York State. The original building reflects the classical approach promoted by Supervising Architect James Knox Taylor. The Depression-era enlargement, which replicated the original as a north wing around a new central colonnaded pavilion, recalls two distinct periods of federal building programs. It also forms a civic focal point with the adjacent City Hall.","narrative":"Standing at Jay and Liberty Streets in downtown Schenectady, this limestone post office was built in two stages. The south wing dates from 1911-13 and was designed under Supervising Architect James Knox Taylor, who favored classical design for government buildings. In 1934-5, as part of Depression-era public works meant to relieve unemployment, the building was enlarged by more than half. The northern bay was removed, a monumental central pavilion with Corinthian columns and arched openings was added, and the original wing was duplicated on the north. The result is a symmetrical, colonnaded composition with Ionic columns, carved eagles, denticulated cornices and balustraded parapets. Inside, the long lobby keeps coffered plaster ceilings, terrazzo and marble finishes, and bronze fittings. The enlargement is attributed to Schenectady architect J. M. Ryder, though the form notes there is no definite proof. The building retains a high level of integrity and sits beside City Hall, together forming a focal point of the city's civic life.","period_of_significance":"1911-13; 1934-5","architect_builder":"James Knox Taylor / James A. Wetmore, Supervising Architects (J. M. Ryder); builders Durolithic Company of Buffalo (1911-13) and Murch Brothers Construction of St. Louis (1934-5)","architectural_style":"Neoclassical","criteria":[],"status_note":"Occupied and in good condition; still used as a post office with few alterations to the original structure or the enlargement.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:50:45.884827-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_NY/88002429.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/88002429/ac073d214c-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/88002429/ac073d214c-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0","author":"Daniel Case","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Schenectady,_NY,_post_office.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Daniel Case</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Schenectady,_NY,_post_office.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75314622","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Post_Office_(Schenectady,_New_York)","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7891046"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/new-york/schenectady-county/us-post-office-schenectady-88002429/"}