Delaware and Hudson Railroad Freight House
Why it's listed
Built in 1910 by the Delaware & Hudson Railroad, this long brick freight house at 116 Saratoga Avenue in Cohoes served the city's industries. Local companies used it to ship goods out and to receive raw materials. The building is about 300 by 40 feet and rests on a raised, battered concrete basement. It has a low gable roof with deep eaves on long chamfered brackets, and gabled parapets at the ends. The construction was meant to withstand the constant vibration of passing freight trains. Original Belgian block paving, track sidings and a rail spur still survive around it, along with concrete retaining walls. Freight service into Cohoes ended in the late 1960s, and another freight house on the site was demolished. The surviving building became a retail store in the early 1970s. Modern ceilings, wall finishes and infilled openings were added, but the original roof framing and brick walls remain intact. It was listed as the only surviving railroad freight house in a once-booming industrial city.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is a rare surviving example of a turn-of-the-century rail-related industrial building in Cohoes and the only surviving railroad freight house in the city. Its battered concrete foundation, brick walls, timber post roof framing and overhanging eaves show the traits of its type. The surviving track sidings, spur and Belgian block paving add to its integrity.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 98000135, listed February 20, 1998. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 116 Saratoga Ave., Cohoes |
|---|---|
| County | Albany County |
| Listed | February 20, 1998 |
| Reference number | 98000135 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1910 |
| Architectural style | OTHER (utilitarian railroad freight house) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a retail store since the early 1970s. The interior has partitions and a dropped ceiling, and many freight doors and windows are infilled. The original framing and brick walls survive beneath the modern finishes. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.77242, -73.69834 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 98000135.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14706236
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.