Downtown Albany Historic District (Boundary Increase/Decrease)
Why it's listed
Downtown Albany's historic district covers 66 acres on the west bank of the Hudson River, on the site of the original Dutch settlement. It runs between two filled-in ravines and is organized around Broadway, which runs north-south, and State Street, which climbs east-west toward the State Capitol. Its 160 buildings are mostly commercial, with small residential pockets on Columbia Street and upper Pine Street. Most date from 1880 to 1930, though a few go back to the 1820s. Styles range from Greek Revival, Romanesque and Queen Anne to Beaux Arts, Gothic Revival and Art Deco, and buildings stand from four to twenty stories, the tallest on State Street. Brick is the main material, with granite, marble, terra-cotta and cast iron on many facades. Narrow streets such as Maiden Lane and Columbia recall the stockaded settlement, while wide Broadway and State Street open views of landmarks including the D&H Building. The district was listed because this variety shows Albany's successive periods of growth, prosperity and renewal.
Significance in brief: The text provided is mostly the description and building inventory; the full statement of significance is missing from the excerpt. A reviewer's note says the district is in the oldest section of Albany, has many architecturally outstanding larger buildings, and includes several individually listed ones. The description says the mix of ages, styles, scales and uses reflects Albany's periods of growth, prosperity and renewal.
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 100007692, listed May 9, 2022. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 145-150 State, 36-42 Eagle, and 93 North Pearl Sts., Albany |
|---|---|
| County | Albany County |
| Listed | May 9, 2022 |
| Reference number | 100007692 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | Individual buildings name architects including Marcus T. Reynolds (D&H Building), Walter Van Guysling (Day Line Building, R.B. Wing building), Gander, Gander & Gander (Post Office), and Ernest Hoffman (529-31 Broadway). No single architect is named for the district. |
| Architectural style | Eclectic mix: Greek Revival, Romanesque, Queen Anne, Italianate, Beaux Arts, Gothic Revival, Dutch Revival and Art Deco |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture, Community Planning and Development |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is listed as excellent, good and fair, with altered and original sites. Some buildings are noted as vacant or under rehabilitation, others are in commercial, government, religious, educational and residential use. |
| Acreage | 0.64 |
| Coordinates | 42.64917, -73.75194 (Wikidata) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 100007692.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5303345
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.