Newtonville School
Why it's listed
Built about 1925 at 543 Loudon Road in Colonie, this one-story brick schoolhouse occupies a site where a school stood as early as the 1850s. The main block is gable-ended and Colonial Revival in style, with a slate roof, a concrete foundation and symmetrical window bands facing west. The entrance has twin paneled doors under a semicircular fanlight, sheltered by a wood portico with fluted Doric columns. A smaller hipped-roof wing at the rear holds a second entrance. Inside, a center hall separates two classrooms, and the original floor plan survives, though ceilings were lowered in the 1950s. Students last received instruction here in 1954, after which the building became an administrative facility. The nomination values it as an intact example of a 1920s school that follows contemporary standards for fireproofing, lighting and efficient planning. Its lunettes and cornice returns also appear to echo the earlier Greek Revival schoolhouse on the same site.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is an intact, representative example of a small early twentieth century schoolhouse with Colonial Revival features. It also reflects the standardization of school design in New York State in the early twentieth century. The site is tied to education in the former hamlet of Newtonville, where a school stood by 1855.
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 00001155, listed September 22, 2000. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 543 Loudon Rd., Colonie |
|---|---|
| County | Albany County |
| Listed | September 22, 2000 |
| Reference number | 00001155 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1925 |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals/Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Education |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Students last received instruction in 1954, when the building was converted to an administrative facility; the form lists its current function as education-related. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.72098, -73.75527 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 00001155.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14707096
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.