Van Ostrande-Radliff House
Why it's listed
Built in 1728 at 48 Hudson Avenue in Downtown Albany, this two-and-one-half-story house is a rare survivor of the city's Dutch period. Its seven structural bays of anchor-beam framing stand above a stone foundation, with original nogging bricks, hand-wrought nails and wide weatherboards still visible on the west side. Eight large anchor beams remain in the garret level, along with a trimmer beam that once supported a jambless fireplace hood, described as the only known surviving example of that framing. The building was widened around 1790, given a rear brick wing after 1835, and altered in the 1930s and again with a later storefront. Tree-ring dating and documents confirm the construction date. Only this house and the Quackenbush House remain from Albany's Dutch era within the city limits. The house is valued for its architecture, its link to early Dutch settlement and community development, and for archeological deposits found beside its west foundation wall. Surrounding historic buildings have been demolished, leaving it nearly isolated.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is one of only two Dutch-era houses surviving within Albany city limits, the other being the Quackenbush House. It retains rare original anchor-beam framing, stone foundation, weatherboards and a trimmer-beam fireplace framing detail. It also shows Albany's Dutch cultural heritage and the city's changing development, and it holds archeological deposits.
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 07000291, listed January 10, 2008. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 48 Hudson Ave., Albany |
|---|---|
| County | Albany County |
| Listed | January 10, 2008 |
| Reference number | 07000291 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1728-1892 |
| Architectural style | Colonial: Dutch Colonial; rear extension has no style (19th Century Industrial) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Agriculture, Historic - Non-Aboriginal, Community Planning and Development, European, Exploration/Settlement |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current function listed as vacant/not in use; the rear addition was used as retail and storage until about 2000 and is undecorated and slightly deteriorated. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.64721, -73.75188 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 07000291.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4638646
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.