Hotel Van Curler
Also known as: Elston Hall of Schenectady County Community College
Why it's listed
Standing at the corner of State Street and Washington Avenue beside the Mohawk River, this six-story hotel opened in 1925 and now serves as Elston Hall of Schenectady County Community College. H.L. Stevens and Company designed the H-shaped building in red brick with limestone trim, slate roofing and a portico of six Corinthian columns. Its restrained Georgian and Federal detailing was typical of that firm's small hotels. The hotel grew out of a civic pride campaign during Schenectady's most prosperous years. The American Locomotive Company, General Electric, the Chamber of Commerce and more than 1,000 residents paid for it, and it was the first of five major Neoclassical public buildings erected in the city between 1925 and 1933. Later additions from 1948, 1954 and 1956, plus exit towers built after the 1968 college conversion, do not add to its significance. The upper floors were rebuilt, but the lobby, lounge, reception room and ballroom survive for community use.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is a representative early twentieth century Georgian Revival hotel, with restrained Georgian and Federal motifs typical of the Stevens firm's work. It was also the first of five major Neoclassical public buildings erected in Schenectady between 1925 and 1933. It was financed by local industries, the Chamber of Commerce and over 1,000 citizens, which makes it a symbol of the city's civic pride and prosperity.
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 85002277, listed September 12, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 78 Washington Ave., Schenectady |
|---|---|
| County | Schenectady County |
| Listed | September 12, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85002277 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1925 |
| Architect / builder | H.L. Stevens and Company |
| Architectural style | Georgian Revival; early twentieth century Neoclassical with Georgian and Federal motifs |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and used as an educational building by Schenectady County Community College since its 1968 acquisition; upper floors were gutted and rebuilt, while the first-floor public rooms were retained. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 42.81497, -73.94912 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 85002277.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5367757
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.