Dear Friends,

Please join us in celebrating the 37^th year of Historic Albany Foundation’s successes. Since HAF’s beginning, we have remained steadfast in our mission to promote and protect Albany’s built environment—a path that has led us to innumerable buildings and enriching interactions with people from all walks of life. You, as our staunch supporters, have allowed us to provide valuable technical services, education opportunities, and the strength to advocate one of Albany’s greatest draws—our architectural heritage.  It is our city’s historic character that makes Albany unique and helps us cultivate strong communities and an improved quality of life.

Historic Albany Foundation needs the support of donors and friends to undertake the important work we do to preserve Albany’s built environment. Every dollar you give to HAF is well spent. With a small staff of four, we are able to accomplish much—advocating for reuse and rehabilitation of historic buildings; providing hundreds of technical service hours annually; matching vacant buildings with responsible new owners; working to save buildings on our Endangered Historic Resources list; awarding worthy preservation projects each year; and hosting numerous several special events, lectures, workshops, and in-depth house and neighborhood tours.

Preservation successes occur every day because of the work that Historic Albany does. Here are just a few highlights from 2011:

125 Jefferson Street. After a partial roof collapse in early September, the building could have easily been lost, but HAF worked with the city and the building owner to make sure that the building was stabilized rather than lost.  A new owner is committed to preservation and is working with neighborhood residents to determine an appropriate reuse for the late 19th Century firehouse.  The building was refaced in the 1930's.

Third Precinct Police Station. Because of the work of HAF this magnificent, but long-endangered building has found a new owner who will redevelop the 1906 Walter Van Guysling-designed building into apartments.

Land Bank Workshop— HAF considers this issue a priority to alleviate urban blight and will be working on it in 2012. This past November, HAF partnered with the Center for Economic Growth, Empire State Future, the Preservation League of New York State and other local organizations to bring the foremost expert on land banking, Dan Kildee, to speak before elected officials and the public. Albany County would be well served to have a land bank.

For more updates about what we’re doing please continue to visit our Website and Facebook page, and make sure we have your e-mail address so you don’t miss our weekly e-mail with the latest news and upcoming events. 

Please give generously to help us continue our important work to protect and preserve Albany’s invaluable built environment, and encourage friends and family to join HAF. Together we will make strides toward building —and preserving—the best Albany possible. 

Happy Holidays, and best wishes for a bright 2012!

       President                                                                                     Executive Director
       2011

Annual Appeal Gift

$1,000 Gift (plus PayPal fees) $1,040.00 USD$500 Gift (plus PayPal fees) $520.00 USD$250 Gift (plus PayPal fees) $260.00 USD$100 Gift (plus PayPal fees) $104.00 USD$50 Gift (plus PayPal fees) $52.00 USD$100 per month ($1,200 a year) $104.00 USD$50 per month ($600 a year) $52.00 USD$25 per month ($300 a year) $26.00 USD