St.
Joseph's
89 Lexington Avenue
Albany, NY 12206
office|
518-465-0876
fax | 518-463-2704
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Exceptional Historic Quality The architectural grandeur of St. Joseph's Church is one of the most prominent features of the downtown Albany skyline, situated at the north end of the business district of the State's capital city. St. Joseph's presents a unique and exciting opportunity for investment in one of the city's most important historic landmarks. The extraordinary Gothic style building is situated near the eighteenth-century Ten Broeck Mansion, in the center of the Arbor Hill Historic District, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. St. Joseph's was Albany's third Catholic parish, founded to serve the Irish population associated with the construction of the Erie Canal. This building was designed by Patrick Keely of Brooklyn, one of the most prolific nineteenth-century architects in the United States, and was completed in 1860. For over one hundred years, it served a thriving congregation in the Arbor Hill neighborhood. Click here to check out a historic ad for slate roofing proclaiming St. Joseph's to be the most 'complete slate roof in the United States'. Recent History As interest in Albany's historic neighborhoods grew, the area surrounding the Ten Broeck Mansion and St. Joseph's Church saw the formation of an active neighborhood association. In the 1970's, the Ten Broeck Triangle became a focus of an urban homesteading initiative funded by Albany's Community Development Block Grant program. Under this program, nearly thirty historic rowhouses were rehabilitated, inspiring other developers and individuals to undertake the revitalization of virtually all remaining buildings in the Arbor Hill Historic District. The beauty of the neighborhood today reflects the efforts of these community leaders, developers and homeowners. As the population of Arbor Hill changed, so too did St. Joseph's parish. As a result, the local Catholic population dwindled to numbers unable to sustain the church. It was sold to an individual in 1981 and leased back to the parish. In 1993 the church held its last service and was sold to a private owner, eventually becoming the property of the City of Albany. By the end of that transitional decade, the church building had deteriorated considerably and faced demolition. A building as beautiful as this Albany landmark deserved to survive. In June 2003 the City transferred ownership of the church to Historic Albany Foundation. Creative Solutions The city of Albany has been innovative in developing strategies for a successful and vital downtown. The Capitalize Albany Economic Development Strategy and Urban Design Plan, completed in March, 1996, formulates a vision and development strategy for the revitalization of downtown Albany. Capitalize Albany has been successful in garnering support from local private and public leadership and has formalized a committee to oversee the implementation of the plan. As a result of this effort, more than $40 million has been invested in downtown. One of the successes is the creation of the Downtown Albany Business Improvement District, charged with the maintenance and management of downtown. The charm of St. Joseph's and the Ten Broeck neighborhood provides the downtown revitalization plan with a unique opportunity to solicit creative development concepts for any number of potential business uses. It is a significant architectural gem with quality features and in a beautiful downtown location. Under the leadership of Matthew Bender IV, Chair of the St. Joseph's Re-use Committee, Historic Albany Foundation partnered with the Preservation League of New York State to host a series of public meetings to get community input on St. Joseph's future. The concerned citizens who attended those meetings overwhelmingly recommended that the building serve as a community resource. |
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