Where in Albany - 344 State Street

This week’s #WhereinAlbany was guessed correctly by many of you, so well done!

It was indeed 344 State Street. Both 344 and it’s twin 342 were built by James Eaton. Eaton was superintendent of construction of the Capitol building who had years of experience in masonry and architecture. Eaton also built properties on First Street and Elm Street.

344 was built in 1876, and - as it typical of Eatons’s style- is eclectic; the lintels are Queen Anne, the entry doors are Italianate, and the columns for the portico are Egyption in style.

City of Albany Launches it's Drone Project!

Great news! The City of Albany has secured funding to purchase one drone and to train & license up to 10 individuals to use a drone, thanks to a grant from the NYS Attorney General’s Office. The grant money was secured from the Zombies 2.0 grant, and administered by LISC.

The city has hired DartDrones to train the staff and assist them in getting the right drone and equipment. They also helped to train and equip the Water Department, which uses their drone to patrol the reservoir and assist in projects such as the recent daylighting of the Patroon Creek and the Green Infrastructure project on Ramsey Place.

How this helps

The city is hoping to use drones to improve upon its ability to perform rooftop inspections, particularly of vacant buildings, to catch issues with roofs earlier and prevent further damage and deterioration. This video of the Green Infrastructure project that Albany Water took on Ramsey Place gives an idea of how quickly and easily they can get views of rooftops across the City.

The Water Department has occasionally allowed the Department of Buildings & Regulatory Compliance to borrow a drone and pilot for test runs of this project, with one test run resulting in catching a roof problem at the vacant building at 346 Madison Avenue (see image below). Due to the images they were able to capture, they ordered an emergency stabilization of the roof, sidewall, and front façade, undoubtedly saving the building from further deterioration and giving it additional time for a more permanent solution to be found. 346 Madison Avenue is currently up for sale.

Over the next few months, the Department of Buildings & Regulatory Compliance will undergo further training towards taking and passing our Part 107 FAA Licensing Exams, as well as purchasing the drone and drone equipment. They anticipate being able to officially begin full-time aerial inspections this Spring or Summer at the latest.

BREAKING NEWS HAF Book Club selection 2021 ...

The next HAF Book Club selection is:  The Address Book:  What Street Addresses Reveal About Identity, Race, Wealth and Power by Deirdre Mask.  The club will start on Tues Jan 26th 6-7pm, Tues Feb 2nd 6-7pm, and Tues Feb 9th 5.30-6.30pm. Once again the Club will take place via Zoom., so get reading! We will read 90 pages per week.

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HAF has chosen this book for its timeliness to the current political and racial climate in our country, as well as right here in Albany.  From the book jacket:

When most people think about street addresses, if they think of them at all, it is in their capacity to ensure that the postman can deliver mail or a traveler won’t get lost. But street addresses were not invented to help you find your way; they were created to find you. In many parts of the world, your address can reveal your race and class.

In this wide-ranging and remarkable book, Deirdre Mask looks at the fate of streets named after Martin Luther King Jr., the wayfinding means of ancient Romans, and how Nazis haunt the streets of modern Germany. The flipside of having an address is not having one, and we also see what that means for millions of people today, including those who live in the slums of Kolkata and on the streets of London. Filled with fascinating people and histories, The Address Book illuminates the complex and sometimes hidden stories behind street names and their power to name, to hide, to decide who counts, who doesn’t―and why.

In addition, we are pleased to announce that David Hochfelder, Associate Professor of History at the University at Albany, and creator of the 98 Acres in Albany Facebook page and blog relating the neighborhood that once stood on the site of the Empire State Plaza, will be our moderator.

The HAF Book Club will be once again be co-sponsored by our friends at the New York State Writer’s Institute.

We look forward to seeing you! 

Join the bookclub >>

> Buy from 'BookShop' to support local bookstores here <

How does Bookshop work?

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Zoom meeting link here >>

Festive Architecture Ornaments for sale

Our wonderful Director of Preservation Services, Cara Macri, handmade some beautiful architecturally-themed ornaments. They will be available to buy from our offices Mon-Fri 10am-4pm.

Price List

Gingerbread ornament $2

Knob and tube ornament (DIY with candle OR buy premade) $2

Door Knob Ornament (sparkly and red) $5

DIY Snowman Ornament Kit $10

Reindeer Hot Gourmet Hot Cocoa with Mason Jar $10

and we still have Nipper masks for sale - a great gift idea for just $5 !