History South End–Groesbeckville Historic District

1 history

1.1 1686–1761: colonial era
1.2 1762–1825: schuyler years
1.3 1826–1850: development
1.4 1851–1885: melting pot
1.5 1886–1929: institutions
1.6 1930–present: preservation , renewal

history

for of albany s years, colonial beginnings past independence, south end part of city politically, development being rough road south went through it. general philip schuyler s mid-18th century decision build mansion on lands there first development of kind. later, after death, erie canal , related industrial development brought many immigrants area city had expand boundaries, making south end end in name only.

1686–1761: colonial era

when dutch colonists first established colonial capital in mid-17th century, clustered around fort orange. stockade enclosed small village of beverwijck grew around it, delineating area corresponding today downtown albany. when area passed british control following second anglo-dutch war, renamed albany. in 1686 stockaded settlement became city granting of dongan charter, oldest city charter in continuous use in north america. fixed albany s initial municipal boundaries, establishing southern city limit @ northern tip of today castle island, corresponding gansevoort street on today s map.

during first half of 18th century, city remained confined stockade, on guard against attacks french north. outside city south common pasturelands owned dutch reformed church. beyond them ran road south, route followed south pearl street.

philip schuyler, first landowner in south end

by middle of 18th century, tensions between british , french in north america, mirroring between parent countries, twice exploded war. in 1760, second of these, french , indian war, corresponding 7 years war in europe, appeared resolved defeat of french, general philip schuyler began accumulating property south of pastures. following year began construction of house on land.

1762–1825: schuyler years

schuyler oversaw construction england, tending military affairs mentor, john bradstreet, , choosing of house s interior finishings there. brick georgian structure, first full-size structure in style built in albany, many of latest amenities , designs. situated on bluff overlooking river, city , schuyler s 80 acres (32 ha), house called pasture elaborate built in albany @ time, , remained many years afterwards.

during ensuing years of revolution schuyler s mansion host of notable personalities. after being taken prisoner following continental army s victory @ battle of saratoga, british general john burgoyne , staff schuyler s houseguests. george washington visited, leading city rename road down mansion washington street. in 1780, washington s aide alexander hamilton married schuyler s daughter elizabeth on grounds. following year, patriot victory loomed, loyalist forces raided house in attempt kidnap schuyler.

schuyler lived out remainder of days there, continuing public service both state , u.s. senator. upon death in 1804, property subdivided smaller lots gradually sold off children. largely leased out pastures since city did not yet need expand point, , land east of washington flooded in spring. washington street nevertheless became part of bethlehem turnpike toll road incorporated year; 1818 paper streets in area had been included in city s grid plan.

some development took place along washington street north of alexander in years. few houses, such mildly detailed brick house @ 395, remain time. earliest hints of area s future immigrant neighborhood began irish settling in area. bassett street home small community of free african americans, , there enough of jewish presence group meeting services there in 1838.

1826–1850: development

it 1825 opening of erie canal began spur growth city had been preparing for. expanded both north , south of downtown. 1840 pastures had been sufficiently built out, assuming present character, , development moved south end. on next 20 years, albany s population doubled, many immigrants came city work in factories went along river. found housing in nearby south end. local historian c.r. roseberry later described south pearl street as

... main branch albany put out when began serious expansion. city s 19th century street, street industrial revolution made cogently felt , ... city s original melting pot.

the growth such brickyards had populated blocks west of alexander street due quality clay , excellent drainage gone 1857, replaced houses.

foley s row

like of city s other neighborhoods grew during period, new housing of south end took form of attached rowhouses. unlike other neighborhoods, construction of houses largely paid intended live in them, instead of developers building large groups of speculative housing. foley s row, timber frame greek revival group @ 159–169 franklin street, developed 1850, rare example of type within district. since residents worked , shopped near houses, neighborhood pedestrian-friendly, narrow streets , small-scale buildings. along bending , non-parallel streets, has led being described having european feel.

this pattern of building, continued neighborhood grew throughout rest of century, resulted in great deal of architectural diversity within individual blocks. example, 1895 house @ 135 clinton street brick stone trim, while next door 137, built quarter-century earlier, five-bay brick italianate rowhouse arched windows, decorative cornice , metal sills, , nearby older frame rowhouses bracketed cornices next contemporary brownstones. despite these differences, many of rowhouses remain alike in overall form.

the immigrant group identified group germans. @ late 1850s there still few, more started coming consequence of failed revolutions of 1848. end of civil war south end had many businesses , organizations catering population, notably 1857 german evangelical protestant church @ alexander , clinton streets, still district landmark. other immigrant groups come south end, germans remained concentrated there century.

1851–1885: melting pot

growth spilled past city s southern boundary, groesbeckville, unincorporated hamlet of town of bethlehem. went no residents in 1845 on thousand ten years later. streets, too, organized on grid pattern, 1 offset albany s, pattern still visible today. 1860s, residents of hamlet being listed in albany s city directory , considered socially , culturally part of city. in 1870 petition make legal , political reality accepted , city s boundary extended mile (1.6 km) south, present location along normans kill, creating area of albany known first ward.

st. ann s roman catholic church, merged st. john s

irish immigrants, too, settling in south end. unlike germans, did not stay in area; once grew prosperous, moved areas of city afford live in. after st. ann s church established neighborhood s parish church in 1867, many of irish continued worship @ either cathedral of immaculate conception north of mansion district or st. john s, in pastures. retained sentimental attachment south end, , daniel p. o connell, boss of city s democratic political machine of 20th century, worked out of father s tavern @ fourth , south pearl though , family, too, had moved elsewhere in city.

in last 2 decades of century, jews eastern europe arrived in south end. while synagogues , other cultural institutions located in other neighborhoods north, many tradesmen established shops on south pearl , other streets. development may have been response influx took place south , west of established blocks, in blocks between second , third had been laid out when still groesbeckville, , blocks west of elizabeth street. had happened elsewhere in city when similar areas along bluff overlooking river had been developed, ravines filled in , streams flowed through them diverted or buried in tunnels, move lessened flooding closer river.

italianate rowhouses defined neighborhood industrial building @ 50 morton avenue, on western corner elizabeth street, had facade along street done mimic 5 rowhouses. actual houses built during era, however, began break greek revival , italianate traditions had marked pre-1870s neighbors. cornices less carved ornately, , facades featured more bay , oriel windows. decorative touches characteristic of era can seen in district on south pearl. building @ 336 has adamesque wreaths , other classically-inspired detailing while nearby 329 has intricately textured brickwork. several others on street have rock-faced lintels or semi-circular attic windows.

1886–1929: institutions

in 1886, following outbreak of eye disease @ orphanage run daughters of charity of saint vincent de paul, of sisters , sick children moved schuyler mansion. order , orphanage continued use 27 years, until state bought in 1913 conversion present use historic site, has been since 1917. institutional use of district s original building heralded new era south end. 20th century adequately supplied housing , churches; time larger structures meant general welfare.

public school no. 1

public school no. 17, @ second , stephen street, had been south end s first such building in 1875. architecture echoed italianate rowhouses around it, corbelled cornice , raised basement. next school, public school no. 1, went @ bassett , franklin in 1889. made rare use, both district , public school buildings, of moorish revival style.

in first decade of new century many more large institutional buildings went up. city built public bath no. 2 , engine house no. 5 on fourth between south pearl , franklin in 1904–05 period. across street, st. ann s matched large convent in 1908. these buildings showed @ least influence of newer colonial revival style. sometime during period, arts , crafts-style apartment building @ 82–84 morton went up. in 1929, district came full circle when youngest contributing property, john b. howe branch library, built in unrestrained embrace of style @ northeast corner of clinton , schuyler, design meant complement schuyler mansion across street.

the john b. howe branch library

during era demographics of neighborhood continued shifts. in first 2 decades of 20th century italian immigrants began make presence felt in south end. other residence there, however, had no lasting impact on neighborhood since community , cultural institutions concentrated in mansion district north, of albany s italian population had settled upon arrival.

1930–present: preservation , renewal

beginning in 1930, great depression, seems descendants of original german immigrants had settled south end century earlier began moving out. albany had grown enough late 19th century began expanding west along streetcar lines and, later, prime automobile routes. affluent residents of older neighborhoods close downtown began moving these newer, more suburban neighborhoods larger lots , detached houses. 1950, however, clear germans moving out.

in 1 way south end remained important city. daniel p. o connell, born there in 1885, had served term albany county assessor 1919–21. afterwards, became chairman of city s democratic committee, seeing through takeover of city government. became boss of machine controlled city until death in late 1970s. family s tavern @ fourth , south pearl became known little city hall.

after midcentury, group of migrants arrived in neighborhood. african americans had come albany in great migration of 1920s had settled in arbor hill, quality houses of ten broeck triangle had once been home city s wealthy becoming cheaper wealthy moved west or suburbs. affected , repopulated, neighborhood began suffer neglect , declined. city s response small-scale urban renewal, , black residents displaced demolitions required moved south end.

in 1971 o connell, advancing in years, had father s old tavern @ fourth , south pearl, long center of city politics, demolished rather see bought or rented else. ceding control of albany machine erastus corning 2nd, had installed city s mayor in late 1940s. death in 1977 1 of last breaks south end s past. prominent politicians, including governor hugh carey, attended funeral @ st. ann s.

by time corning died in 1983, neighborhood had become half african american. residents formed neighborhood association lobby interests @ city hall. urban decay affected south end, , buildings had demolished or abandoned. in 2007 city demolished 43–53 alexander street after 1 of buildings flooded. 4 years later, in 2011, habitat humanity proposed ambitious project rebuild them template revitalization of entire neighborhood.