Geography South End–Groesbeckville Historic District

district map

the district boundary follows combination of lot lines , streets. described portion begins @ 298 south pearl street , follows west side of street north approximately quarter-mile (500 m) north end of parking lot on east side between fourth avenue , alexander street. turns east south down st. ann s place , across fourth exclude parking lot yet include public bath no. 2 , st. ann s/st. john s church buildings.

it turns east, following church s rear lot line , crossing franklin street vine street including old fire engine no. 5 building. turns north along rear lot line, taking in foley s row of houses along franklin , st. ann s/st. john s center on northeast corner of fourth , franklin before returning franklin. follows street north turn east again along lot line in middle of block between plum , bassett streets, south along same lot s line plum. after following street east lot, turns south include lots on south side of plum green street, easternmost reach of district.

from there, goes north green , west along bassett, returning northward course @ franklin. detours onto property lines exclude vacant lot @ franklin , schuyler street, returns latter, excluding modern giffen memorial elementary school building. @ next intersection, follows south pearl north district s northeastern corner, short of morton avenue.

it follows property lines west , south across block , broad street, excluding modern government buildings such new fire station, albany s criminal court , local department of motor vehicles office. @ clinton street turns north again return morton. follows approximately 800 feet (240 m) west district s northwestern corner @ 84 morton, on street s south side 2 lots east of eagle street intersection.

after eastward lurch along lines 84 , 86 morton, turns south along side lot line cross catherine street , next block. @ osborne street turns east, following rear line of properties on west side of elizabeth street. continues way 2 blocks, turning towards elizabeth @ 59, 2 lots south of alexander street.

at third avenue turns west take in properties @ 76–82 third, goes down side , rear lines rear lines of lots on elizabeth. follows them south rear lines of houses on second avenue, whereupon returns elizabeth , follows across second intersection. briefly following krank avenue, turns along rear lines along south side of second, past odell , benjamin broad. turns south along street , east reach southern end of district @ 298 south pearl.

within boundary 520 buildings; 13 of contributing properties district s historic character. two- or three-story vernacular brick or timber frame houses, in variety of 19th-century styles, particularly greek revival, italianate , eastlake. exception south pearl, district s commercial backbone since development began. there few institutional buildings, churches schools fire station, scattered around district. streets , intersections retain original brick or cobblestone paving.

all open space comes in form of vacant lots. there no parks in district although there several nearby, such lincoln park northwest , krank park southwest. baseball fields of bishop maginn high school abut district on west.