50 years ago, the Historic Albany Foundation and the Preservation League of New York were created. Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan celebrated their anniversaries Wednesday at City Hall.
The two organizations, which work to preserve historic buildings, communities and landscapes, began in March 1974, a year after New York state dedicated the new Empire State Plaza.
Historic Albany Foundation President Matt Mallette says the non-profits immediately went to battle to save Albany neighborhoods that were in developers’ crosshairs.
“In 1968, a formal plan for Albany's highway system was made public and in a nutshell, that plan was to cut the city into quadrants by way of the mid-Crosstown arterial," Mallette said. "Now if you're wondering, ‘I've never heard of that,’ well, there's a reason. The Center Square neighborhood would be gutted before going underground at Washington Park. It would then run north and south connecting Loudonville with Glenmont, and it almost happened.”
Mayor Sheehan says visitors to Albany aren't always aware of the history wiped away by construction of the Empire State Plaza. “A structure that for those who come here and marveled at its architecture is lost on those who don't remember what was there. And, just years before that, our precious Center Square faced the prospect of being completely demolished and destroyed," said Sheehan. "We know that there were dozens and dozens of blocks that were destroyed when taken by eminent domain to build the Empire State Plaza, and the highway system that runs under it. So it is clear that at the time, especially for those within the New York State Council of the Arts, that we needed a unified voice. And we needed to make sure that we were doing all that we could to protect our historic and architecturally valuable buildings in Albany and across New York state.”
Preservation League of New York State President Jay DiLorenzo says the entity has expanded beyond its original mission of promoting the ideals of historic preservation throughout the state, offering grants and loans to bolster grassroots preservation projects.
"We're even more excited about our future, and what the next 50 years are going to bring, particularly the new challenges that we're facing. Challenges like climate change, the lack of affordable housing, the importance of diversity, and equity and inclusion in everything we do. We're very anxious at the League to make sure that historic preservation has an important role to play in all of those needs,” said DiLorenzo.
Congressman Paul Tonko, a Democrat from the 20th district, is a member of the Historic Preservation Caucus in the House.
“I'm committed to working to ensure that all these sites and stories that bring us together, that bind us as communities, and boost our local economies, and certainly ground us in the rich history that we all share, is protected for future generations,” Tonko said.
Tonko joined Sheehan in bestowing proclamations on the two entities, declaring Wednesday "Historic Albany Foundation Day" and "the Preservation League of New York Day" in the city of Albany.
