New York Almanack

History, Natural History & the Arts

Housing

The Seligmans, Philip Payton & Harlem’s Black-Jewish Alliance

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Joseph SeligmanAround the time of the Civil War Joseph and Jesse Seligman were the most prominent Jewish businessmen on Wall Street – financiers of the Northern effort in the Civil War and close associates of Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant.

Every summer in the 1870s they would bring their families with a retinue of servants to stay at the Grand Union Hotel in Saratoga Springs, NY among the most prominent resorts in the United States. In 1879 however, the new manager of the hotel, Judge Henry Hitlon, announced a new policy — henceforth no Jewish people would be allowed to stay there. [Read more…] about The Seligmans, Philip Payton & Harlem’s Black-Jewish Alliance

Tips for Navigating Rental Scams

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New York Department of State’s Division of Consumer ProtectionThe New York Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection has announced the release of a comprehensive guide with practical tips to help New Yorkers identify and avoid rental scams. The guide is part one of a five-part consumer alert series to help New Yorkers navigate housing scams, which are a continuously growing risk for consumers. [Read more…] about Tips for Navigating Rental Scams

William O. Stillman: Leader of Humane Societies, Friend of Animals & Children

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The Mohawk and Hudson River Humane Society's building on Fourth Street inin Troy, NYWilliam O. Stillman was born on September 9th, 1856 in Normansville, now known as Elsmere in the town of the Bethlehem, Albany County, NY. His parents were Rev. Stephen Lewis Stillman and Lucretia (Miller) Stillman.

Rev. Stephen Lewis Stillman was a Methodist minister at the First Methodist Episcopal Church in Adamsville (now Delmar) and a descendant of a family that had emigrated from London, England. Lucretia (Miller) Stillman was of Dutch descent. Rev. Stephen suddenly died in 1869, when William was 12 years old. After his father’s death, William and his mother moved to Albany. [Read more…] about William O. Stillman: Leader of Humane Societies, Friend of Animals & Children

Common Ground Alliance Offers Adirondack Recommendations

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Entering Adirondack Park sign photo credit, Eric Meier;The Adirondack Common Ground Alliance (CGA) is a network of stakeholders focused on addressing issues that affect the Adirondack Park – specifically, though not exclusively, environmental protection, economic development, and community vitality.

Their goal is to facilitate dialogue and identify collaborative solutions that improve the Park and its communities for generations to come. Since 2007, CGA has organized an annual forum, yielding an agreed upon set of recommendations for state action referred to as the “Blueprint for the Blue Line.” [Read more…] about Common Ground Alliance Offers Adirondack Recommendations

Adirondack Cooperative Housing Learning Sessions Planned

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ANCA logoA number of local organizations and community groups are tackling the Adirondack region’s housing crisis from various fronts.

In an effort to provide an affordable and sustainable alternative for aspiring homeowners, the Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA), in collaboration with the Cooperative Development Institute (CDI), is exploring an option that has not been fully developed in the region — cooperative housing. [Read more…] about Adirondack Cooperative Housing Learning Sessions Planned

Lake George Village Eyes International Student Dorm

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Lake GeorgeStudents who travel from foreign countries to work on Lake George face a scarcity of affordable, safe housing, according to Mayor Bob Blais.

As a founder of the Student Connection, a group established to help foreign workers resolve issues related to their employment, Blais has promoted initiatives to improve the stock of available housing, from inspecting facilities to posting listings from landlords. [Read more…] about Lake George Village Eyes International Student Dorm

‘Fair Housing 101’ Sessions Mark Fair Housing Month

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fair housingThe Division of Human Rights, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, New York State Homes and Community Renewal, and the New York State Department of State will celebrate Fair Housing Month by hosting fair housing webinars to educate New Yorkers about their rights. The virtual programs will cover the legal protections against discrimination that are afforded home-buyers and the fair housing obligations of professionals in the real estate industry. [Read more…] about ‘Fair Housing 101’ Sessions Mark Fair Housing Month

Freedomland: Co-op City and the Story of New York

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Freedomland Co-op City and the Story of New YorkLocated on the grounds of the former Freedomland Amusement Park on the northeastern edge of The Bronx, Co-op City’s 35 towers and 236 townhouses have been home to hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers and is an icon visible to all traveling on the east coast corridor.

In 1965, Co-op City was planned as the largest middle-class housing development in the United States. It was intended as a solution to the problem of affordable housing in America’s largest city. [Read more…] about Freedomland: Co-op City and the Story of New York

Blueprint for Adirondacks Issued by Common Ground Alliance

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common ground alliance logoThe Common Ground Alliance of the Adirondacks (CGA) recently released its 2022 Blueprint for the Blue Line, a summary of state policy recommendations largely informed by dialogue and ideas generated during the group’s annual summer forum. [Read more…] about Blueprint for Adirondacks Issued by Common Ground Alliance

Albany’s Clinton Ave Historic Apartments Wins Preservation Award

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Clinton Avenue Historic ApartmentsAlbany’s Clinton Avenue Historic Apartments have won a 2021 Excellence in Historic Preservation Award from the Preservation League of NYS.

The Clinton Avenue project involved the careful rehabilitation of 70 historic rowhouses spread across a one-mile span in Albany’s Clinton Avenue and Arbor Hill Historic Districts. The development includes 3 studios, 123 one-bedrooms, 68 two-bedrooms, and 16 three-bedrooms – a total of 210 apartments.

Tenants include households who earn from 50%-90% of the area median income, providing much-needed affordable housing in the city of Albany. Supportive housing has also been included, with 40 units reserved in partnership with DePaul, who provides services under contract with the Office of Mental Health.  [Read more…] about Albany’s Clinton Ave Historic Apartments Wins Preservation Award