Union Station (Albany, New York)

Union Station, also known as Albany Union Station, is a building in Albany, New York on the corner of Broadway and Steuben Street. Built during 1899–1900, it served originally as the city's railroad station but now houses credit union offices.[2] It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) during 1971.[4]

Albany
A postcard of the station from c. 1930
Location575 Broadway, Albany, New York[1]
Owned byNew York Central Railroad
Line(s)Hudson Division
Train operatorsNew York Central Railroad
Boston and Albany Railroad
Delaware and Hudson Railway
West Shore Railroad
Other information
StatusClosed
History
Opened1900 (1900)
Closed1981 (1981)
Former services
Preceding station New York Central Railroad Following station
West Albany
toward Chicago
 Main Line Rensselaer
toward New York
Terminus West Shore Railroad
Albany branch
 Selkirk
toward Weehawken
Boston and Albany Railroad
Main Line
 Rensselaer
toward Boston
Albany Union Station
Coordinates42°39′5″N 73°45′0″W
Built1899–1900[2]
ArchitectShepley, Rutan & Coolidge; Norcross Bros.
Architectural styleBeaux Arts[3]
NRHP reference No.71000516[4]
Added to NRHPFebruary 18, 1971

Its NRHP application asserted:

Perhaps no other building has been so important to the growth of Albany during the twentieth century as Union Station. It was designed in 1899 by Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge, the successors to the firm of H.H. Richardson and the designers of the newly completed South Station in Boston and Union Station in Springfield, Massachusetts. The construction was carried out by Norcross Brothers, who were considered to be one of the finest contractors of the period.[2]

History
Union Station in 1904

Rail service

The station received 96 trains per day during 1900 and 121 per day during World War II.[2] It was the Capital District's main railroad station until December 1968. Built primarily to serve the New York Central's passenger trains, it also hosted the services of the Delaware & Hudson. In 1968, Rensselaer Rail Station began operation across the river in Rensselaer, serving the new merged company Penn Central Railroad, and three years later, Amtrak.

Office building
The former Albany Union Station in 2010

During 1986 Peter Kiernan, president of Norstar Bankcorp Inc, relocated the headquarters of the Fortune 500 bank from Guilderland, New York, to Union Station in Albany, and contracted the architecture company EYP Architecture & Engineering to complete a $14.5 million renovation of the historic building.[5] This renovation of Union Station is documented in a book that also details the history of the station.[6] During construction a bottle was discovered hanging on a nail behind a plaster wall ornament; inside was a note dated August 12, 1900. Signed by "AA Johnsen. Foreman," the note mentioned the names of the workers and companies involved in the original construction. It listed the workers' wages as 45 cents per hour.[7] Kiernan then placed a new time capsule regarding this construction behind another plaster ornament on an upper floor.[7] Union Station was renamed Norstar Plaza, and when Norstar Bancorp merged with Fleet Financial Group Inc of Providence, Rhode Island, during 1988, Norstar Plaza became one of two headquarters (with Providence) of the new company.[8] Kiernan died later that year, and during 1989 the corporation renamed the building Peter D. Kiernan Plaza in his honor.[8] At the end of 1999, soon after Fleet purchased BankBoston to become FleetBoston Financial, the new company decided to spend a total of $25 million on new software, hardware, and electrical, heating, and cooling systems for the building.[9]

During 2004 Bank of America bought FleetBoston and kept the building.[10] The next year, the bank sold Kiernan Plaza to American Financial Realty Trust and leased the building back.[1] During 2008 American Financial Realty Trust was bought by Gramercy Realty Corp. and during 2009 October Bank of America decided to consolidate its operations at Kiernan Plaza with others in Albany by relocating them to a State Street building also owned by Gramercy, with no job losses.[11]

See also

References
  1. Kevin Harlin (2004-12-04). "Former Fleet properties sold". Albany Times Union. Retrieved 2009-04-21.
  2. Liebs, Chester H. (July 1970). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Albany Union Station". Archived from the original on 2011-09-14. Retrieved 2011-07-10. and Accompanying two photos, exterior, from 1905 and undated
  3. Waite, Diana S. (1993). Albany architecture: a guide to the city. Mount Ida Press. p. 106. ISBN 0-9625368-1-4.
  4. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  5. Brad Kelly (2009-09-17). "Old station to give way to new era". Albany Knickerbocker News. Retrieved 2009-04-21.
  6. Finnegan, Thomas. "Saving Union Station Albany, New York: An Inside Look at Historic Preservation." (Washington Park Press, 1988). ISBN 0960546073.
  7. Laurie Navilia (1987-01-23). "'Time in a bottle' details builders Union Station note detailed". Albany Knickerbocker News. Retrieved 2009-04-21.
  8. Mark Suchecki (1989-09-14). "Norstar Plaza to be renamed for Kiernan". Albany Knickerbocker News. Retrieved 2009-04-21.
  9. Jo-Ann Johnston (2000-04-20). "Building of old, commerce of new". Albany Times Union. Retrieved 2009-04-21.
  10. Kevin Harlin (2004-07-17). "Kiernan Plaza secure as Bank of America". Albany Times Union. Retrieved 2009-04-21.
  11. Churchill, Chris (2009-10-21). "A Landmark Soon to Fall Empty". Times Union. Hearst Newspapers. p. A1. Archived from the original on 2011-09-20. Retrieved 2011-07-10.
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