September 4, 2009

Proctor's Theater, Troy, NY New York State announced a "Restore New York Communities Initiative" grant, totaling four million dollars, that will see the demolition of Proctor's Theater and adjoining office building. Only the facade is planned for preservation. Source Article: Restore New York Communities Initiative, Round III Project Description. September 2, 2009. Link to this entry: http://www.hudsonvalleyruins.org/alert/2009.html#proctor

September 4, 2009

Heritage Park Stadium, Colonie, NY DEMOLISHED ~SUMMER 2009~

Heritage Park, a minor league baseball stadium, was demolished over the summer of 2009. Located in Colonie, a suburb of Albany, it was home to the Albany A's, Albany-Colonie Yankees, and Albany-Colonie Diamond Dogs, from 1983 to 2002.

More Heritage Park:
Hudson Valley Ruins - Rob Yasinsac

Link to this entry: http://www.hudsonvalleyruins.org/alert/2009.html#heritage

September 4, 2009

284 Main Street, Poughkeepsie, NY DEMOLISHED ~MAY 2009~ 284 Main Street, a three-story Romanesque revival brick-and-terra cotta building, was demolished in May 2009. Percival Lloyd, one of Poughkeepsie's most prominent architects, designed 284 Main Street. His other works include the 1910 furniture department of the once long-abandoned and now-renovated Luckey Platt department store, the Trust Bank, and the First Presbyterian Church. One of Lloyd's other projects, the Western Publishing Building (later FIAT factory) was demolished in the late 1990s. Source Article: "Valley Views: We can preserve city's architectural treasures," by Patrick D. Wing. The Poughkeepsie Journal, May 31, 2009. Link to this entry: http://www.hudsonvalleyruins.org/alert/2009.html#284main

May 9, 2009

James Thompson Mill, Valley Falls, NY BURNED ~APRIL 22, 2009~ Photograph courtesy of Fred Rieck

Fire broke out Wednesday April 22 in the James Thompson textile mill in Valley Falls, NY (Rensselear County, north of Troy). Part of the abandoned mill was destroyed, specifically the sections seen at lower left and lower right in the photograph above, taken by Fred Rieck. The earliest section of this mill was built about 1860, according to newspaper reports.

Source Article:
"Fire ends mill, not memories." By Bob Gardinier, The Times Union. April 23, 2009.

Link to this entry: http://www.hudsonvalleyruins.org/alert/2009.html#thompson

March 26, 2009

Carvel Ice Cream Bakery, Hartsdale, NY DEMOLISHED ~APRIL 2009~

The process of demolishing America's first Carvel ice cream store recently began. Ice cream salesman Tom Carvel opened his first store herein 1936, occupying what had been a pottery shop (Carvel first sold ice cream at this location in 1934 when his ice cream truck broke down). A steel-and-glass addition was built in the 1950s in front of the old store, which was later covered over by synthetic siding. The recent removal of that siding revealed the older wooden pottery shop and first Carvel store underneath (as evidenced in the March 23, 2009 photograph above). The store closed at the end of the business day October, 5, 2008, and a Japanese steakhouse is planned for construction on the property.

Link to this entry: http://www.hudsonvalleyruins.org/alert/2009.html#Carvel2009

UPDATE APRIL 15, 2009: The Carvel store has been completely demolished.

March 26, 2009

Hotel Wellington, Albany, NY DEMOLITION ONGOING ~SUMMER 2009~

Demolition began this week at the Wellington Hotel and its adjacent neighbors on State Street in Albany. Columbia Development Companies is rebuilding the block of State Street that contains five distinct structures, all which will essentially be demolished, and have stood abandoned for decades within sight of the New York State Capitol. However, it is reported that the facades of 132-134, 138 and 140 State Street (including the Berkshire Hotel and the Elks Lodge) will be stabilized and preserved. The facade of the Hotel Wellington, at 136 State Street, will be dismantled, and parts of it may grace the front of a 14-story office building planned to rise behind the old facades.

Source Article:
"Ex-hotel yields to future vision." By Jordan Carleo-Evangelist, The Times Union. March 25, 2009.

More Hotel Wellington:
Hudson Valley Ruins - Rob Yasinsac

Link to this entry: http://www.hudsonvalleyruins.org/alert/2009.html#Wellington

January 13, 2009

Memorial Field, Mount Vernon, NY

A long talked-of plan to upgrade Mount Vernon's Memorial Field is closer to to coming together, as Westchester County announced a commitment of nearly ten million dollars for the project. Although advertised as a repair or renovation, the plan, as outlined in a recent Journal News article, seems to call for the outright demolition of the grandstand building. The brick building with Romanesque arches and limestone trim was dedicated in 1931, and supports a grandstand with seating for 3,900 spectators. Other structures at the site are planned for demolition as well.

Source Article:
"County to give $9.7 million to repair Mount Vernon's Memorial Field." By Hannan Adely, The Journal News. January 9, 2009.

UPDATE SEPTEMBER 4, 2009:
Mount Vernon and Westchester County officials have announced plans for the "renovation of Memorial Field - the plans for which call for the demolition of the stadium at Memorial Field.
Source Article: "Memorial Field stadium is city icon," by Hannan Adely. the Journal News, August 2, 2009.

More Memorial Field:
Hudson Valley Ruins - Rob Yasinsac

Link to this entry: http://www.hudsonvalleyruins.org/alert/2009.html#Memorial

Stauffer Chemical factory, Dobbs Ferry, NY DEMOLISHED ~wINTER 2008-2009~

The Stauffer Chemical factory along the Saw Mill Parkway was recently demolished. The Putnam Division of the New York Central Railroad formerly ran along the west side of the building, where a recreational path now runs. Located within the corporate limits of the Village of Dobbs Ferry, the factory was part of  a hamlet known as Chauncey.

Photograph from Microsoft Virtual Earth / Live Search Maps. Many thanks to our reader alert.

Link to this entry: http://www.hudsonvalleyruins.org/alert/2009.html#Stauffer