Historic buildings

A new chapter for old Schultz Building

Written January 5th, 2026 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 17 responses.

For more than a century, the Schultz Building has stood at 212 East First Ave. in Albany. Now the ground floor of the historic two-story brick structure is getting a new use.

Posted in: Bicycling, Commentary, News
Tags: downtown, East First Avenue, East First Street, Historic buildings, Landmarks Commission, Schultz Building

Building 2: The deal on its demolition

Written September 8th, 2025 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 17 responses.

The federal government will go ahead and demolish an old and dilapidated building at the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), but it is considering steps to preserve two other buildings on the Albany campus.

Posted in: Bicycling, Commentary, News
Tags: Albany Landmarks Commission, Building 2, demolition, Friends of Historic Albany, Historic buildings, historic district, National Energy Technology Lab, SHPO

The vinyl window saga: That case is still open

Written July 21st, 2025 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 11 responses.

It was four years ago that Albany officials stopped the Willamette Community Church from replacing the remaining old windows in the church’s building, the historic former Albany High School at 420 Third Ave. S.E.

Posted in: Bicycling, Commentary, News
Tags: Historic buildings, Landmarks Commission, vinyl windows

An old building, allowed to run down

Written October 12th, 2024 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 8 responses.

The U.S. Department of Energy intends to demolish an old building off Liberty Street, on the campus of the former U.S. Bureau of Mines. The question is why has this four-story office building been left to rot to the point that the government wants to tear it down.

Posted in: Commentary, News
Tags: Building B-2, Burau of Mines, Historic buildings, National Energy Technology Lab

Saving Central School — with heat louvers

Written May 4th, 2024 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 10 responses.

Classrooms in Albany’s 109-year-old Central School have problems with ventilation and heating. The school district has devised a solution, and the city’s Landmarks Commission approved it this week.

Posted in: Commentary, News
Tags: Albany schools, Central School, Historic buildings, HVAC, Landmarks Commission, saving history

At the St. Francis, demolition inside

Written February 18th, 2024 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 5 responses.

Every now and then, passersby get an indication that the work of saving and restoring the former St. Francis Hotel in Albany is going on inside.

Posted in: Bicycling, Commentary, News
Tags: downtown, First and Ferry, former hotel, Historic buildings, St. Francis

Making repairs at historic building on Third

Written December 1st, 2023 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 11 responses.

At 113 years of age, the two-story structure housing the Wood Apartments in the 200 block of Southeast Third Avenue may be among Albany’s oldest apartment buildings. Now the facade is getting structural repairs.

Posted in: Bicycling, Commentary, News
Tags: 218 Third SE, Albany buildings, Historic buildings, Labor Temple, Lepman, Wood Apartments