Building at 44 Central Avenue Albany, New York

Text courtesy of the National Register of Historic Places, a program of the National Parks Service. Minor transcription errors or changes in formatting may have occurred; please see the Nomination Form PDF for official text. Some information may have become outdated since the property was nominated for the Register.

Built ca. 1817, at a location known in the early nineteenth century as Robison's Point, the building at 44 Central Avenue is a rare example of turnpike-era commercial architecture in the City of Albany, New York. Built at the intersection of two major overland transportation routes' the convergence of which defined a wedge-shaped parcel of land, which in turn defined the footprint of the buildings at Robison's Point the nominated building functioned from the first quarter of the nineteenth century into the twentieth century as a grain and feed warehouse and store. Physical features of the building, most notably the remarkably rare winch wheel which remains in situ in the attic, attest to this historic use, as does the building's sturdy internal framing, conceived to accommodate significant floor loads. The building is being nominated at the local significance level in association with Criterion A, in the area of commerce, for its association with mercantile and commercial activities in Albany during the first quarter of the nineteenth century. It remains a salient reminder of this era of growth in Albany's history, having been built in the years immediately preceding the completion of the Erie Canal. It is additionally being nominated in association with Criterion C, in the area of architecture, as a locally rare example of early nineteenth century commercial architecture which retains features expressive of this use. Forty-four Central Avenue is being nominated independently from adjacent 40 Central Avenue, the attached building to the immediate east; the latter has been significantly altered, internally and externally, from its early nineteenth century appearance in a way that the nominated building has not.