Thursday, April 22, 2010

Galloway Gallery: Exhibit 3

This is 620-624 State Street, one of Eric Galloway's current restoration projects. The building, which is included in a locally designated historic district, made the news--Gossips as well as the Register-Star--in February when Code Enforcement Officer Peter Wurster circumvented the Historic Preservation Commission and issued a demolition permit to dismantle part of the building. The part that was demolished, we were told, was an addition which, although old, was not original to the building and not especially well constructed. Lisa Durfee has a wonderful picture on her blog The Tainted Lady Lounge of the side of the original building after the addition had been removed.

Up until 1881 when the institution moved to 400 State Street (now the library), this building was the Hudson Orphan Asylum. Galloway's plans for the building have not yet been made public, but he should be commended for rescuing the better part of the building from demolition by neglect. The building's previous owner caused a fire in the chimney a few years ago, which spread to the attic and the roof, by, I was told at the time, burning brush in a coal-burning furnace in the cellar.

2 comments:

  1. There are not plans to renovate the building at present; this was an emergency situation regarding public safety, so Peter issued the permit to demolish the addition. Fortunately, it was just an addition as can be seen from the windows revealed in the newly exposed wall. The owner is going to stabilize and close the building to the elements, and hold it for the time being is what I understand.

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  2. holy geezzz; Carole almost gave Galloway a compliment. what is the world coming to?

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