Wednesday, July 7, 2010

UPDATE: Emanuel Lutheran Church

Today's the day, according to reports, that the vinyl siding is supposed to start arriving for Emanuel Lutheran Church--despite the fact that the project does not have a certificate of appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission and Code Enforcement Officer Peter Wurster issued a stop-work order on June 22. The Historic Preservation Commission is expecting the church board will come to its meeting Friday morning at 10 seeking a certificate of appropriateness to lift the stop-work order. To prepare for that, Tom Swope, chair of the HPC, has been in touch with Julian Adams at the State Historic Preservation Office. The Preservation League of New York State is also watching the situation.

Meanwhile, over the weekend, I stumbled upon the information that the church was designed by Hudson architect Michael J. O'Connor, who came to Hudson in 1879 and designed private houses and public buildings here for fifty years. Among the former are 8 Willard Place and 39 West Court Street; among the latter, the original Firemen's Home (demolished in the 1960s), the Sixth Street School, and the Allen Street School. I also heard that the little narthex at Emanuel Lutheran (pictured above) might be left as it is and not sided.

2 comments:

  1. today is the big day on this

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  2. I am tracing down a Michael J. O'Connor JR (son of Michael J O'Connor 1830-1891). There is an O'Connor cemetery plot in Waterford Rural Cemetery, Waterford NY that has the owner of it listed as Michael O'Connor , Hudson, NY. The only MIchael O'Connor I've discoered in Hudson, NY is this Michael J. O'Connor who in the various Federal Cesnus is listed as an Architect married in Hudson with two children. His father was a building contractor and a younger brother was also an architect. Three of his brothers were building contractors. I believe this is the person I am seeking. Could you give me any information you have on him.

    Most importantly I'm trying to find out where in Ireland his family came from.

    My email address is raineymk@msn.com or raineymk@gmail.com and my name is Michael O'Connor Rainey. Thank you for any information.

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