Harmanus Bleecker Library facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Harmanus Bleecker Library
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East elevation and north profile, 2011
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | Albany, NY |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1923 |
| Architect | Fuller & Robinson Company |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 96000559 |
| Added to NRHP | May 16, 1996 |
The Harmanus Bleecker Library used to be a library. You can find it in Albany, New York, where Washington Avenue and Dove Street meet. It's a beautiful building made of brick and stone, built in the 1920s. It has a special style called Classical Revival, which means it looks like old Greek and Roman buildings. In 1996, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This list includes important historical places in the United States.
Famous local architects, the Fuller & Robinson Company, designed this building. It was the first building in Albany made only to be a library. Many people think it's one of the city's best examples of its style. The library was named after Harmanus Bleecker. He was an important politician from Albany. His money helped pay for the building. Today, the building is no longer a library. It has been changed to hold offices.
Contents
About the Building
The library building takes up a whole block between Washington Avenue and Spring Street. It's just one block west of the state capitol. The capitol is a very important historical place. Near the library, you can also see the University Club of Albany. This building is similar and was also designed by Fuller. The Albany Institute of History & Art is also close by.
Outside the Library
The building has two stories. It is made with a strong steel frame. The outside is covered in brick. The roof is flat. The bottom part of the building looks like granite. The upper part looks like limestone. Trees shade the building on all sides that face the street.
The front of the building faces east. It has a part that sticks out in the middle. This is where the main entrance is. There are also other entrances on the north and south sides.
On the first floor, you can see large windows. They are set back a little from the wall. The main entrance is under a stone archway. Narrow windows are on each side of the entrance.
Above the first-floor windows is a wide stone band. This band holds up the windows on the second floor. These windows are also set back. They have curved tops with a special stone in the middle. The corners of the building have special brick patterns.
Above the second-floor windows is another wide stone band. The words "Harmanus Bleecker Library" are carved into it. A decorative trim is at the top of the roofline. Above the roof, there is a brick wall. It has stone railings above the windows.
The central part of the building has special details. The narrow windows here have fancy iron grilles. Iron lamps are next to the main entrance. Above the entrance, there is another carved stone section. It also says "Harmanus Bleecker Library." Tall, decorated columns divide the main window from two smaller windows. The state seal and the city's coat of arms are carved in stone above these windows.
Inside the Library
Wooden doors lead into the building. The inside still looks much like it did when it was built. The steel frame is covered by strong concrete walls. The floors in the entrance area are made of a special material called terrazzo. The walls here are covered in marble.
Much of the original oak wood is still inside. You can see it around the doors and windows. The second floor has walls that can be moved. This makes it easier to use the space for offices now. An elevator was added to make the building easy for everyone to use.
History of the Library
Harmanus Bleecker was an important person in Albany's history. He was the grandson of a mayor from long ago. When he was young, he served in the United States House of Representatives. This is part of the U.S. government. He also worked as a lawyer in Albany. Later in his life, he was an ambassador to the Netherlands. An ambassador is a country's representative in another country.
When Harmanus Bleecker died in 1848, he left his money to his wife. He said that after she died, the money should be used to help the city of Albany. His wife lived for almost 40 more years! After she passed away, the people in charge of her money decided what to do. They thought the $130,000 (a lot of money back then!) should go to the Young Men's Association. Bleecker had supported this group.
Because of Bleecker's will, a building called Harmanus Bleecker Hall was built in 1889. It was a library and a theater.
About 30 years later, in 1919, the Young Men's Association decided they needed a building just for a library. They sold the old hall. They used that money to build the new library. Albert W. Fuller was the architect. He designed many important buildings in Albany. His new library building was very strong and had a special look. It is known for its solid shape and decorated entrance. Many people think it is one of the best examples of the Classical Revival style in Albany.
The association gave the new building to the city in 1924. This was the first building in Albany made just for a library. It was the start of Albany's public library system today. By 1977, the library had grown so much that it moved to a bigger place.
The city decided to sell the building in 1990. In 2001, a local company called Capital Partners bought it. They wanted to make the building useful again. They found that they needed to add more space to make it profitable. So, they removed a middle floor that was there before. This created a full third floor, adding more space for offices.
The building's systems were also updated. This included new insulation, plumbing, heating, and electrical systems. The restored building now has many businesses and groups as tenants. These include The Brighter Choice Foundation [1], the Lawsuit Reform Alliance of New York [2], and Relentless Awareness [3].
Images for kids
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East elevation and north profile, 2011
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The central pavilion
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Harmanus Bleecker
