295 Hudson Avenue by Pam Howard

I fell in love with this entire neighborhood when I worked at the Albany Institute of History & Art.  My many lunch time walks around these streets and Washington Park made me want to live in a quaint historic row house.   On December 31, 1998, my first husband and I closed on 295 Hudson Avenue, and we moved into the home on January 1, 1999.  I was thrilled to own my first home, which was a wonderful brick row house originally built in 1857 by a gentleman named John Kennedy.  

“I created a beautiful secluded and private perennial garden and dining space in the tiny back yard.  However, we loved nothing more than sitting on the front stoop to relax with a glass of wine and catch up with our neighbors.”

I loved updating, painting and working on the home to make it our own.  The seemingly contemporary openness, with touches of its historic past with glimpses of tin ceiling tiles, radiators and high ceilings were charming.  I created a beautiful secluded and private perennial garden and dining space in the tiny back yard.  However, we loved nothing more than sitting on the front stoop to relax with a glass of wine and catch up with our neighbors.

I had learned from the previous owner when I purchased the home that he had bought it in 1979 for $1 as a vacant shell, and lovingly brought it back to life with the help of the Historic Albany Foundation’s Revolving Loan Fund.  At the time that didn’t mean that much to me, but now as I serve as the Executive Director of HAF, and I have researched our history, it brings my knowledge of the house full circle.  The home was left vacant after Hudson Avenue was slated to be demolished for an exit ramp from the newly-built Empire State Plaza.  Some of the early founder of HAF, along with the neighborhood associations were able to get that initiative stopped, and thus was the beginnings of the formation of Historic Albany Foundation.

I lived at 295 Hudson Avenue until about 6 years ago when life took me in a different direction personally.  I remember the day I closed on that sale.  I parked across the street to say my goodbyes.  I have a lot of memories of that wonderful townhouse.  Some of the best and some of the worst times in life.  The house saw a lot of great parties and celebrations, as well as a few great losses.  It was and is a great house, and I hope the new owners are enjoying it as much as I did, as we are all a small part of its varied 163 year history.