Spite Houses & Tiny Houses

Equality House

Topeka, Kansas

Spite Houses are buildings that are constructed to annoy, irate or “spite” neighbors. Often, these buildings were constructed in such a way as to obstruct views or access to sunlight. On some occasions, Spite Houses were built alongside property lines to provoke neighbors. In some instances, Spite Houses are used to protest. One famous modern example of a spite house would be the Equality House in Topeka Kansas. This building was decorated with the rainbow pride flag to celebrate the LGBTQ + community. It happens to be across the street from the Westboro Baptist Church, an institution that promotes homophobia, amongst other prejudiced views.

The Miracle House

Freeport, NY

In other instances, spite houses are built to protest conforming to town or city ordinances. The Miracle House, a home in Freeport, NY, was constructed in 1902 over the course of one day. The developer of the property, John Randall, built the house on a triangular plot of land, forcing city planners to divert from their straight-line construction project. “Randall "maintains that a straight line would reduce his frontage of land so as to make it worthless," wrote The Brooklyn Daily Eagle on March 5, 1902.” (Chamoff - A Freeport House with a Quirky History.)

Tiny Houses

Occasionally, Spite Houses are built in extremely confined, small plots of land. The result is typically a bizarrely small or narrow home that was designed to either block access to a street, or to block the view of whoever was the target of the “spite.” The Skinny House in Boston, Massachusetts is a perfect example of such a home: According to local legend, one of two brothers that owned the land built a large house on the property; the other brother, who disagreed with the project, decided to build a 10-foot-wide by 30-foot-long house to block the view of the harbor and sunlight.

The Skinny House

Boston, MA

Nowadays, people are designing and building their own tiny houses to protest in another way. The tiny home is now a statement against materialism and consumerism. The tiny house movement was started by people who longed for a simpler way of living, that revolved around decluttering their lives and living within their means. Another reason why people are now opting to live in tiny houses is to reduce their carbon footprint. Yet another is for mobility; some people choose to build their tiny homes on wheels, so that it can be taken essentially anywhere. A typical tiny home that is constructed from scratch rarely surpasses 500 square feet, but there is no shared consensus as to when a “tiny house” becomes a “small house.” Whether they are tiny homes or little houses, there is a shared history between the little houses of a bygone era and the anti-materialistic tiny home movement of today. 

Historically, various peoples around the world utilized little houses for mobility and practicality. Mongolian Yurts constructed by the peoples of central Asia and the Eurasian Steppes are portable and dependable. They are circular structures made out of poles adorned with felt or animal hide, and can easily be taken down and rebuilt when the nomadic people move with migratory animals.

Georgetown Historic Shotgun House

Georgetown, TX

Within the United States, homes were generally smaller in size and corresponded with availability of resources and practicality. Shotgun houses in the American South, particularly in Louisiana, are an example of smaller homes that were built due to their practicality. Shotgun houses are generally up to 12 feet wide, with rooms extending directly behind the facade without a hallway in the home. These efficient, smaller homes were used in areas with a dense population that were inhabited by working class people. The architectural style of shotgun houses was introduced in New Orleans by the Afro-Haitian community in the 19th century.

In the city of Albany, NY, there are some fascinating historical homes that are either rather small, or unique in shape. These houses are located at 303c State Street, 27 Wilson Street, 172 ½ Washington Avenue, 77 Westerlo Street and 229 Elm Street.

27 Wilson Street

Albany, NY

303c State Street, according to the owner, Adam Ladopoulos, was formerly a carriage house. In an interview posted in an “All Over Albany” article entitled “Little House on State Street,” Ladopoulos didn’t have much more information regarding the history of the home. According to the realestate site Trulia, 303 State Street was built in 1856 - 303 and 303c State Street both appear to have been built around the same time. The building is located in the Central Avenue neighborhood in Albany. 

27 Wilson Street: Built in 1876, this unusually narrow house made out of brick is quite an interesting site to see. This house is located in the Ten Broeck Triangle in the Arbor Hill Neighborhood. The Ten Broeck Mansion is a Federalist period mansion that was built by Abraham Ten Broeck in 1797. According to the Albany City Directory from 1876, two Machinists, James and George Gledhill used to reside and or work at this location. 

172 ½ Washington Avenue: Built in 1900 according to realtor.com, this brown stone is another narrow building, in between 172 Washington Avenue and 170 Washington Avenue. Not much else is known about this location, unfortunately. It is located in the Central Avenue Neighborhood.

229 Elm Street: Built in 1900, this charming 855 square foot residence is located in the Center Square & Hudson Park Neighborhood. According to a Building-Structure Inventory Form from March, 1975, the building was formerly commercially zoned. It was described as a “detached, single story commercial building” that had considerably deteriorated.

77 Westerlo Street: This peculiar building was constructed in 1876 and can be found in the Pastures Historic District in Albany. The building is adorned with ornate brickwork. The city of Albany Historian Tony Opalka informed us that it was constructed on “a leftover piece of land that was wedged between the commercial building on S Pearl and the last building on Westerlo.”

If anyone has any information on these buildings, or know of any other small houses in Albany, please let us know!

By Andrea Lurie.

77 Westerlo Street

Albany, NY

303 c State Street

Albany, NY

172 1/2 Washington Avenue

Albany, NY

229 Elm Street

Albany, NY

Image sources: Equality House, Freeport NY Miracle House, The Skinny House, Georgetown Historic Shotgun House, 77 Westerlo Street, 303c State Street, 229 Elm Street.

Broadway & Central Avenue by Charlie Silverstein

For some, a drive down Broadway or Central Ave in Albany is just a part of their daily commute, or a detour on the way to dinner, but for me it is a reminder of the business ventures of my grandfather and his brothers. 

If you were driving down Broadway in 1932, you would see at the intersection of Hudson Ave a large advertisement for a Good Year service station.  This was Silverstein Bros Inc. Tires and Tubes at 396 Broadway.  My great-grandfather Isaac Silverstein, a tailor, helped three of his sons, my grandfather Henry, and his brothers George and Abe, get their business off the ground.  You can see George in the below photo standing in front of the building with a tire in the 1920’s. Sadly, today this location is a parking lot.  

“it would become popular as Silverstein's Toy Store throughout the 1950’s and 1960’s, a time in which Central Ave was a shopping destination…”

If you continued on your drive in 1932 to Central Ave, you would also see my grandfather Henry Silverstein's solo business venture at 83 Central Ave.  He opened a store at this location in 1928, and named it "Silverstein's'' with a tagline of "Everything for your car and radio".  He eventually transitioned to a focus on toys in the early 1940’s, and it would become popular as Silverstein's Toy Store throughout the 1950’s and 1960’s, a time in which Central Ave was a shopping destination.  You can see my father, Patrick "Pippy '' Silverstein, as a child in the below image taken in 1951, riding a tricycle inside the store.  After my grandfather's passing in 1961, the business was sold to Jacob Lochner and continued for several years as Silverstein's Toys. In 1970, after 42 years, Silverstein's became home to Albany's first Radio Shack.  Today it is a restaurant.  

“Preserving buildings is also preserving our family stories, and the reason why I call Albany home…”

I know there are many in Albany who have similar stories and memories connected to buildings.  This is one of the reasons why I'm a proud board member of the Historic Albany Foundation.  Preserving buildings is also preserving our family stories, and the reason why I call Albany home.

By Charlie Silverstein

89 Second Avenue by Matt Malette

Lower Second Avenue circa 1951.jpg: This is how lower Second Ave looked in the early 1950s. 89 is visible on the far right side of the image with the former Our Lady Help of Christians Church down the street.

I don’t make it to the South End very much anymore. Growing up in Central New York it was the spot in Albany I visited most. My grandparents lived and worked at 89 Second Avenue and were fixtures of the neighborhood for decades. Most families who live above their business operate something familiar like a bodega or a bakery, but not my family. They lived above their funeral home.

“Most families who live above their business operate something familiar like a bodega or a bakery, but not my family. They lived above their funeral home.”

Sue Dreis 89 Second Ave circa 1958.jpg: My aunt as a toddler sitting on the front stoop with the original wrought iron railing and basement trap-door visible behind her in 1958.

My grandfather, Louis T. Dreis, purchased the property with the plan to continue it as a funeral home. He and my grandmother, Marian, had no inclination of living *in* the funeral home like their predecessors so it was converted to a single family home. The downstairs back bedrooms were remodeled to an office and an embalming room. The kitchen became a smoking room. My grandparents, mom and aunt lived upstairs. They were quite proud of their home and kept it in great condition. It was nothing short of immaculate. The fireplaces and mouldings (along with the bedroom sizes) were all original. Tulips were planted every fall in the front flower bed and tomatoes in the tiny backyard. We can forgive them for the vinyl siding craze that swept the nation in the 1980s. The original wooden siding and cornice still sit hidden and preserved behind it.

“On many visits we had to tiptoe around upstairs because a wake would be in progress downstairs.”

Marian Dreis 89 Second Ave circa 1957.jpg: 89 Second Ave with my grandmother standing next to the Dreis Funeral Home sign after purchasing the home in 1957.

My memories of the place begin in the early 1980’s. It had a large green awning with the Dreis name on the sides. A double set of large wooden front doors with a transom greeted you at the top of the steps. My cousins and I would ride down the banister until we were yelled at. Father Dowling Mysteries and Wheel of Fortune were regular occurrences on their 600 pound wooden encased television. We spent all our holidays and many Sunday dinners there. On many visits we had to tiptoe around upstairs because a wake would be in progress downstairs. On the few days someone wasn’t being buried we would play games in the rooms hopping from chair to chair or hide and seek behind caskets. While there may not have been a service we were rarely “alone” (because dead people). Thinking about it now it was pretty morbid, but it’s further proof that kids can make a playground out of anything. 

In 1995, my grandparents sold the home to Sturgess Funeral Home and they moved their business in with McVeigh on North Allen St. My grandfather died four years later in 1999. My grandmother passed many years later in 2018. On her final drive we took the funeral procession down Second Ave one last time. 89 has long since been boarded up. The tulips are gone and plywood now covers the front doors. The green awning ripped and blowing in the breeze. It was a sad sight for those of us that knew it at its height and it’s probably best she didn’t see it in the state that it’s currently in.

“The tulips are gone and plywood now covers the front doors. The green awning ripped and blowing in the breeze.”

 A large part of me would love to go back inside one more time to see if anything remains besides just the memories. The South End hasn’t had a lot going for it lately. But the bones are good and with good bones anything is possible.

By Matt Malette

89 Second Ave circa 1993.jpg: The funeral home after the Blizzard of ‘93. There’s that green awning.

89 Second Ave 2020.jpg: It has certainly seen better days. The awning is now gone and the front bed is overgrown and collecting trash.

89 Second Ave Entryway 2020.jpg: The front doors are now boarded up but Dreis “D” on front steps, while weathered, still remains .

89 Second Ave Door and Exterior Trim 2020.

The Little Library that Could by Jim Gaughan

Altamont Train Station

Once upon a time, in 1896, the railroad company whose passenger trains passed right through Altamont, built a permanent depot right next to the tracks.  It was the newest and most up-to-date train depot on the entire Susquehanna division of the Delaware and Hudson railroads .  People bought tickets to ride the trains to Albany and New York City and beyond.  As the years went by, for many reasons, fewer and fewer people took the train from Altamont and on January 24th, 1963, the last passenger train passed through the Village.  The station was closed.   

Over the last century, the Altamont Free Library, with its roots firmly planted in the earliest days of our Village,  has been a journey of passion, patience, hardship and deep commitment to literacy as vital to the core of our community.   From Altamont's very beginnings, there has been a steadfast, unwavering dedication to creating, maintaining and ultimately establishing a permanent home for a library.

“From Altamont's very beginnings, there has been a steadfast, unwavering dedication to creating, maintaining and ultimately establishing a permanent home for a library.”

 As the Village passed  its first 100 years, one of the greatest achievements of this small community, was  that they found that home – the historic, focal point of the community – the Altamont Train Station.    But how was this achieved? Who were the people who devoted so much of their lives to such an enterprise? Where did the necessary support derive? It is said that it takes a village, but what exactly did  that mean? 

Since 1972, the Library had been housed in the handicapped inaccessible basement of the Key Bank building.   In 2005, the Library Board decided it was imperative to find a fully accessible facility so all community residents could be served.  That year, the library acquired the historic Altamont Train Station as its future home.    Because the building was a designated historic site, and because of its deteriorated condition, what had hoped to be a two-year renovation effort became a eight-year, $1.2 million project.  

An incredible amount of work and planning was required, a design was needed that preserved the historic features, while accommodating the needs of a library.   Much needed interior french doors were purchased from the Historic Albany Foundation Warehouse along the way . The new library includes a children's area , a meeting/conference room for a variety of programs and group meetings, as well as many energy conservation measures such as a solar panel hot water system for the restroom and kitchenette.

In 2013, the Library received the 2013 Preservation Merit Award for Restoration & Adaptive Use from the Historic Albany Foundation.   I remember the pride of the residents in that such a prestigious organization which devotes its work to the restoration and preservation of the area’s  early housing stock, would single out Altamont's train station's restoration.  In 2014, the tremendous work of so many was again recognized when the converted Altamont Train Station received the prestigious Excellence in Historic Preservation Award from the NYS Preservation League. 

The generosity of over 500 individual donors, plus hundreds of pennies from schoolchildren; Village, Town and State appropriations through the Public Library Construction Grant Program; member items from the State Assembly and the Senate, grants from the NY Environmental Protection Fund and State Arts Council; significant corporate donations and foundation grants. 

“What a testament to the Village of Altamont, and to all who understand the inherent value in supporting a community library “

Perhaps the greatest gift of all were the volunteers. Hundreds of residents and friends stepped up – craftsmen, trustees, local elected officials, family members, children, business owners, a campaign council, library staff, the elderly, and teenagers. It was a labor of love, an incredible example of individuals coming together to solve a community problem. What a testament to the Village of Altamont, and to all who understand the inherent value in supporting a community library and the restoration of its historical housing stock. 

Thank you Historic Albany Foundation for your recognition too.  What a great exclamation point on an outstanding community effort ! 

Jim Gaughan

H.A.F. Board member

Former Mayor of Altamont, 2005-17

Selected Text excerpted from article, "The Little Library That Could," Kristin Casey, May 31, 2012, Altamont Enterprise. Photo credit Ronald Ginsburg