Masonry Bidding Open for 48 Hudson

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The Historic Albany Foundation will receive sealed Bids for the Phase II - Structural Stabilization to be performed at The Van Ostrande-Radliff House at 48 Hudson Avenue, Albany NY. The project consists primarily of masonry restoration work.


Bids will be received until 2:00 P.M. on Friday, April 22, 2022 at John G. Waite Associates, Architects (384 Broadway, Albany, NY 12207, 518-449-5440) at which time the bids will be opened and read aloud.  Bids received after this time will not be accepted.  The Owner reserves the right to waive irregularities and to reject all Bids. No bidder may withdraw his bid within 45 days after the actual date of the opening thereof.

Electronic Contract Documents may be obtained after 12:00 P.M, April 4, 2022 from the Architect, in accordance with the Instructions to Bidders. Contact Matthew Scheidt at 518-449-5440 or mscheidt@jgwaarchitects.com

A site visit to review existing conditions and constraints will be held by appointment only at the project site; attendance is strongly recommended.


This project is in part funded by a grant from the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation through Title 9 of the Environmental Protection Act of 1993. Under Article 15A, Executive Law, the State of New York is committed to providing Minority and Women Owned Business (MWBE) equal opportunity to participate in government contracts. The State has established a goal for MWBE participation of 13% MBE and 17% WBE totaling 30% Minority and Women-Owned Businesses combined.  The lowest bidder must submit, either with their bid or within seven business days of notification of selection, a Grants MWBE Utilization Plan, Contractor’s Solicitation Log and documentation that NYS Certified Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs) were contacted during preparation of said bid.  Participants that do not submit the Grants MWBE Utilization Plan, Contractor’s Solicitation Log and evidence of their good faith efforts will be deemed non-responsive and their bid may be rejected.  Evidence of good faith efforts is contact by certified mail, follow-up with phone contact and a summary of all contact and results.  Prior to the award of a contract to the lowest bidder; review and acceptance of the bid summary and all MWBE documentation by State Parks is required.

Attention of Bidders is particularly called to all applicable State and local requirements. All bidders are subject to the terms of the NYS Master Contract for Grants -- Standard Terms and Conditions, which can be found online at http://grantsreform.ny.gov\.


By order of The Historic Albany Foundation.


A Brief History of Author William Kennedy

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William Kennedy is an award-winning author, born and raised in Albany, New York. Growing up Kennedy was raised Catholic in the North Albany neighborhood. He attended school in both the Albany Public School system and Christian Brothers Academy. Kennedy went on to graduate from Siena College in 1949. Shortly after his graduation from Siena, he was drafted into the U.S. Army where he wrote for the Army newspaper while in Europe. 

After returning to Albany in 1952, Kennedy worked for a number of years as an investigative reporter for the Times Union. While working for the Times Union Kennedy was involved in exposing the corrupt inner workings of Daniel P. O’Connell; a prominent figure in the democratic party at the time. He then went on to live in Puerto Rico where he wrote for the San Juan Star for several years. 

The Albany Cycle

Despite the fact that Kennedy had left Albany several times, once he returned his love for his hometown influenced eight of his novels, all set in the city. This collection of novels (known as The Albany Cycle) takes a deep dive into the world of the Albany Democratic Machine and the people involved in its success. One of these novels, Ironweed, won Kennedy the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1984. Kennedy has also won the Peggy V. Helerich Distinguished Author Award in 2001, and the Fitzgerald Award for Achievement in American Literature in 2007. 





Historic Albany Foundation Book Club, 2022

This year’s book club feature is Kennedy’s 2002 novel, Roscoe. Roscoe is the seventh installment in The Albany Cycle collection and is loosely based on the story of Daniel P. O’Connell’s political machine. The novel centers around Roscoe Conoway who has been second in command of said machine for almost 30 years. Set just after the end of WWII, the book follows Roscoe as he tries to leave politics forever while discovering just how wrapped up he truly is. Throughout the novel, Roscoe looks back at his life and the devastating events that have taken place due to his involvement in corrupt politics. 

Kennedy uses his wealth of knowledge about Albany politics to center this book around real events, such as the shooting of local gangster Jack “Legs” Diamond. As the novel is based heavily around facts; it allows for it to extend past the realm of a traditional fiction story. Roscoe becomes an interesting mashup between historical fiction and nonfiction, as some events are based around Kennedy’s own life experiences. This causes the references to prominent historical figures, along with the vibrant setting of Albany in the mid-1900s to create a dynamic world for Roscoe to navigate. Kennedy’s connection to the city is evident in this novel, making it a perfect read for locals interested in history and politics. 

 

This year’s book club is held virtually on zoom and is free to join. The discussions will be led by David Hochfelder, professor at the University of Albany. Author William Kennedy will join us in our final session (March 16th) along with Paul Grondahl of the Writers Institute.

If you’re interested in Albany politics, local history, or just an avid reader join us on Wednesday, March 9th, and 16th. For more information or to sign up check out the link below!

Roscoe Book Club

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Join us for our virtual Spring book club, 2022 & meet Pulitzer Prize-winning author, William Kennedy

About this event

This year we are thrilled to be reading Roscoe by local, Pulitzer Prize-winning author William Kennedy. David Hochfelder, University at Albany professor, will be guiding the first two sessions where we will explore the book and its relationship to the area. For the final session, we will be joined by the author William Kennedy and Paul Grondahl of the Writers Institue. All sessions will take place on zoom and are free and open to the public.

Wednesday March 2, 9, 16. 6-7pm

"Driven by a narrative electricity as alive as post-war America. Roscoe is Kennedy's finest novel since Ironweed." —The Boston Globe

"This is a novel that, as they say, has it all.... Kennedy is a writer with something to say, about matters that touch us all, and he does it with uncommon artistry." —Michael Thomas, The Washington Post

Donate your Tools to Help the Tool Library!

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We are currently accepting tool donations to help stock the Capital Region’s first Tool Library. If you would like to donate, please contact Kim Parker via email (kparker@historic-albany.org) or call 518-465-0876 X.110

Please note - the list below is not exhaustive. If you have any tool/item you'd like to donate, contact Kim with the details.

Are you a business or organization that would like to sponsor the Tool Library? Contact us to find out the levels.