Join us for an exclusive, complimentary tour of the newly renovated, oldest building in Albany. 48 Hudson Avenue has had a variety of different uses and undergone many changes; growing wider, taller, and deeper with three major additions and alterations between 1790 and 1892, and two facelifts in the 20th century. Ironically, every time the building was significantly altered, the owner stripped the building back down to the Dutch “bones” and today, the story most clearly told is by the building itself in physical evidence that is its Dutch origin. Now, Albany’s oldest building is going to become the new headquarters for Historic Albany Foundation’s operations. he historic house will become a classroom space that will host HAF’s workshops, lectures, and other programs, as well as be open to the public to rent. It will also house HAF’s research library where anyone can come research Albany’s history using grantor, grantee indexes, city directories, and other published books on Albany history.

This tour is complimentary to attend, but space is limited.

About the tour:

This tour has been approved for 1 LU/HSW

This one-hour architectural tour of the Van Ostrande-Radliff House, the oldest surviving building in Albany, invites participants into a rare and tangible connection with the city’s early history. As one of the few remaining examples of early Dutch urban architecture in the Hudson Valley, the house offers not only a window into 18th-century life, but also a compelling case study in how historic buildings endure, evolve, and can be responsibly adapted for continued use.

Led by preservation professionals from the Historic Albany Foundation, the tour will explore the building’s original materials and construction methods alongside the layers of change that have accumulated over nearly three centuries. Participants will encounter the physical evidence that tell the story of both craftsmanship and survival, and that now inform careful decisions about stabilization, repair, and restoration.

At the same time, the course will examine the complex challenge of making a pre-code structure safe and accessible for the public today. Discussions will include strategies for addressing structural integrity, fire safety, and means of egress; integrating accessible routes and vertical circulation; and upgrading building systems, all while preserving the character and authenticity that give the building its meaning. The tour will highlight how design professionals thoughtfully balance regulatory requirements, occupant safety, and long-term performance with a deep respect for historic fabric.

By acknowledging contemporary considerations within the lived history of the building, this tour will underscore the architect’s role as both problem-solver and steward, ensuring that places of cultural significance remain not only preserved, but safe, inclusive, and alive for future generations.

Learning Objectives

1. Reflect on and share how encountering a building that has stood for nearly three centuries can evoke a sense of continuity, craftsmanship, and human connection across time.

2. Identify how historic construction methods and materials in the Van Ostrande-Radliff House influence structural behavior, fire resistance, and overall building performance.

3. Evaluate how the building’s evolution over time, including additions and alterations, affects current life safety conditions such as means of egress, hazard exposure, and occupancy considerations.

4. Explain how building codes, life safety requirements, and preservation standards are applied and balanced in the rehabilitation of a pre-code historic building.

5. Assess how preservation and adaptive reuse contribute to occupant health, safety, and welfare by extending the life of existing buildings, conserving resources, and maintaining meaningful connections to place.