In 2013, the Historic Albany Foundation acquired 48 Hudson, the oldest building in Albany, and one of two Dutch buildings left in the city. After a decade of planning, fundraising, and now hands on restoring, this momentous restoration project is nearing completion in the spring of 2026.

Very soon, HAF will begin moving our administrative offices into the building and and be able to host our popular programing in our own space.

Historic Albany Foundation has been exceptionally fortunate to have raised $3.8M in public and private monies for the restoration of the Van Ostrande-Radliff House.

A mix of federal, state, and local grant and loans, as well as the New York State and Federal Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits, have taken us this far. These funds stay local as our contractors are all local to the Capital Region. Additionally, building materials are sourced locally, with most being forged, cast, or harvested within a few hundred miles of the building itself. However, as we near the end of the project, material costs have risen steeply, creating a $700,000 gap that cannot be filled with grant funds.

HAF needs your help to fill this gap to cross our fundraising finish line.

Now is the time that a contribution in any amount would have the most impact.

For more information about the project or photos, please visit our 48 Hudson page here.

Want to see the building yourself in person?

The House is open for First Fridays or email Cara at cmacri@historic-albany.org for a private tour.

A Bit of History

Built in 1728, the Van Ostrande-Radliff House is one of a handful of Dutch urban buildings to survive in America and is documented to be the oldest building in Albany. This building is an important piece of America’s Dutch history and a rare and tangible link to one of the country’s earliest urban settlements. It demonstrates the type of early Dutch framing and construction that was prevalent in and around Albany, from the mid-seventeenth century until around the close of the French and Indian War in 1763. While some Dutch buildings from this period have been photographically documented, only two Dutch buildings remain in Albany: the Van Ostrande-Radliff House and Quackenbush House, now the Olde English Pub.

The house has had relatively few owners over its nearly 300 years. The first owner was Johannes Van Ostrande, an alderman. Members of the Ostrander Family are still in the Capital Region today and have a family association whose membership spans the United States and Canada. Click here to learn more about the Ostrander Family. The next owner was Johannes Radliff, who made the first major change to the building. Radliff widened the building to have a carriage pass through between 48 and 46 Hudson Avenue. He also also flattened the pitch of the roof and raised it up a few feet to have a full second strory. Circa 1832, Jared Holt, owner of Jared Holt Wax Factory which produced stitching wax, purchased the building. He lived in the house and then constructed the three story brick addition for his business. He operated a leather goods and findings business at 48 Hudson. Holt was the last to live in the house at 48 Hudson Avenue. George T. Stoneman ran a dry goods business in the latter 19th century and added the final addition, a single story off the rear of the building. In the early 20th century, the building had several tenants including Kibbe’s Candy and Long Trucking. In 1935, the building was purchased by the Saul’s who operated Saul’s Restaurant Supply there until the late 1990s. For a more complete history and more about each owner, visit our history and architecture page.

The house was originally identified as a Dutch building in the 1980s after the demolition of a number of buildings in the neighborhood leaving and it’s front gabled roof was exposed. The gable had been hidden from view since the 1930s, making the building appear to be a run-of-the-mill 19th century commercial building. Historic Albany’s podcast series, Listen Albany, explores the intriguing and colorful tale of how 48 Hudson was identified in the episode, Finding 48. This can be enjoyed on our website or wherever podcasts are listened to.

48 Hudson: Mind the Gap

Help us finish the restoration of the Van Ostrande-Radliff House!