ALBANY – In the wake of the Kenwood Academy fire, which devastated the historic building and reduced the construction of its former main convent to rubble, an activist organization set out to keep remodeling the campus.
An organization called Preserve Kenwood has introduced a Facebook page, an online page and a Change. org petition to raise funds for the preservation of the historic site and its remaining structures that survived last month’s devastating fire.
“While the major nineteenth-century building was lost, what is being rebuilt is a treasure of national significance,” Bill Brandow, a 1991 graduate of the Doane Stuart School, said in a news release. Doane Stuart has long occupied the campus, and have a brief opportunity to ensure that the and its historic buildings are preserved for the benefit of all Albany residents. “
The organization hopes to save the remodeled buildings and 50 acres of green space in a publicly available herbarium area, a habitat for wildlife and a restorative resource for South End residents. Among its main objectives are the caretaker’s area and the gardener’s area designed by Alexander Jackson. Davis, a prominent American architect of the mid-nineteenth century. The design of the gate area is visual to the public, as it sits just off South Pearl Street, protecting what was once the diminishing front of assets. Located between the old orchard and terraced gardens. More on the assets is the gardener’s area, which Brandow described as having strong neo-Gothic main points meant to be a visually pleasing component of the detailed landscape.
Brandow said the landscape designed through the estate is one of the most publicized and influential American landscapes of its time and, along with the remaining two buildings, “should be preserved and restored as a service that complements Albany. “
He added that any of the buildings are in good condition despite their abandonment. The sprawling historic site has been vacant since 2009, when Doane Stuart’s attempt to buy the campus failed.
Two days before it burned in the great fire, the former Kenwood Academy was sold at auction for $100,000. Last week, lawyers for the investment organization that bought the 74-acre assets asked a federal bankrupt to rule on a state of emergency convention. of a $2 million insurance policy that expires March 28. The policy purchased on the same day as the previous owner filed for bankruptcy in 2022.
City officials said the flames started through a person, but said they don’t know if the chimney was accidental or intentional. Much of the physical evidence that may have aided in the investigation was destroyed in the chimney and demolition efforts. Associated engineering and demolition costs are expected to achieve approximately $300,000, which will be in addition to the existing $5. 5 million tax lien on the property.
Although lately privately owned, advocates say the parcel’s proximity to the Albany County Rail Trail makes it an ideal open area for network members and visitors alike. With millions owed from back taxes, Brandow said the dream would be for the county to reclaim the land, map the site, create a historical landscape report and pass it on to a nonprofit for sustainable redevelopment. He said he was confident after initial conversations with county lawmakers and hopes the petition, which garnered more than 250 signatures in 24 hours, signals a wide net for the lockdown.
“The main building, which was the center of the campus, irrevocably disappeared, but the green, leafy soul survived the fire,” Brandow said. “We, the other people who enjoy the entire site, are committed to making sure the living soul of the campus is renewed to nurture and motivate generations for the long term. “