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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20230067 31 Woodlawn Exterior Modifications SSPFBoard of Directors Michele M. Funiciello President Sheila Sperling Vice President Linda L. Harvey Secretary Stephen Kyne Treasurer Tiffany Blair Steven Dodds Giovanna D’Orazio Julia Dunn Adam N. Favro John Haller Vincent LaTerra Patty Morrison Samantha Nass Dorothy Rogers-Bullis Jason Thomas Maddy Zanetti James Kettlewell emeritus Staff Samantha Bosshart Executive Director Nicole Babie Membership & Programs Director Patricia Herrick Bookkeeper March 14, 2023 Ms. Tamie Ehinger, Chair Design Review Board City Hall 474 Broadway Saratoga Springs, New York 12866 RE: 31 Woodlawn Avenue – Exterior Alterations Dear Tamie, The Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation reviewed the application for exterior alterations at 31 Woodlawn Avenue. In 1926 the Industrial Committee of the Saratoga Springs Chamber of Commerce, headed by Walter M. Stroup, succeeded in drawing interest from Glens Falls-based manufacturer Kurzrok and Helitzer to open a factory in Saratoga Springs that would produce ladies silk dresses. The Chamber’s Industrial Committee Incorporated themselves as Saratoga Springs Industries, Inc. to purchased land from the City of Saratoga Springs for $2,000. The company hoped to employ approximately 200 people with a majority being women. The two-story brick and streel structure opened as a garment manufacturer in 1927. Due to the depression the factory was closed. In 1932 it served as the office for the Red Cross and the Works Progress Administration. In 1940, Saratoga County acquired the building. See enclosed history for additional information. In 2021, Adirondack Trust Company acquired the building. The two-story with full basement building constructed of brick and steel is located in an Architectural Review District. The Foundation applauds the Adirondack Trust Company for making significant investment into this significant historic building to have it serve as the home of its insurance affiliate Amsure. The Foundation is pleased that the masonry will be repointed and cleaned, window openings will be restored, the historic metal canopies will remain, and more appropriate railings will be installed. Unfortunately, at some point the original multi- paned steel windows were replaced with inappropriate single-pane aluminum windows (see enclosed historic photographs). The Foundation understands that restoring the steel casement windows is not practical for the current use of the building and is cost prohibitive. Therefore, it does not object to the proposed windows that partially mimic the historic grid pattern. Thank you in advance for your thoughtful consideration. Sincerely, Michele Funiciello Samantha Bosshart President Executive Director Cc. Charles Wait, Adirondack Trust Company Dean A. Kolligian, Adirondack Trust Company Brennan Drake, Phinney Design Group Amanda Tucker, Senior Planner, Office of Planning & Economic Development 112 Spring Street, Suite 203 Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 (518) 587-5030 www.saratogapreservation.org History of the 31 Woodlawn County Office Building While Saratoga Springs had flourished during the Victorian Era as a well-known health resort due to the abundance of mineral springs, and summer vacation mecca, by the 19-teens and 20s, its popularity was starting to wane. Many people in the business community, including the Saratoga Springs Chamber of Commerce, were anxious to entice industries to come to the city to provide year-round employment to its citizens, rather than only seasonal work. One of the problems that occurred in trying to recruit these businesses was finding available space for factories to operate. In 1926 the Industrial Committee of the Saratoga Springs Chamber of Commerce, headed by Walter M. Stroup, succeeded in drawing interest from Glens Falls-based manufacturer Kurzrok and Helitzer to open a factory in Saratoga Springs that would produce fine ladies’ dresses. In order to secure the appropriate real estate for this venture, the Chamber’s Industrial Committee Incorporated themselves as Saratoga Springs Industries, Inc. and purchased a piece of land from the city for $2,000.00 This lot was located between Woodlawn Avenue and Railroad Place, and was the site of the hack stand for the railroad depot. Construction began in the summer of 1926 and, while supposed to be completed by November 1st, was actually ready to begin operations in January of 1927. The building was paid for by the combination of a mortgage of $25,000 and the sale of $37,500 in stock, which was sold at $50 per share. It was built of brick and steel construction, 50’ by 102’, two stories high plus a full basement, where the cafeteria and dining room was located to feed the workers. The firm hoped to employ approximately 200 people, the majority of which would be women, in making silk dresses. On Saturday January 8th, 1927 a formal open house was held which drew more than 1,000 people, according to The Saratogian, who came to view the modern factory. Several speeches were made by members of the Industrial Committee, the factory’s general manager Marcus Helitzer, and even a telegram from New York Governor Al Smith was read. Saratoga Springs Mayor Clarence H. Knapp heralded the opening of the building to be the “most significant and important event in the industrial history of Saratoga Springs.” (The Saratogian January 10, 1927) It was also announced that the factory would begin operations the following day. The factory in the Helitzer Building, as it was known at the time, got off to a quick start, employing eighty people by the end of January. Over the next few years the work was relatively steady, barring a few short shutdowns due to lack of orders or summer holidays. The firm reorganized in 1928 into the Isadore Helitzer and Brothers, Inc. of New York City, largely including mostly the same directors as before. They pressed on, hiring more and more employees to fulfill orders. How could they have known that within three years of the grand opening of this “modern and model” factory, the country would experience the Crash of 1929 and spiral into The Great Depression? In 1930, the factory was forced to shut down for three months, but managed to reopen for a while in the fall to fulfill orders coming in for the holidays. John Kohlen, plant manager tried to sound optimistic when speaking to The Saratogian on October 23, 1930: “With the prospects for bigger and better business in the coming season, heightened by the approaching holidays, I believe the Saratoga plant will continue to operate for some time to come with a full force.” (Times Union, October 23, 1930) This optimism, however, was short lived. In less than two years the Isadore Helitzer and Brothers, Inc. firm would completely shut down the Saratoga plant. Luckily, the lives of buildings often evolve into new chapters. In need of space to coordinate the many public relief programs running throughout the city during the Great Depression, the former factory building became the headquarters for the Red Cross and other Works Progress Administration (WPA) projects in 1932. Making use of idle equipment, local women were employed in sewing garments made from material donated to the Red Cross and handed out to those in need. The women were rotated in and out on schedules in order to give more people the chance to earn much needed money. The wages were paid by the state’s Temporary Emergency Relief Administration while the city paid for the rent, heat and lights. The building also served as a storehouse for flour which was given out by the Red Cross to those in need. In 1936, Saratoga County and the City of Saratoga Springs consolidated their public relief efforts and shared the building jointly as the WPA headquarters of the region, including covering the rent and maintenance costs. At the same time, the county was looking to consolidate rental space for several different county departments which were scattered around Saratoga Springs, including the County Treasurer, Superintendent of Highways, Board of Child Welfare and Children’s Court. The county looked at renting other spaces in the city, including the second floor of the YMCA Building and the Masonic Hall on Broadway but both would need costly renovations to make them into adequate office space. Instead, the county set its sights on acquiring the Woodlawn building, which was a relatively new building (only ten years old) and offered ample square footage and parking. It became irresistible when the owners offered the building for sale at a price of $27,000, noting that only a decade ago it cost them $78,000 to build. With a moderate cost to renovate, a mere $14,000, it was all but a done deal. When the purchase of the Woodlawn Building came up to a vote in the spring of 1940, many groups in Ballston Spa attempted to block the sale. The Rotary Club, Mr. and Mrs. Club, Odd Fellows, Jr. Chamber of Commerce and the Better Business Bureau all spoke out against the move, fearing this would be a slippery slope into losing the county seat to Saratoga Springs, which had been gained by the village in a hard fought battle back in the early 1800s. However, the need for the space was too great, the price too good to refuse, so the resolution to purchase the building passed unanimously by the Board of Supervisors (Saratoga County Board of Supervisors Proceedings May 1940). Though many county departments were housed there in the 1940s, they slowly began migrating out of the building into larger or more suitable office space throughout the next several decades. More facilities were built in Ballston Spa and the Town of Milton and eventually, the only department housed in the Woodlawn building became Public Health. In August of 2020, Saratoga County completed the construction of a new 64,000 square foot Public Safety Building which provided a new home to many departments critical to the safety and well- being of Saratoga County citizens, including Public Health. After housing Saratoga County Departments for 80 years, the Woodlawn Building is now vacant and ready for the next chapter. Lauren K. Roberts Saratoga County Historian 31 Woodlawn Avenue, east elevation. Photos provided by County Supervisor Matthew Veitch. 31 Woodlawn Avenue, located behind the diner, north elevation . Photos provided by County Supervisor Matthew Veitch. 31 Woodlawn Avenue, located behind the diner, north elevation. Photos provided by County Supervisor Matthew Veitch. 31 Woodlawn Avenue, located behind Colonial Esso Service, north elevation. Photos provided by County Supervisor Matthew Veitch. 31 Woodlawn Avenue, aerial view showing the south and west elevations. Photos provided by County Supervisor Matthew Veitch.