Researching Urban Renewal (formerly 98 Acres in Albany)
@urbanrenewal.bsky.social
Expect maps, renderings, appraisal photos, and stories about people who lost homes and businesses to redevelopment. (Guest appearances by The Monster Cat.)
https://urbanrenewal.substack.com
https://98acresinalbany.wordpress.com
https://urbanrenewal.substack.com
https://98acresinalbany.wordpress.com
Pinned
We (the Researching Urban Renewal team) are considering putting together a 12-15 person conference and edited volume on this issue.
Who else on here is studying eminent domain, involuntary relocation, and its economic, legal, political, social, and health effects? Looking to engage with historians and other researchers (academic and non-) whose work focuses on lost places and displaced communities.
Do you study urban renewal, highway construction, drowned towns? Let's talk! Most of us focus on a particular place and/or a particular federal program. Collectively, we can tell a bigger story about the millions of Americans who were forced from their homes.
Reposted by Researching Urban Renewal (formerly 98 Acres in Albany)
The Empire State Plaza in Albany, New York, is a celebration of space-age Brutalism. Functional but lifeless after 5, what might it look like with a wee little makeover?
Let's dream!
For example, this aerial concept opens up the complex's underground city to the sky with street-level retail.
Let's dream!
For example, this aerial concept opens up the complex's underground city to the sky with street-level retail.
July 15, 2025 at 6:08 PM
The Empire State Plaza in Albany, New York, is a celebration of space-age Brutalism. Functional but lifeless after 5, what might it look like with a wee little makeover?
Let's dream!
For example, this aerial concept opens up the complex's underground city to the sky with street-level retail.
Let's dream!
For example, this aerial concept opens up the complex's underground city to the sky with street-level retail.
Reposted by Researching Urban Renewal (formerly 98 Acres in Albany)
Rochester PBS covered our testimony to the NYS Reparations Commission:
www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2...
www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2...
State commission visits Rochester to ask residents what they think reparations might look like
During public remarks, speakers talked about their ancestry and African roots, their family histories, and proposed ideas for what reparations would look like.
www.wxxinews.org
March 5, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Rochester PBS covered our testimony to the NYS Reparations Commission:
www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2...
www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2...
Reposted by Researching Urban Renewal (formerly 98 Acres in Albany)
Hi everyone! I'll be testifying before the NYS Reparations Commission on the history of urban renewal tomorrow around 5:00 PM. boxcast.tv/view/new-yor...
Come for me, stay for the great Rochester presenters! Agenda is here: www.ny.gov/sites/defaul...
Come for me, stay for the great Rochester presenters! Agenda is here: www.ny.gov/sites/defaul...
March 3, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Hi everyone! I'll be testifying before the NYS Reparations Commission on the history of urban renewal tomorrow around 5:00 PM. boxcast.tv/view/new-yor...
Come for me, stay for the great Rochester presenters! Agenda is here: www.ny.gov/sites/defaul...
Come for me, stay for the great Rochester presenters! Agenda is here: www.ny.gov/sites/defaul...
Tomorrow around 5:10pm, our David Hochfelder is scheduled to testify before the NYS Reparations Commission. Livestream here: boxcast.tv/view/new-yor...
New York State Community Commission on Reparations Remedies Public Hearing: Memorial Art Gallery at the University of Rochester, March 4th 2025
boxcast.tv
March 3, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Tomorrow around 5:10pm, our David Hochfelder is scheduled to testify before the NYS Reparations Commission. Livestream here: boxcast.tv/view/new-yor...
Reposted by Researching Urban Renewal (formerly 98 Acres in Albany)
The first time that I saw this, I thought of the exercise in crass capitalism in Clarksdale, Mississippi: the Shack Up Inn.
January 19, 2025 at 4:56 PM
The first time that I saw this, I thought of the exercise in crass capitalism in Clarksdale, Mississippi: the Shack Up Inn.
Reposted by Researching Urban Renewal (formerly 98 Acres in Albany)
Want a *free* book? We have lots of great #urbanhistory books available to review 👇
A new year brings a ripe new crop of wonderful looking books that are desperate to be reviewed for @urbanhistory.bsky.social. I've made a thread of what looks good. Get in touch if you want a free copy of these (in exchange for a review!). First up, Modernism's Magic Hat by Ijlal Muzaffar.
January 15, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Want a *free* book? We have lots of great #urbanhistory books available to review 👇
Reposted by Researching Urban Renewal (formerly 98 Acres in Albany)
My "Buffalonians Who Lost Property to the Kensington Expressway" blog post now has an alphabetical index of names & the option to download the original newspaper clippings as a single PDF. Scroll to the bottom.
buffaloresearch.com/buffalonians...
#Buffalo
#UrbanHistory
#urbanists
📜🗃️
buffaloresearch.com/buffalonians...
#Buffalo
#UrbanHistory
#urbanists
📜🗃️
Buffalonians Who Lost Their Homes and Businesses to the Kensington Expressway
Names and addresses of Buffalo property owners whose houses and other buildings were taken by eminent domain and demolished to build the Kensington Expressway.
buffaloresearch.com
January 17, 2025 at 1:45 AM
My "Buffalonians Who Lost Property to the Kensington Expressway" blog post now has an alphabetical index of names & the option to download the original newspaper clippings as a single PDF. Scroll to the bottom.
buffaloresearch.com/buffalonians...
#Buffalo
#UrbanHistory
#urbanists
📜🗃️
buffaloresearch.com/buffalonians...
#Buffalo
#UrbanHistory
#urbanists
📜🗃️
Reposted by Researching Urban Renewal (formerly 98 Acres in Albany)
Our latest is up! Chronicling an institution formed after the Civil War—which then collapsed nine years later, with continued ramifications today. Cookie Monster and crypto bros also make important cameos. skippedhistory.substack.com/p/the-rise-a...
The Rise and Fall of the Freedman’s Bank
And the seeds of economic distrust, with Professor Justene Hill Edwards
skippedhistory.substack.com
January 3, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Our latest is up! Chronicling an institution formed after the Civil War—which then collapsed nine years later, with continued ramifications today. Cookie Monster and crypto bros also make important cameos. skippedhistory.substack.com/p/the-rise-a...
From @timesunion, another story about the lasting impact of property seizures and displacement
The fraught history of Catskills water quenching New York City thirst
The uneasy relationship between upstate towns and NYC goes back more than a century and includes eminent domain, heavy engineering and hard compromise.
www.timesunion.com
December 22, 2024 at 8:29 PM
From @timesunion, another story about the lasting impact of property seizures and displacement
Petitions, protests, and a mea culpa from the NYS DoT records at the NYS Archives.
Urban Highways, Research, and Reparations
A year ago today, Gov.
urbanrenewal.substack.com
December 19, 2024 at 5:56 PM
Petitions, protests, and a mea culpa from the NYS DoT records at the NYS Archives.
On the anniversary of the creation of the NYS Reparations Commission -- we discuss what we did and didn't find in the NYS DoT records.
Urban Highways, Research, and Reparations
A year ago today, Gov.
urbanrenewal.substack.com
December 19, 2024 at 5:40 PM
On the anniversary of the creation of the NYS Reparations Commission -- we discuss what we did and didn't find in the NYS DoT records.
Reposted by Researching Urban Renewal (formerly 98 Acres in Albany)
Just saw the CTA santa train! Tho waiting to head in the opposite direction, I probably would have climbed on had it stopped.
not the right direction train for me tonight so i didn't get to ride it, but god this rocks so hard
December 17, 2024 at 11:52 PM
Just saw the CTA santa train! Tho waiting to head in the opposite direction, I probably would have climbed on had it stopped.
We esrimate 2.5 - 3 m Americans were displaced for urban renewal and urban highways,
1950 - 1980. How many more housing, dams, state office complexes?
1950 - 1980. How many more housing, dams, state office complexes?
Forcible Displacement (It's Not Just Urban Renewal)
We estimate that roughly 3 million Americans were displaced by federally-funded urban renewal and highway projects, 1950-1980. But because of the multiple laws and agencies involved, we haven’t (yet) ...
open.substack.com
December 17, 2024 at 7:25 PM
We esrimate 2.5 - 3 m Americans were displaced for urban renewal and urban highways,
1950 - 1980. How many more housing, dams, state office complexes?
1950 - 1980. How many more housing, dams, state office complexes?
Think Bailey has a chance?
December 16, 2024 at 12:07 AM
Think Bailey has a chance?
Lower Madison in Albany before the South Mall Arterial and 787 -- SRO hotels (Madison and Empress), restaurants (King's Cafe and Dongan St Lunch), bar (Sportsman's Club), 2 barbershops, shoe shine shop, a whole food distributor, a couple vacant storefronts. Bonus: ghost sign advertising paints.
December 15, 2024 at 3:46 PM
Lower Madison in Albany before the South Mall Arterial and 787 -- SRO hotels (Madison and Empress), restaurants (King's Cafe and Dongan St Lunch), bar (Sportsman's Club), 2 barbershops, shoe shine shop, a whole food distributor, a couple vacant storefronts. Bonus: ghost sign advertising paints.
Reposted by Researching Urban Renewal (formerly 98 Acres in Albany)
Sanborn detail of Shreveport, LA 1963: Two annotations, "ALL BLDG'S IN THIS BLOCK REMOVED", record the destruction of a neighborhood in progress. This area, now beneath the interchange of I-20 and I-49, once contained over a hundred dwellings (marked "D" on the maps). It now has almost zero.
November 26, 2024 at 8:40 PM
Sanborn detail of Shreveport, LA 1963: Two annotations, "ALL BLDG'S IN THIS BLOCK REMOVED", record the destruction of a neighborhood in progress. This area, now beneath the interchange of I-20 and I-49, once contained over a hundred dwellings (marked "D" on the maps). It now has almost zero.
Reposted by Researching Urban Renewal (formerly 98 Acres in Albany)
boston, massachusetts
june 1960
west end demolition
photograph by nick dewolf
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dboo/50747840593
© the Nick DeWolf Foundation
Image-use requests are welcome via nickdewolfphotoarchive [at] gmail [dot] com
#photography #film #blackandwhite #boston #westend #1960s
june 1960
west end demolition
photograph by nick dewolf
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dboo/50747840593
© the Nick DeWolf Foundation
Image-use requests are welcome via nickdewolfphotoarchive [at] gmail [dot] com
#photography #film #blackandwhite #boston #westend #1960s
August 7, 2023 at 2:15 PM
boston, massachusetts
june 1960
west end demolition
photograph by nick dewolf
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dboo/50747840593
© the Nick DeWolf Foundation
Image-use requests are welcome via nickdewolfphotoarchive [at] gmail [dot] com
#photography #film #blackandwhite #boston #westend #1960s
june 1960
west end demolition
photograph by nick dewolf
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dboo/50747840593
© the Nick DeWolf Foundation
Image-use requests are welcome via nickdewolfphotoarchive [at] gmail [dot] com
#photography #film #blackandwhite #boston #westend #1960s
Reposted by Researching Urban Renewal (formerly 98 Acres in Albany)
Boston, Massachusetts
June 1959
West End Demolition
Photograph by Nick DeWolf
© the Nick DeWolf Foundation Image-use requests are welcome via nickdewolfphotoarchive [at] gmail [dot] com
#Boston #Massachusetts #WestEnd #UrbanRenewal #demolition #buildings #1950s
June 1959
West End Demolition
Photograph by Nick DeWolf
© the Nick DeWolf Foundation Image-use requests are welcome via nickdewolfphotoarchive [at] gmail [dot] com
#Boston #Massachusetts #WestEnd #UrbanRenewal #demolition #buildings #1950s
December 4, 2023 at 2:24 PM
Boston, Massachusetts
June 1959
West End Demolition
Photograph by Nick DeWolf
© the Nick DeWolf Foundation Image-use requests are welcome via nickdewolfphotoarchive [at] gmail [dot] com
#Boston #Massachusetts #WestEnd #UrbanRenewal #demolition #buildings #1950s
June 1959
West End Demolition
Photograph by Nick DeWolf
© the Nick DeWolf Foundation Image-use requests are welcome via nickdewolfphotoarchive [at] gmail [dot] com
#Boston #Massachusetts #WestEnd #UrbanRenewal #demolition #buildings #1950s
Reposted by Researching Urban Renewal (formerly 98 Acres in Albany)
Thanks @anjulierao.bsky.social @dwell.bsky.social for letting me answer the question: Should you turn a mall into housing? www.dwell.com/article/you-...
You Turned a Mall Into Housing?
As strange as a recent viral project in Milwaukee may seem, there’s a historical precedent for this kind of adaptive reuse—but that doesn’t mean it’s always done right.
www.dwell.com
December 13, 2024 at 3:37 PM
Thanks @anjulierao.bsky.social @dwell.bsky.social for letting me answer the question: Should you turn a mall into housing? www.dwell.com/article/you-...
We found something unusual in Auburn @dphochfelder.bsky.social
Auburn's Unusual Relocation Records
Auburn’s Urban Renewal Agency files are fantastic—complete, organized, and well maintained.
urbanrenewal.substack.com
December 13, 2024 at 4:06 PM
We found something unusual in Auburn @dphochfelder.bsky.social
Looking for something else altogether, I found photos of Rudolph Paul's model, re-envisioning Robert Moses's Lower Manhattan Expressway. Curiousity about the model led me to this excerpt from Sam Lubell and Greg Goldin's *Never Built New York* www.gothamcenter.org/blog/paul-ru...
December 12, 2024 at 6:36 PM
Looking for something else altogether, I found photos of Rudolph Paul's model, re-envisioning Robert Moses's Lower Manhattan Expressway. Curiousity about the model led me to this excerpt from Sam Lubell and Greg Goldin's *Never Built New York* www.gothamcenter.org/blog/paul-ru...
Reposted by Researching Urban Renewal (formerly 98 Acres in Albany)
Tonight, dozens of activists have shown up to advocate for the city of Charlotte about steps to prevent mass displacements. Currently, 2 complexes are being shuttered following years of trying to get landlords to comply with basic housing codes.
December 10, 2024 at 12:17 AM
Tonight, dozens of activists have shown up to advocate for the city of Charlotte about steps to prevent mass displacements. Currently, 2 complexes are being shuttered following years of trying to get landlords to comply with basic housing codes.
Urban renewal led to the destruction of some of the nation's oldest buildings. But that doesn't mean renewal was necessarily antithetical preservationist goals. In many places, restoring historic structures was part of a plan to facilitate gentrification.
December 9, 2024 at 8:26 PM
Urban renewal led to the destruction of some of the nation's oldest buildings. But that doesn't mean renewal was necessarily antithetical preservationist goals. In many places, restoring historic structures was part of a plan to facilitate gentrification.
Reposted by Researching Urban Renewal (formerly 98 Acres in Albany)
Urban History Association 2025--Panel on US Urban Renewal and Gentrification
I'm looking to put together a panel in the connections between urban renewal/redevelopment and gentrification in the US. If you are interested in helping create, joining, or chairing/commenting, I'd love to hear from you.
I'm looking to put together a panel in the connections between urban renewal/redevelopment and gentrification in the US. If you are interested in helping create, joining, or chairing/commenting, I'd love to hear from you.
December 6, 2024 at 9:40 PM
Urban History Association 2025--Panel on US Urban Renewal and Gentrification
I'm looking to put together a panel in the connections between urban renewal/redevelopment and gentrification in the US. If you are interested in helping create, joining, or chairing/commenting, I'd love to hear from you.
I'm looking to put together a panel in the connections between urban renewal/redevelopment and gentrification in the US. If you are interested in helping create, joining, or chairing/commenting, I'd love to hear from you.