Old Post Office (Federal Building, SUNY Plaza)

Albany's role as the state capital and its growth as an industrial and trade city led U.S. Congress on March 21, 1872, to allocate funds to Albany to build this federal government building. The city took several years (and went well over budget) to find the right location and start construction. The first government offices moved into the now-historic building in 1883, and the post office moved in the following year, in 1884. 

Albany officially became the capital of New York in 1797, and the city grew steadily throughout the nineteenth century. Due to its location along the Hudson River and Erie Canal (circa 1825), Albany evolved into a significant transportation center and trade hub. The success led to the arrival of the railways by the mid- and late-nineteenth century. The city's importance within the spectrum of business and government inspired Congress to conclude that a federal government building would be necessary for Albany. 

Congress passed an act to provide the funds on March 21, 1872, granting $350,000 for the government building project, leaving the location and details to Albany. However, the process of finding the building reminded one of Goldilocks trying to find the right bed. The city's first choice (Exchange Building) cost $100,000 and, despite government approval, proved too small. The city's second choice (Mechanics and Farmers Bank property) cost another $150,000. Before construction began, Albany requested an additional $5,000, raising the total cost to $627,148. In 2020 dollars, that amount would total $16 million, but proper estimates note the total cost would likely exceed $21 million. 

The city laid the cornerstone on May 17, 1879, and occupants moved into the structure by December 1883. The Post Office moved the next month, followed by several other government operations. The budget issues forced designers to go forth with a Renaissance Revival design instead of the initial, costlier Gothic plan. Initially, the building included a courtyard in its center with a skylight; the offices surrounded the center on the outer edge. The post office and other government buildings occupied the building until 1972. 

In 1977, the State University of New York in Albany acquired the building and subsequently renovated it for $15 million. The Federal Building (Old Post Office) now exists as part of SUNY Plaza. Albany's place within the government has never changed. However, the building's attachment to SUNY speaks to Albany's transition from a city known for its transportation and trade to one that's generally tied to research and technology. However, the building's legacy reminds one of an era when Albany's significance within the nation allowed the city to spend vast dollars on a federal government building and post office.

Bender, Matthew and Diana S. Waite. Albany Architecture: A Guide to the City. Albany: Mount Ida Press, 1993.

Truax, Martha and Chester Liebs. "Nomination Form: Old Post Office." National Register of Historic Places. archives.gov. January 20, 1972. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75316303

State University of New York. "What is SUNY? State University Plaza." The University at Albany. suny.edu. Access November 11, 2020. https://www.suny.edu/about/state-university-plaza/