 A cover story in the Sunday Times Union on March 24 marked the 1 year anniversary of the suspicious fire that destroyed the former Doane Stuart School. It provided a recap of efforts to explore possibilities for reuse of the open space and remaining historic structures. As Doane Stuart graduate and Preserve Kenwood founder Bill Brandow noted at the end of the article, "I really think this is the year. If it doesn't happen now this opportunity will be gone forever."   
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 The Albany Business Review's cover story for its June 16-22, 2023 edition outlined plans for redevelopment of historic former Doane Stuart campus. It featured a Perspective piece based on an interview with Bill Brandow, titled. "His View: Plan Now So Kenwood Doesn't Miss Next Chance."   Advocates look to save what remains at Kenwood Academy site
Melissa Manno April 10, 2023 | Times Union ALBANY — In the aftermath of the Kenwood Academy fire, which ravaged the historic site and reduced its main former convent building to rubble, a group of advocates have organized to preserve what’s left of the campus. A group dubbed Preserve Kenwood has launched a Facebook page, website and a Change.org petition to garner support for the preservation of the historic site and its remaining structures that survived last month's devastating blaze. “While the main 19th-century building is lost, what remains is a treasure of national significance,” Bill Brandow, a 1991 graduate of Doane Stuart School, said in a press release. Doane Stuart long-occupied the campus. “We have a brief opportunity to ensure that the site and its historic buildings are preserved for the benefit of all of Albany’s residents.” The group hopes to safeguard remaining buildings and transform the 50 acres of green space into a publicly accessible natural area, habitat for wildlife and restorative resource for residents of the South End. Among their primary focuses are the gatehouse and gardener’s cottage designed by Alexander Jackson Davis, a leading American architect during the mid-1800s. The gatehouse structure is visible to the public as it's right off South Pearl Street, guarding what was once the lower entrance to the property. Situated between the old orchard and the terraced lawns further into the property is the gardener's cottage, which Brandow described as having strong gothic revival detailing intended to be a visually pleasing part of the detailed landscape. Brandow said the estate’s designed landscape was one of the most widely publicized and influential American landscapes of its time and, along with the two remaining buildings, “should be preserved and restored as an amenity that enhances Albany.” He added that both buildings are in relatively good condition despite their abandonment. The sprawling historic site has sat vacant since 2009 when Doane Stuart’s attempt to purchase the campus failed. Two days before it burned down in the massive fire, the former Kenwood Academy was sold at auction for $100,000. Last week, attorneys for the investment group that purchased the 74-acre property asked a federal bankruptcy judge for an emergency status conference on a $2 million insurance policy that was set to expire on March 28. The policy was taken out the same day the previous owner declared bankruptcy in 2022. City officials believe the flames were set by a person, but have said they do not know whether the fire was accidental or intentional. Much of the physical evidence that might have helped with the investigation was destroyed in the fire and the demolition efforts. The demolition and associated engineering costs are expected to reach about $300,000, which will be added to the existing $5.5 million tax lien on the property. While currently owned by the private company, advocates say the parcel's adjacency to the Albany County Rail Trail makes it an ideal open space location for community members and visitors to enjoy. With millions owed on back taxes, Brandow said the dream would be for the county to take back the land, map the site, create a historic landscape report and pass it over to a nonprofit entity for sustainable redevelopment. He said he’s optimistic following initial conversations with county legislators and hopes the petition, which has garnered more than 250 signatures in 24 hours, signals broad community support for the foreclosure. “The main building, which was the heart of the campus, is irrevocably gone, but the green and leafy soul survived the fire,” said Brandow. “We, the people who loved the whole site, are committed to ensuring that the still-living soul of the campus remains to nourish and inspire future generations.” 
Graduates, Advocates Spring Into Action to Preserve Historic Kenwood Campus
ALBANY, NY – April 8, 2023 – In the aftermath of a devastating fire, a group is mobilizing to protect the designed landscape and remaining buildings at the former Doane Stuart campus in Albany. Preserve Kenwood is organizing to support the preservation of the historic core of the Kenwood estate – some 50 acres – and its associated historic structures, while working to realize the highest and best use for three large developable parcels on the north, west, and southeast edges of the property – some 25 acres. “While the main 19th century building is lost, what remains is a treasure of national significance,” said Bill Brandow, a 1991 graduate of Doane Stuart. “We have a brief opportunity to ensure that the site and its historic buildings are preserved for the benefit of all of Albany’s residents.” Members of Preserve Kenwood believe that as the works of architect Alexander Jackson Davis, the gatehouse and gardener’s cottage on the grounds are of great architectural and historic significance. “The remarkably intact historic 1840s Kenwood landscape, along with the two remaining A. J. Davis-designed buildings, should be preserved and restored as an amenity that enhances Albany,” said Brandow. “People crave open space opportunities near urban centers. The adjacency of this site to the Albany County Rail Trail along the falls of the Normanskill make this parcel even more valuable as open space.” The Tudor Gothic villa called Kenwood was built for industrialist and former Albany Mayor Jared Rathbone in the early 1840s. The Society of the Sacred Heart purchased the estate in 1859 and built a new Gothic Revival-style building, incorporating some pieces of the earlier mansion, to house the Female Academy of the Sacred Heart. The private Roman Catholic school later became known as Kenwood Academy. The Doane Stuart School was created in 1975 when Kenwood Academy merged with the Episcopal St. Agnes School (founded in 1870). The school shared the campus with the Convent of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart until 2009. The buildings have been vacant since. Alexander Jackson Davis was the leading designer of residential architecture in America during the mid-1800s. Images of the Rathbone mansion were widely published and influenced the trajectory of American architecture. But because of Davis’ peer and sometime-collaborator, A. J. Downing, the designed landscape at Kenwood was among the most widely publicized and influential American landscapes in the fifteen years leading up to the creation of Central Park in New York City. The group has launched a Facebook page, a website, and a Change.org petition to garner support for their efforts, which will include identifying institutional and governmental partners; mapping the site; and exploring the creation of a historic landscape report and redevelopment master plan. “The main building, which was the heart of the campus, is irrevocably gone, but the green and leafy soul survived the fire,” said Brandow. “We, the people who loved the whole site, are committed to ensuring that the still-living soul of the campus remains to nourish and inspire future generations. We look forward to the day that we can ‘flip the script’ from an effort to ‘Preserve Kenwood’ and celebrate the creation of a ‘Kenwood Preserve.’” For more information, visit www.preservekenwood.com . |
AuthorPreserve Kenwood was launched to protect the designed landscape and remaining buildings at the former Doane Stuart campus in Albany. ArchivesCategories |
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