Kenmore Hotel
Encyclopedia
The Kenmore Hotel is a historic building at 74 North Pearl Street (NY 32
) in the city of Albany
, New York
. It was built in 1878 by an African-American, Adam Blake (born April 6, 1830- died September 7, 1881), and owned by him until his death, at which time it was taken over by his widow Catherine, who continued until 1887.
Adam Blake was named for his father, a slave of General Stephen Van Rensselaer III
at the Manor House. Adam Blake, Jr., was considered a "worthy and respected citizen, and first-class caterer for the public" and as the "richest and best-known business man of his race" in Albany County
. Blake had owned the hotel Congress Hall on the corner of Washington Avenue and Park Street until it was demolished by the state of New York to make way for the new New York State Capitol
building in 1878. Blake then had the Kenmore built on the corner of North Pearl Street and Columbia Street.
In the 1940s the Rain-Bo Room was a famous nightclub in the hotel, and was named for the Rainbow Room
in the GE Building
of Rockefeller Center
in the city of New York
. Gangster Jack “Legs” Diamond frequented the hotel, and had partied at the Rain-Bo the night of his death after having been acquitted
of theft
in the nearby city of Troy
. The Kenmore Hotel features prominently in many of William Kennedy
's books, including his novel Legs about the life of Jack Diamond.
The building was renovated in 1986 into an office building by Walter Uccellini Enterprises (now Historic Redevelopment Associates). After the renovation there was a total of 87475 square feet (8,126.7 m²) of rentable space. The major tenant, from 1986 until 1999, was the Healthcare Association of New York State, which occupied 62000 square feet (5,760 m²) on four of the six floors of the building. The first major event held in the building after renovation was the 13th annual conference of the Preservation League of New York State, on April 18, 1986. In May 2008 a new nightclub was proposed for the Kenmore. The nightclub, called The Terrace Lounge at The Kenmore, was to be on the ground floor and not in the two story former Rain-bo Room.
New York State Route 32
New York State Route 32 is a north–south state highway that extends for through the Hudson Valley and Capital District regions of the U.S. state of New York. It is a two-lane surface road for nearly its entire length, with few divided and no limited-access sections. From Harriman to Albany,...
) in the city of Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. It was built in 1878 by an African-American, Adam Blake (born April 6, 1830- died September 7, 1881), and owned by him until his death, at which time it was taken over by his widow Catherine, who continued until 1887.
Adam Blake was named for his father, a slave of General Stephen Van Rensselaer III
Stephen Van Rensselaer III
Stephen Van Rensselaer III was Lieutenant Governor of New York as well as a statesman, soldier, and land-owner, the heir to one of the largest estates in the New York region at the time, which made him the tenth richest American of all time, based on the ratio of his fortune to contemporary GDP...
at the Manor House. Adam Blake, Jr., was considered a "worthy and respected citizen, and first-class caterer for the public" and as the "richest and best-known business man of his race" in Albany County
Albany County, New York
Albany County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, and is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The name is from the title of the Duke of York and Albany, who became James II of England . As of the 2010 census, the population was 304,204...
. Blake had owned the hotel Congress Hall on the corner of Washington Avenue and Park Street until it was demolished by the state of New York to make way for the new New York State Capitol
New York State Capitol
The New York State Capitol is the capitol building of the U.S. state of New York. Housing the New York State Legislature, it is located in the state capital city Albany, on State Street in Capitol Park. The building, completed in 1899 at a cost of $25 million , was the most expensive government...
building in 1878. Blake then had the Kenmore built on the corner of North Pearl Street and Columbia Street.
In the 1940s the Rain-Bo Room was a famous nightclub in the hotel, and was named for the Rainbow Room
Rainbow Room
The Rainbow Room was an upscale restaurant and nightclub on the 65th floor of the GE Building in Rockefeller Center, Midtown Manhattan, New York City.-Cuisine:...
in the GE Building
GE Building
The GE Building is an Art Deco skyscraper that forms the centerpiece of Rockefeller Center in the midtown Manhattan section of New York City. Known as the RCA Building until 1988, it is most famous for housing the headquarters of the television network NBC...
of Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center is a complex of 19 commercial buildings covering between 48th and 51st streets in New York City, United States. Built by the Rockefeller family, it is located in the center of Midtown Manhattan, spanning the area between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue. It was declared a National...
in the city of New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Gangster Jack “Legs” Diamond frequented the hotel, and had partied at the Rain-Bo the night of his death after having been acquitted
Acquittal
In the common law tradition, an acquittal formally certifies the accused is free from the charge of an offense, as far as the criminal law is concerned. This is so even where the prosecution is abandoned nolle prosequi...
of theft
Theft
In common usage, theft is the illegal taking of another person's property without that person's permission or consent. The word is also used as an informal shorthand term for some crimes against property, such as burglary, embezzlement, larceny, looting, robbery, shoplifting and fraud...
in the nearby city of Troy
Troy, New York
Troy is a city in the US State of New York and the seat of Rensselaer County. Troy is located on the western edge of Rensselaer County and on the eastern bank of the Hudson River. Troy has close ties to the nearby cities of Albany and Schenectady, forming a region popularly called the Capital...
. The Kenmore Hotel features prominently in many of William Kennedy
William Kennedy (author)
William Joseph Kennedy is an American writer and journalist born and raised in Albany, New York. Many of his novels feature the interaction of members of the fictional Irish-American Phelan family, and make use of incidents of Albany's history and the supernatural...
's books, including his novel Legs about the life of Jack Diamond.
The building was renovated in 1986 into an office building by Walter Uccellini Enterprises (now Historic Redevelopment Associates). After the renovation there was a total of 87475 square feet (8,126.7 m²) of rentable space. The major tenant, from 1986 until 1999, was the Healthcare Association of New York State, which occupied 62000 square feet (5,760 m²) on four of the six floors of the building. The first major event held in the building after renovation was the 13th annual conference of the Preservation League of New York State, on April 18, 1986. In May 2008 a new nightclub was proposed for the Kenmore. The nightclub, called The Terrace Lounge at The Kenmore, was to be on the ground floor and not in the two story former Rain-bo Room.
See also
- History of Albany, New YorkHistory of Albany, New YorkThe history of Albany, New York, begins with the first interaction with native Indian tribes that originally inhabited the area. The area was originally inhabited by Algonquian Indian tribes, namely the Mohican and the Iroquois....
- Downtown Albany Historic DistrictDowntown Albany Historic DistrictThe Downtown Albany Historic District is a 19-block, area of Albany, New York, United States, centered around the junction of State and North and South Pearl streets . It is the oldest settled area of the city, originally planned and settled in the 17th century, and the nucleus of its later...