STEWARDSHIP OF 725 MADISON AVE.

The Woman’s Club of Abany purchased its historic building in 1919 and promised to serve as steward of this irreplaceable resource. By the early 2000s, the house was in need of extensive restoration and repair. With deep devotion and continued support, we remain committed to preserving our 1895 home according to historic preservation standards.

MEETING THE CHALLENGE

The WCA has successfully campaigned to preserve the structural integrity and historic presence of the building. We have

•  Restored the West Bay window area, including major repairs of the stained-glass windows.
•  Added both a first-floor restroom and lighted accessibility ramp at the driveway and front entrance to accommodate members and visitors. These are our first steps in creating a fully accessible structure.
• Rebuilt the crumbling rear porch, stabilized the first floor beneath the dining room and back parlor and completed major roof repairs.
• Rebuilt the front porch, restored the pillars and restored and rehung the original porch light.
• Rehabilitated the east entry stairs and porte-cochere.
• Repaired plaster and painted both inside and outside areas.

Ongoing maintenance, repairing damage to the antique parquet floors, woodwork and walls, kitchen renovation and adding attic insulation stand out as issues that must be addressed. Additionally, the WCA is working to install air conditioning in the house. We look forward to maintaining temperatures and humidity that help preserve the wood, plaster walls and floors. Maintaining healthy ambient temperatures affords us comfortable meeting and rental opportunities through the hot summer months.

WITH APPRECIATION

The WCA is indebted to the supporters whose generosity has made all these projects possible, including members, friends, the Bender Family Foundation, the Impact Grant Program of the Community Foundation of the Greater Capital Region, an Environmental Protection Fund Historic Property Preservation Grant and a grant funded through the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York.