Renovations have uncovered something special at 512 State Street in Schenectady, soon to be home to a second location for Slidin’ Dirty.
The building dates from the early 1900s, so it’s no surprise to owner Jeffrey Buell of Sequence Development that the building has historical significance. But they weren’t expecting to uncover the building’s spectacular original design after it had been turned into a three floor building, most recently used as a single-occupancy, three-story boarding house.
As you can see below, early renovation pictures gave little sign that an amazing discovery was just days away.
The plan for the building has always involved a two story Schenectady location for Slidin’ Dirty, along with some office space and apartments.
But when Buell and his contractors uncovered the largely intact, ornate arched plaster ceiling that likely dates to 1913, they knew the plans needed to change.
The building was originally a single-story waiting room for the Schenectady Railway Company. You’d never know it from looking at the building’s now nondescript facade, but there used to be a giant arched window looking out over State Street, echoing the building’s arched plaster ceiling.
Now, Buell told the Daily Gazette, “This can’t be cut up into apartments. This is one of the finest examples of what Schenectady was doing 110 years ago.”
Buell is revising his plans and will be recreating the arched window, restore the ceiling, and create an incredible two-story space for Slidin’ Dirty. Rather than convert the rest of the building into the planned apartments, they will instead be designing a single duplex office space with the amazing and historically significant ceiling overhead.
Though it would be amazing to recreate the entire trolley station, that particular pipe dream would be neither practical nor economically feasible. Instead, diners at Slidin’ Dirty and the building’s lucky office tenants will get to experience an expert renovation and restoration of this historic Schenectady building.
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Source:
The Daily Gazette: “Renovation uncovers stunning piece of city’s past”
