We all know how rumors fly in this city - quicker than you can say "Uncle Sam." The latest is that someone in city hall wants to see the Brown Building (207-215 Broadway) get razed. A few weeks ago a few bricks fell into the alley from a carriage house (modern) attached to the building. Within days, workers were tearing the rest of it down quicker than a politician changing party lines in Troy. Let's try to discourage this since this is a vitally important building on Broadway and all efforts should be attempted to bring the building back into use. Taking it down would create one ugly hole in a street that has been coming back big time in recent months. Within a few weeks, this will be the only building on the entire street not in use.

The Brown building was built c. 1876, and is named after its builder, Samuel B. Brown of Bennington, Vermont. He acquired the land from Josephus and Margaret Brockway in 1839.

One of the first merchants in the building was Thatcher Clark who turned 215 into a boarding house. Several other storefronts were added at 213, 211, 209, and 207 for future tenants and filled quickly. James Hatch, a confectioner and fruit dealer moved into 213, and R. P. Tunnard, a pharmaceutical retail and dry goods retailer moved into 211. By1894, it was well known as a "merchants stomping grounds," as all five stores were filled selling everything from hats to candy.

The boarding house at 215 became known as "The Clark House," under a new proprietor, Charles Batchelder. At 213, Mrs. M Brown managed a confectionary store, and 211 had Mrs. S.A. Walker who was a milliner. William Vanderburg, at 209, sold boots and shoes, and at 207, Misses Elizabeth and Sara Skene had their millinery business there. Many of these people were still in the building at the turn of the 20th century.

By 1902, the Clark House changed hands to C.C. Sinsabaugh and he renamed it the Victoria Hotel. The following year George C. Lucas bought it and renamed it back to the Clark House. In 1934, Albert and Alphonse Ramone and his wife Bessie opened a restaurant named the Tavern at 209-211, and purchased the entire building in 1936. By 1958, only the Tavern and Clark House were still operating in the building. Starting in 1960, the Troy Chamber of Commerce began to hold their meetings at the Tavern.

The Tavern moved in 1962 with the passing of Alphonse Ramone, but wife Bessie maintained ownership. By 1967, only the Clark House and Broadway News were operating there. After several ownership changes from 1966, and several attempts to operate new businesses, even the reopening of the Tavern in 1968 (to 1979), the building seemed doomed. Even though other uses were attempted, the Clark House and Broadway News continued. Finally, in 1981 the Clark House closed after serving for more than a century. To this day there is a newsstand in the building (since 1934). The entire length of the building has an ornate cast iron façade although only about a quarter of it is showing.

Perhaps the most famous date for the Brown Building is 1938. It has been written that the popular songwriter and pianist Frankie Carle, penned Sunrise Serenade, the number one hit of the time, (million seller) with lyricist Jack Lawrence, while working at the hotel. The hotel had a "seedier" reputation then.

The building has been slowly deteriorating until the city stabilized it last year. The former owner paid the taxes and reclaimed it but the bank (HSBC) now owns it. Someone recently cut the fire escape from the side of the building along with some building wall ties (they hold the beams into place). In recent months, a few people have expressed interest in rehabbing the building and the night the bricks fell out of the carriage house, the city was going to vote on a proposal (but canned it pending the outcome of the falling bricks).

It would seem to me that either the bank fixes the problem or sell it to someone for a buck and let him or her rehab it. There are a number of ideas floating around for using the building including apartment and retail space.

Saving this building is in the best interests of the city and an all out effort should be started to make it happen. We have enough gaping holes in our streetscapes. We don't need another one in an area that already has a great deal of restoration going on next door.