Between Empire State Plaza and Washington Park spreads a 27-block, 99-acre patchwork known as the Center Square/Hudson–Park Historic District, with Hudson/Park forming its eastern half and Lark Street marking its western edge. In 1980 this neighborhood was recognized as a historic district and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Most of the buildings you see were put up in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with some dating as far back as the 1830s, and they represent a diverse array of architectural styles from those eras.
Look closely and you can spot work by prominent architects such as Marcus T. Reynolds and Russell Sturgis. Only 22 buildings here are more modern, non‑contributing properties; about 80 percent of the buildings are attached rowhouses, which is why the place still feels predominantly residential. Within these blocks you’ll also find churches, two small parks, the Alfred E. Smith State Office Building, the city’s oldest black church and the firehouse that housed its last volunteer fire department.
One of Albany’s legendary figures, Erastus Corning 2nd, was born in a house on Chestnut Street; another, gangster Legs Diamond... Somewhere in these blocks, the Alfred E. Smith State Office Building, Lark Street, and two small parks wait for your attention next.