Good morning, it’s Tuesday, which is sort of acting like Thursday in this three-day workweek. (In other words, tomorrow is sort of Friday, assuming you haven’t already peaced out and taken the whole week off).
One of the great things about living in Albany is the wide variety of architecture that one can find on its streets. (In the interest of full disclosure, I am a board member of the Historic Albany Foundation and feel very strongly about the importance of preservation of our built environment).
I don’t play favorites when it comes to historic architecture, but I do have some preferences. I am not a huge fan of all-brick construction, for example, and I am particularly partial to a nicely restored Greek revival home.
During the winter, I often spend far too much time running laps around the Harriman Campus (reliably plowed roads + not a lot of traffic during the weekends = an ideal place to get your miles in). Once in a while, I mix things up and leave the campus loops and head into the surrounding neighborhoods, which is where I happened upon the Lustron Homes of the Jermain Street Historic District and immediately fell in love.
If you are not familiar with these houses, they have a very distinct look, as today’s featured photo demonstrates. They’re made of prefabricated porcelain enameled steel tiles, and were developed by the Lustron Corporation. The houses were created in the post-WWI era in response to the shortage of homes available for GIs who were returning statewide after the war.
Given the durability of their materials, the Lustron homes were intended to be attractive to the modern family who, the thinking went, were not interested in maintaining a more conventional wood, plaster, and/or brick home. The company was created by an industrialist from Chicago named Carl Strandlund, who boasted that his homes would defy weather, wear, and time.
These houses sold from anywhere from $8,500 to $10,500. Each house included more than 3,300 parts, and could be put together in about two weeks. About 2,500 were constructed across the U.S., including five in the City of Albany (one of which has since been covered with vinyl siding and is as a result no longer contributing to the historic district in which it is located).
Sadly, the company fell into bankruptcy in 1950, falling far short of its target of building 45,000 homes.
The homes on Jermain Street in Albany are all Lustron’s Westchester Deluxe two-bedroom model – the most popular of the eight models the company offered.
The Westchester Deluxe was a basic ranch with a living room, dining area, kitchen, utility room, and bathroom. It also boasted screen doors, steel Venetian blinds and a number of built-ins – including closets and shelves, kitchen cabinets, a china cabinet, a dressing table, and a washer and dryer.
One of the benefits of the metal walls (at least as far as marketers at the time were concerned) is that you never need to paint, can stick things to the walls with magnets and clean using nothing more than windex and a rag. As someone who lives in an historic wood home, which is in constant need of a good dusting and perhaps a coat of paint or two, I can see the appeal.
I have long wanted to get inside one of these to take a look around. If you own one of them – or know someone who does – and wouldn’t mind a visit from a complete stranger, hit me up. I’ll bring cookies!
Today will be unseasonably warm, with temperatures rising almost to 50 degrees. It will be cloudy, with periods of rain developing as the day progresses.
In the headlines…
In a stunning setback for President Trump, a judge dismissed federal criminal charges against Attorney General Letitia James and former FBI Director James Comey — finding the prosecutor handpicked by the president “had no lawful authority” to file them.
The judge found that interim US Attorney Lindsey Halligan was improperly appointed to her position and “had no lawful authority” to secure indictments of either of Trump’s longtime adversaries.
Attorney General Pam Bondi vowed to appeal the ruling, saying” “We’ll be taking all available legal action, including an immediate appeal to hold Letitia James and James Comey accountable for their unlawful conduct.”
Russia attacked Kyiv this morning, killing at least six people in a large-scale barrage of missiles and drones, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky, hours after Ukrainian and U.S. delegations finished a round of talks in Geneva on a proposed end to the war.
While Trump attacked the Ukrainians, Secretary of State Marco Rubio flew to Geneva to seize control of negotiations that were going off the rails.
Trump signed an executive order to bolster national scientific research through the use of artificial intelligence.
The Pentagon said that it was investigating Senator Mark Kelly, Democrat of Arizona, for “serious allegations of misconduct,” less than a week after he took part in a video that reminded troops to refuse illegal orders.
The investigation focuses on possible breaches of military law after the former Navy pilot joined a handful of other lawmakers in a video that called for troops to defy “illegal orders.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on X that the video, which set off a political firestorm last week, was “despicable, reckless, and false.”
Kelly said he will not be intimidated by the Pentagon’s investigation into “serious allegations of misconduct” against him after he called for U.S. military service members to disobey any illegal orders handed down by the Trump administration.
A group of influential liberal senators calling themselves the “Fight Club” is directly challenging Senator Chuck Schumer’s approach to the midterm elections and Trump, in another sign of growing frustration among Democrats toward the minority leader.
The rogue liberals are concerned that their party continues to back establishment candidates after the Democratic leader failed to endorse newcomer Zohran Mamdani for New York City mayor.
Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups pleaded not guilty to taking part in rigged, mob-tied underground poker games at a packed federal court hearing attended by 30 of his fellow co-defendants in the case.
New Yorkers with asthma may soon be able to breathe a little easier. Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation that will make inhalers free for many New Yorkers starting in 2027.
New York’s top court rejected the first challenge to the state’s concealed-weapons law since it was rewritten, upholding the state’s authority to impose restrictions on a regular civilian’s right to carry a concealed weapon.
Rick Cotton, executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, will retire in January. Cotton, 81, has run the Port Authority longer than any executive director in more than 50 years, outlasting his political patron, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Long Island cannabis dispensaries are peddling the priciest pot in New York — while outselling every other region, according to new state data.
Rep. Mike Lawler endorsed fellow Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, his one-time potential primary rival, in the New York governor’s race, elbowing out Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman.
Hochul announced that New York State Police and local law enforcement will increase patrols during the Thanksgiving travel season to target impaired and reckless driving, running from Nov. 22 through Nov. 30.
While Hochul was highlighting affordability in New York City, clergy and community leaders in Buffalo were calling on the governor to take action to address the affordability crisis across the state.
Hochul has signed off on the additional $125 million needed for the third phase of Rochester’s school modernization plan.
Hochul touted her advice to Mamdani as helping lead to his surprisingly cordial meeting with Trump — and possibly protecting the Big Apple from federal intervention.
Mamdani announced more appointments to his transition team, including new task forces for worker justice and community organizing.
Two New York City Democratic Socialists of America leaders scored plum roles on Mamdani’s transition team — as the mayor-elect Monday named a who’s who of progressive advocates and veterans of Bill de Blasio’s administration to staff its committees.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries insisted that he didn’t coordinate with Mamdani on the New York City Democratic Socialists of America’s decision not to endorse his primary challenger.
Mamdani was left overjoyed during a weekend podcast appearance when he received well wishes from former English soccer star Ian Wright.
Rep. Dan Goldman is again taking aim at ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s handling of the COVID outbreak — just as the congressman preps for an expected primary from a Mamdani ally, outgoing City Comptroller Brad Lander.
Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano is pitching businesses fearing apocalypse-level conditions under a Mamdani mayoralty – saying they should consider crossing the border from the boroughs into the burbs before leaving the state.
Fresh back from a trip to Israel and Uzbekistan, Mayor Eric Adams already has plans to hit the road again next week, when he will visit New Orleans to be honored for “his leadership in fighting antisemitism,” according to the group giving him the award.
The award is being given to Adams by the Combat Antisemitism Movement, a Kansas-based group that already honored the mayor at a gala in Israel last week, also for his commitment to fighting anti-Jewish hate.
Adams yesterday visited the historic Manhattan synagogue that was recently targeted by vile anti-Israel protesters – saying “we show up” in the face of hate.
By contrast, Mamdani chastised the synagogue that hosted an event promoting migration to Israel and settlements in occupied territories. His stance further tested his strained relationship with pro-Israel Jews.
Mamdani’s victory in New York’s mayoral election this month may have scrambled what had been a clear political imperative for candidates in the city: the need to support Israel.
Rana Abdelhamid, a community organizer and DSA member, is officially kicking off a campaign for Mamdani’s state Assembly seat, pitting her against a fellow DSA adherent who has already locked in the leftist group’s endorsement in the race.
Councilman Erik Bottcher, a Democrat who represents parts of Manhattan, is expected to introduce a bill today that would allow the construction of new single-room-occupancy apartments as small as 100 square feet for the first time in decades.
Al-fresco dining plummeted under the city’s new outdoor dining program compared to during the pandemic because restaurants themselves aren’t finishing their applications, city Department of Transportation officials said.
Big Apple cops took almost a half-hour to respond to a rowdy Queens car meet-up where a local couple was beaten by a mob of cowardly thugs because they had their hands full on other calls and it was first reported as drag racing, police said.
A 23-year-old man was fatally stabbed in Midtown Manhattan near Times Square early yesterday morning, police officials said.
The NYPD handed out about 100 turkeys and chickens to needy Bronx families last night, and that’s just a fraction of the thousands expected to be provided by police across the city before Thanksgiving.
The latest New Year’s Eve Ball will make its Times Square debut this year — the largest one to date, featuring nearly double the amount of reflective crystals as its predecessor, officials announced.
The Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball will serve as the centerpiece for the annual countdown celebration for this NYE 2026. This year’s ball is the largest to date and will measure 12.5 feet in diameter and weighing 12,350 pounds.
“The Queen of Versailles,” a Broadway musical starring Kristin Chenoweth, will close on Jan. 4, ending a disappointingly abbreviated run at a time when new musicals, long the industry’s creative and financial engine, are struggling.
Repair Cafés around New York are helping communities save items from the landfill, share skills and build connections.
A hearing officer for the state labor board determined that a Hudson Valley farm violated collective bargaining statute by failing to provide the union representing apple orchard workers with a list of employees and hiring plans necessary for collective bargaining.
A man charged earlier this year with stabbing two people in Troy was arraigned yesterday morning on a murder charge that accuses him of the April 18, 2024, killing of 76-year-old Daniel Frament on the riverfront bicycle trail in Menands.
A person visiting Skidmore College drove into Haupt Pond Sunday after apparently mistaking a path for a road, campus officials confirmed.
Sodexo nixed its contract with the University at Albany after the school’s administration officials expressed their intent to rebid on-campus dining, catering and meal plan services, according to Amy Geduldig, a university spokesperson.
Josuha Fowler pleaded guilty to three counts of second-degree murder yesterday in the June 18 shooting deaths of his wife, father and step-grandmother at their home in Cropseyville in the town of Grafton.
Photo credit: George Fazio.
