Quoted from Patches

For me...history is being destroyed.....there was nothing like the OLD SCHENECTADY..

There goes the neighborhood..

Soo  sad......

I honestly don't think that whether this building is knocked down or not will do too much to destroy any history...imho.
My only objection is supporting this or any privately owned business with taxpayer's money.
It's called 'private property rights' for a reason!

Last one out of the city turn out the light.

I guess this topic does begs the question -- who are or were the International Order of Oddfellows and what role did they play in Schenectady history ????

Apparently, they have their roots in England a number of centuries ago -- they originally came about to provide social outlets and financial benefits to laborers who did not fit into the existing system of guilds and societies -- thus they were called Oddfellows.  

Some notable Oddfellows were George IV, King of United Kingdom (1820–1830), Winston Churchill, Wartime Prime Minister of United Kingdom, John Wilkes, English radical, journalist and politician, Stanley Baldwin, Prime Minister of United Kingdom (1923–1924, 1924–1929, 1925–1937) and the fathers of George Harrison and Ringo Starr, members of The Beatles.

If anyone knows anything about the lodges involvement in Schenectady history -- please share  -- that would be interesting.

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

I guess this topic does begs the question -- who are or were the International Order of Oddfellows and what role did they play in Schenectady history ????

Apparently, they have their roots in England a number of centuries ago -- they originally came about to provide social outlets and financial benefits to laborers who did not fit into the existing system of guilds and societies -- thus they were called Oddfellows.  

Some notable Oddfellows were George IV, King of United Kingdom (1820–1830), Winston Churchill, Wartime Prime Minister of United Kingdom, John Wilkes, English radical, journalist and politician, Stanley Baldwin, Prime Minister of United Kingdom (1923–1924, 1924–1929, 1925–1937) and the fathers of George Harrison and Ringo Starr, members of The Beatles.

If anyone knows anything about the lodges involvement in Schenectady history -- please share  -- that would be interesting.

found this.......http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AlohAAAAIBAJ&sjid=04UFAAAAIBAJ&pg=704%2C2281047  


also some books......http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF.....\c%20N.Y.&page=1

http://books.google.com/books?.....0history&f=false  

There's some references to the odd fellows here......http://beukendaal915.org/Beukendaal_Lodge_915/History.html  

odd fellows are referenced here also.......http://schenectadyhist.wordpress.com/tag/jewish-history/

This one is interesting also.........http://politicalgraveyard.com/geo/NY/odd-fellows.html

that's all I have for now..........google schenectady odd fellows history.........lots of info..........

This building is a jewel Downtown. If you have not been inside call Proctor's now for a tour. Proctor's lovingly restored it so Death Ray and McCarthy can knock it down. Metrograft knew for weeks they wanted to knock it down and waited until Monday after Election Day to announce it. Then they hung up on anyone questioning this destruction. OCCUPY IOOF! Let me tell you who agrees with us; Former Mayor Karen Jonson, Former Mayor Duci, Councilwoman Barbara Blanchard, Councilman Elect Vince Riggi. Sharon Coppola has no planning credentials and should be fired today from the disgraceful planning commission.

I guess that if we have to 'google' exactly who were the International Order of Oddfellows and what role they played in Schenectady history................It's a moot point and a non-issue.

In either case, the property was bought and paid for by a private entity. They now have 'personal property rights'.....yes?

Quoted from bumblethru

I guess that if we have to 'google' exactly who were the International Order of Oddfellows and what role they played in Schenectady history................It's a moot point and a non-issue.

In either case, the property was bought and paid for by a private entity. They now have 'personal property rights'.....yes?

I'm not sure that they do if it's an historic structure, hence the meeting seeking approval. Otherwise I believe they could have
just went ahead after the permits etc were obtained.

I also believe that if it is an historic structure, the realtor involved in the
sale must disclose to the buyer the regulations surrounding such a purchase, historic requirements and such. Therefore,
Civitella knew what the regs were when he purchased. Or should have known. I know that rule applies for residential so commercial may be different.

1842 -  August 5: The first Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows was organized in Schenectady. It was called the Mohawk Valley Lodge.
A police justice was appointed.
A Young Ladies' Seminary was opened on Liberty Street.

Notable Odd Fellow Memebers From the Area

John H. Buhrmaster(b. 1876) — of Scotia, Schenectady County, N.Y. Born in Auriesville, Montgomery County, N.Y., March 27, 1876. Married, May 1, 1901, to Cora May Ward. Republican. Grocer; coal, feed, and building supply business; director and vice-president, Glenville Bank; member of New York state assembly from Schenectady County 2nd District, 1932-33. Methodist. Member, Freemasons; Odd Fellows; Redmen; Rotary. Burial location unknown.

Quoted from TakingItBack

1842 -  August 5: The first Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows was organized in Schenectady. It was called the Mohawk Valley Lodge.
A police justice was appointed.
A Young Ladies' Seminary was opened on Liberty Street.

Notable Odd Fellow Memebers From the Area

John H. Buhrmaster(b. 1876) — of Scotia, Schenectady County, N.Y. Born in Auriesville, Montgomery County, N.Y., March 27, 1876. Married, May 1, 1901, to Cora May Ward. Republican. Grocer; coal, feed, and building supply business; director and vice-president, Glenville Bank; member of New York state assembly from Schenectady County 2nd District, 1932-33. Methodist. Member, Freemasons; Odd Fellows; Redmen; Rotary. Burial location unknown.

cool!! I love history........as far as the building.......buildings come and buildings go, nothing lasts forever........if they want to tear it down, so be it, they'll build another and sometime down the road it'll change hands and maybe they'll want to tear it down and want to build a new one....it's all just a "circle game".....

Keep posting their great history here maybe politard will read it and educate himself. If he can read. Barbara Blanchard has endorsed our OCCUPY IOOF campaign. This is a real grass roots occupy movement.