Albany Savings Bank 1940
That this gem was replaced by the ’70s-era pile o’ bricks plaza just makes me want to cry. That we lost all our local banks in the frenzy to make everything bigger, more competitive, and just super-duper swell makes me feel even worse. The founders of these institutions that were absolutely central to the creation of our cities would not begin to fathom that we now put our money into banks with roots in New York City, let alone Hong Kong, banks that have no connection or obligation to the cities and businesses that depend on them, and no particular stake in the success of the community.
