New York State Capitol east and west lawns - Albany, NY
Posted by: 
sagefemme
N 42° 39.190 W 073° 45.520
18T E 601746 N 4723047
Olmstead designed the east and west lawns around the New York State Capitol Building. He also submitted plans for the Capitol Plaza (Legislative Office Building and The Egg now stand. They would not have been built here if Olmstead had his way.)
Waymark Code: WMGJVP
Location: New York, United States
Date Posted: 03/13/2013
Views: 17
Frederick Law Olmstead was a frequent collaborator of building architect Henry Hobson Richarson, who shared the design and construction of the New York State Capitol Building with Leopold Eidlitz after Thomas Fuller was fired,
Due to disputes over budgets and timetables, Richardson walked off the job in 1883 (8 years into his share of the project, 16 years in from Fuller's first contract) and responsibility for completing the Capitol was turned over to Isaac G. Perry.
Little is said on official websites about Olmstead's contribution, except that Olmstaed also submitted plans for a park on the site of the Capitol Plaza (occupied today by The Egg and the Legislative Office Buildings). Did Olmstead leave the project when his collaborator (Richardson) left? What were his aspirations for the Capitol Plaza?
All we have to go on are these two squares with formal gardens and sidewalks, and a statue in each. The George Washington statue was erected at the top of the west lawn stairs, looking toward the Capitol Building, suggesting that an effort was made to preserve the west lawn as Olmstaed designed it. The Sheridan statue on the east lawn was erected and dedicated in 1916, well after Olmstead left, possibly eliminating a garden circle (if his plan called for east-west symmetry - all I know is that the area around the statue is now flat and paved, whereas the same spot on the other side of the Captol has a mounded earth garden surrounded by a circle shaped paved walkway).
Type of Public Space: 06 Grounds of Public Buildings
Job Number: 00608
Architect: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
There are no specific visit requirements, however telling about your visit is strongly encouraged. Additional photos of the park to add to the gallery are also nice, but not required. Pictures with a GPS or you in them is highly discouraged.