1 N Church St Schenectady

 Old Mohawk Bank / Union Classical Institute / Mohawk Club

Chartered in 1807, the Mohawk Bank built the bank building on the northwest corner of Union and Church Streets in 1820 on land that was part of the original town lot of Arendt Van Curler, the leader of the proprietors who settled Schenectady in 1661.  Originally the building had its main entrance on Union Street for bank customers, while an entrance on Church Street was used by the Cashier of the bank, David Boyd, who occupied the upper floors.  In 1853 the bank moved and the property was sold to Chauncey Vibbard, superintendent and one of the organizers of the New York Central Railroad, who remodeled the building into an elegant residence, added a cupola, and closed the Union Street entrance.  As part of Vibbard’s remodeling, he added cast-iron railings both as shallow balconies for first floor windows and as a property fence along the sidewalk.
 
In 1868 the building was owned by Edward C. Delavan who was an organizer of the New York Temperance Society.  In 1872, it was purchased by the Union School, an organized free school, who operated the building as the Union Classical Institute, later renamed Schenectady High School.  In 1904, the building was purchased and extensively remodeled for the Mohawk Club, a private men’s social club whose members included business and professional men.  The facility was sold in 2003 to a private owner who renovated the building for use as a restaurant and hotel, the Stockade Inn, which closed after several years.

The three-story building with full basement and attic is constructed of brick covered with stucco scored to simulate the appearance of cut stone blocks.  Trim at windows and doors, beltcourses, foundation walls and the entry steps are brownstone that has been painted to conceal previous patches that have discolored.  The exterior was designed in the Federal style, although later alterations have left the interior public spaces finished in a mixture of architectural elements, including Italianate and Neoclassical.  The north wing was added in the early 20th century when the building was remodeled for the Mohawk Club.