Walter Merchant House

The Walter Merchant House is a five-bay townhouse with a brownstone facade located on Washington Avenue between Lark and Dove streets. It displays Renaissance Revival architecture characterized by segmental-arched windows and an ornate cornice running along the roofline.

The house was built in the 1860s during a period of population growth in Albany following the completion of the Erie Canal. It represents the residential architecture favored by wealthy city dwellers during this era of urban expansion.

The interior reveals how wealthy 19th-century Albany residents lived and entertained, with rooms designed for social gatherings and formal gatherings. The arrangement of spaces and decorative elements show the lifestyle and values of the people who once occupied the house.

The building now serves as the headquarters for the New York chapter of the National Association of Social Workers and can be viewed from the street. Its location on Washington Avenue near shops and other historic buildings makes it a convenient stop while walking through downtown Albany.

The property retains one of the few remaining intact carriage houses from the 19th century in Albany, a two-story brick building with varied window patterns. This outbuilding provides insight into how wealthy households of the era managed their transportation and horses.