8 Luther St

Troy sits on the eastern bank of the Hudson River just northeast of Albany, carrying the weight of a 19th-century industrial powerhouse that has steadily reinvented itself without losing its grit or character. Known as Collar City for its once-dominant collar and cuff manufacturing industry, Troy today anchors the Capital District with a mix of academic energy and deep architectural heritage. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, founded here in 1824 as the oldest technological university in the English-speaking world, and Russell Sage College both shape the city's intellectual atmosphere. Downtown revolves around Monument Square and River Street, where restored Victorian buildings and converted industrial spaces create a walkable core. The Washington Park Historic District offers beautifully preserved brownstones, while Lansingburgh to the north delivers classic brick rowhouses on quieter residential blocks.