Can someone here help me clarify something? I want to send for my grandfather's (Frederick Martin Armstrong) birth certificate. He was born in Albany March 4, 1884. Sounds easy. I called the number for the county records
Albany County Hall of Records
95 Tivoli Street
Albany, NY 12207
Voice: (518) 436-3663
And was told they have marriage records but not birth.

I went to the state website with the mailing address of
Registrar, City of Albany
Vital Statistics
Room 254M
City Hall
Albany, NY 12207
The page said: "Our birth and death records begin with September 1, 1870, for those events that took place in the City of Albany."

BUT... I go to the information request form and it says: "Original records of births and marriages for the entire state begin with 1881, deaths begin with 1880, EXCEPT for records filed in Albany, Buffalo and Yonkers prior to 1914. Applications for these cities should be made directly to the local office."
Unfortunately, there is no phone number listed for that office so I can't call for clarification.

Can someone here tell me what I need to do to get the birth certificate?