Friday, September 20, 2024 – WONDERFUL PRESERVATION ALL OVER THE STATE

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EXCELLENT PROJECT

ALL OVER

NEW YORK STATE

GET

PRESERVATION AWARDS

(INCLUDING OUR LIGHTHOUSE)

Friday, September 20, 2024

ISSUE # 1312

JUDITH BERDY

2024 Excellence in Historic Preservation Award Winners

September 19, 2024 by Editorial Staff 

Now in its 40th year, the Preservation League of NYS‘s annual Excellence Awards program shines a light on the people who are using historic preservation to make all our lives better — through exemplary restoration projects, indispensable publications, individual action, and organizational distinction.

Recipients of the Excellence Award represent the very best of what the League stands for and supports in historic preservation. They exemplify best practices in the field and demonstrate how preservation is integral to building stronger neighborhoods, boosting local economies, tackling the affordable housing crisis, mitigating climate change, opening our eyes to overlooked history, and saving the places that are special to all of us. The Excellence Awards celebrate those who work so hard to protect that shared heritage.

This year’s Award winners will be recognized at a public reception in New York City on Friday, November 15. Event details can be found here.

2024 Awardees include:

Reynold’s Way, Elmira, Chemung County

Located in the heart of Elmira‘s civic historic district, the Reynold’s Way project is comprised of four very different buildings that had all been vacant for many years. Taken together, Reynold’s Way now houses 41 affordable apartments.

“As one of many partners who brought this development to fruition, we are grateful that historic preservation projects such as this one provide much-needed supply to meet the demands of affordable housing,” said Susan Bull, President and CEO of Arbor Housing and Development. “We are thankful for the team of partners who shared in the vision of transforming the buildings and giving residents a beautiful space to call home.”

Little Caribbean, Brooklyn, Kings County

CaribBEING is an organization working at the intersection of Caribbean culture, community and commerce. Since 2017, when CaribBeing organized to get the official designation of the “Little Caribbean” neighborhood in Flatbush, Brooklyn, they have worked to sustain local businesses and support systems to ensure that Caribbean and Caribbean-American communities in Brooklyn and beyond can continue to thrive.

Little Caribbean is home to the largest Caribbean Diaspora community and residents have been making history here for decades. CaribBEING reinforces the fabric of small enterprises that make a neighborhood, and build links between entrepreneurs, larger funders, and developers to center well-being, arts and culture, commerce, and community. They do this through events, exhibits, tours, corporate partnerships, directories, maps, publicity and publications, and network building.

Town of Avon Opera Hall Rehabilitation, Livingston County

The Avon Opera Building is one of the most historically significant structures in the village, occupying a prominent place in the heart of the business district. The Italianate style Opera Hall was built in 1876, and despite suffering vacancy and disrepair for many years, the structure maintained a much of its architectural integrity in both the exterior and interior.

The Town purchased the Opera House and adjoining Bank of Avon buildings in 2005. Initial rehabilitation work joined the two structures from the inside by installing a new central stairwell. Before work began on the third floor Opera Hall, the first and second floor spaces were repurposed for use as local government offices and community service, now home to Avon’s Town Hall.

Restoration of the Opera Hall performance space was the final stage in bringing this historic building back to life. The building is now a jewel in the center of town, creating a sense of community pride. Completing the performance hall renovation, preserving the building’s architectural character and history, was like putting the “cherry on the sundae.”

Canal Commons, Rochester, Monroe County

Canal Commons is a $64 million affordable housing project that has changed the Rochester, NY landscape. Located in the historic Susan B. Anthony neighborhood, Canal Commons was a long-vacant historic warehouse building, which has been converted into a 123-unit apartment building.

The rehabilitation was made possible through incentives including Low Income Housing Tax Credits and Historic Tax Credits. In addition to providing high quality affordable housing, most Canal Commons apartments are reserved for residents who have experienced chronic homelessness or are in recovery from mental health and substance use disorders.

The creation of this supportive housing was made possible through the Empire State Housing Initiative (ESSHI) administered through the NYS Office of Mental Health. This project is a mixed-income development that serves families earning up to 60% of the Area Median Income. The project also participated in the NYS Brownfield Cleanup Program and in NYSERDA’s Multifamily New Construction Program, significantly improving the viability of the neighborhood and of Canal Street.

Still Standing: The Barns of J.T. Wells and Sons, Pittsford, Monroe County

Still Standing: The Barns of J.T. Wells & Sons strategically highlights the history, heritage, and present-day plight of Western New York’s agriculturally and architecturally significant Wells barns. This television documentary, produced by Churchbell Creative, LLC., creatively explores ways that remaining barns can regain their relevance through adaptive reuse while fostering community engagement in their preservation before these barns disappear from the landscape entirely due to development, decay, and obsolescence. The documentary is being offered for free to all NYS Public Television Stations courtesy of Rochester-based WXXI Public Media.

Roosevelt Island Lighthouse Restoration, New York County

A comprehensive restoration of the Roosevelt Island Lighthouse led by the team at Thomas A. Fenniman, Architect has ensured that this James Renwick Jr.-designed beacon will continue shining for many more years to come. The project included restoring brick, stone, windows, and doors.

Site improvements at the Lighthouse include installation of a new metal spiral staircase, new electrical and LED accent lighting, resetting and installation of new and salvaged stone pavers and curb stones, and the installation of new recessed ground lighting and controls. The project was completed by the construction team of The LIRO Group and ICC Commonwealth.

Moyer Carriage Lofts, Syracuse, Onondaga County

Syracuse‘s iconic “factory with a house on the roof” was built in stages from 1882-1909. The building where luxury cars were once made has found new life thanks to a careful rehabilitation that has transformed the former factory into 128 affordable apartments — the largest affordable housing project in the city.

Newburgh East End II, Orange County

Completed in 2023, Newburgh‘s East End II is RUPCO’s largest project to date. This $37-million scattered-site development includes 24 building sites spread across a 7-block radius located in New York State’s second-largest historic district. East End II includes the restoration of 10 vacant historic buildings and added new construction on 12 vacant lots – creating a total of 61 new, mixed-income homes plus a community space.

The project includes ten apartments for formerly unhoused persons who now receive rental subsidy and case management services from an Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative (ESSHI) grant through the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports. In addition, RUPCO partnered with local nonprofit LYNC to adapt and reuse the former United Methodist Church as a commercial and community service hub called “Highpoint.”

Most Precious Blood Roman Catholic Church, Astoria, Queens County

The restoration of the Art Deco masterpiece Most Precious Blood Church was a monumental 15-year effort aimed at preserving a historic landmark while ensuring its continued service to the community. Key aspects of the restoration included the complete renovation of the exterior facades, belfry, and roof, as well as the careful repair and preservation of the interior Art Deco elements.

The team worked diligently to restore the iconic geometric stained glass windows, the monumental steel frames, and the intricate terrazzo flooring, all of which are critical to the church’s unique character. The aluminum pinnacle adorned with a stylized peacock screen — a symbol of Christian rebirth — was also restored, ensuring it continues to be a beacon of hope against the night sky.

“It is incredibly rewarding to see our team’s hard work and dedication recognized by the Preservation League of NYS,” said Project Architect Carlo Zaskorski. “This award is a testament to our commitment to excellence in preservation, and it reflects the collaborative spirit and expertise that our firm brings to every project.”

Revive 65 Phila, Saratoga Springs, Saratoga County

Through a strategic grassroots campaign, Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation successfully preserved 65 Phila Street, which had fallen into severe neglect. After years of advocating against demolition and working with the city to enforce property maintenance codes, the Foundation acquired the building in May 2021 with the assistance of Mark Haworth, a long-time member of the Foundation.

The Foundation undertook a comprehensive rehabilitation, including environmental remediation, structural stabilization, and exterior restoration. Through monetary and in-kind donations, the “Revive 65” campaign raised over $500,000.

The project, completed in 2024, removed long-standing blight, increased property tax revenue, and demonstrated the community and economic benefits of historic preservation. The property is now on the market, with proceeds going to the Foundation’s Historic Property Redevelopment Fund.

COLER HAS WONDERFUL ART!!  MANY TALENTED RESIDENTS ARE TALENTED ARTISTS.
THIS PAINTING IS IN THE COLER AUXILIARY OFFICE.

THE HIGH HOLIDAYS
ARE SOON.

CREDITS

GALLERY RIVAA
JUDITH BERDY
ESTHER COHEN

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THIS PUBLICATION FUNDED BY DISCRETIONARY FUNDS FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBER JULIE MENIN & ROOSEVELT ISLAND OPERATING CORPORATION PUBLIC PURPOSE FUNDS.

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