History, Natural History & the Arts
New York State’s Empire State Development Corporation’s proposed Pennsylvania Station Civic and Land Use Project (the “Penn Area Plan”) would demolish multiple blocks of historic buildings in the vicinity of Penn Station in Manhattan.
All told, over 40 historic buildings and structures stand to be lost while displacing thousands of residents and businesses. [Read more…] about Under Threat: The Penn Station Neighborhood in Manhattan
Willard State Hospital in Romulus, Seneca County, NY has defined the physical landscape and cultural environment of its rural corner of the Finger Lakes region for nearly 175 years. The hospital complex was the largest of its kind in the 1870s, with dozens of buildings, open space, and working farms.
Once comprising over 1,000 acres, its current size is about 400 acres including a mile of Seneca Lake shoreline and an institutional cemetery containing approximately 6,000 burials. Despite the loss of several architecturally important buildings, about 70 buildings still stand today. [Read more…] about Under Threat: Willard State Hospital at Seneca Lake
The Preservation League of New York State will host “Preservation Roundtable: Accidental Preservationists,” a virtual program about how to fix up a historic house, set for Tuesday, June 21st. [Read more…] about Accidental Preservationists: Preservation Roundtable
The Preservation League of New York State’s is still accepting nominations for their annual annual Excellence Awards program, which helps shine a light on the people who are using historic preservation to make all of our lives better — through exemplary restoration projects, indispensable publications, individual action, and organizational distinction.
Nominations are due Friday, June 17th, by 4 pm. [Read more…] about Historic Preservation Award Nominations Due Friday
The Downtown Oneonta Historic District is representative of more than two centuries of economic activity and urban development. The district remains largely intact, and contains an architecturally significant collection of commercial, converted residential, and civic buildings.
The downtown district characterizes broader trends in small urban areas where disinvestment and rural poverty are a direct threat to historic resources. Small cities like Oneonta represent important parts of the overall historic tapestry of New York State that without creative solutions could be lost forever. [Read more…] about Under Threat: The Downtown Oneonta Historic District
The Preservation League of New York State will host “Public Art x Preservation,” a virtual panel discussion exploring the intersections of public art and historic preservation, set for Tuesday, June 14th. [Read more…] about Public Art and Preservation Virtual Panel Discussion Set for Tuesday
The Thomas Memorial AME Zion Church is a testament to the struggles and achievements of Watertown‘s African American community. Its original congregation was formed in 1878, consisting of many railroad workers, some of whom were formerly enslaved and many who were active abolitionists. Under the leadership of Frank Thomas, for whom the church is named, members of the congregation built the church themselves in 1909.
Descendants of Frank Thomas continue to live in the community, linking the past to the present. From its early days and connections to the Underground Railroad to its consistent use for worship service through 2012, the church long served as an anchor for the African American community of Jefferson County. [Read more…] about Under Threat: Thomas Memorial AME Zion Church, Watertown
The proposed South of Union Square Historic District in Manhattan contains a remarkable concentration of sites connected to key civil rights and social justice movements, as well as influential literary, artistic, and music movements.
It offers a unique window into New York City‘s development in the late-19th and early-20th century, with an eclectic array of buildings, many designed by world-class American architects.
Despite its historic importance, this neighborhood is severely lacking in landmark and zoning protections. [Read more…] about Under Threat: South of Union Square Historic District, Manhattan
Since 1999, the Preservation League of New York State has highlighted New York’s most endangered historic sites through its Seven to Save program. The League works with local advocates over the course of the two-year listing and beyond, to raise visibility, assist with advocacy, and provide technical services. [Read more…] about Preservation League Announces Seven to Save
The Preservation League of New York State will host Social Justice and Preservation of Place, a virtual program set for Thursday, May 19th.
This webinar will focus on the intersection of social justice and historic preservation, looking at historic sites and cultural institutions with a social justice mission whose physical sites are integral to their work. [Read more…] about Social Justice and Preservation of Place (Virtual Program)