PLNYS in the Community — Blog — Preservation League of NYS

A Proclamation in Albany

On Wednesday, March 27, alongside our colleagues at Historic Albany Foundation (who are also celebrating their 50th Anniversary!) the League received a proclamation from Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan. In addition to the Mayor, we were honored that both Congressman Paul D. Tonko and NYS Assemblymember John T. McDonald were on hand to show their support. Relationships with elected officials like Rep. Tonko and AM McDonald are essential to our statewide work and we are grateful for their continued support of historic preservation in NYS.

Researching the Thomas Memorial AME Zion Church Thanks to the the Northern NY Community Foundation

In 2023, the League received a grant from the Northern NY Community Foundation to hire a summer intern to research the history of the Thomas Memorial AME Zion Church in Watertown. From May until August, Barb Tucker, an Empire State University Public History student and volunteer at the Jefferson County Historical Society, worked to conduct oral history interviews and compile documents relating to the social history of Thomas Memorial.

PLNYS in the CommunityJanna RudlerFebruary 15, 2024Thomas Memorial, 2022-2023 STS

The Land Protector Project 2024

Thanks to a Capacity & Regrowth grant from the New York State Council on the Arts, we were able to commission artists to design a creative intervention for each of the Seven to Save in an effort to draw community attention to these endangered places. In thinking about how to use artwork to celebrate and draw attention to Genesee Valley Park, it seemed only fitting to invite someone connected to the University of Rochester to be involved. Associate Professor of Art Heather Layton answered the call and crafted a multidisciplinary, student-led project. Working closely with our colleagues at the Rochester Olmsted Parks Alliance, 11 current students created work inspired by the Park.

PLNYS in the CommunityKaty PeaceFebruary 6, 2024STS Artist Interventions, 2022-2023 STS

Public Art for Preservation Around Penn Station

In the early morning hours of Friday, September 22, plant-like humanoid creatures appeared in the vicinity of Penn Station, drawing attention to proposed demolitions haunting the neighborhood. The Keepers, part of a performance art intervention created by Ed Woodham, have shown up in various gentrifying locations over the past decade. The Keepers appear when life is out of balance with nature. Their presence is a response to the gentrification and rapid mass development of urban areas where the importance of mixed-use districts, the area’s history, and the natural environment has been ignored.

Breaking News: The Keepers Loom at Penn Station

he Keepers’ presence here brings attention to the blatant demolition of the Penn Station neighborhood’s historic buildings, the environmental impact of that demolition, and the human cost of displacing longtime residents and business owners.

A Mural for Oneonta's Downtown Historic District

Historic preservation can serve as an economic life raft for upstate cities like Oneonta, but the public perception of preservation can be a challenge. As a way to celebrate the historic district, the League commissioned local artist Emily Falco to create a site-specific sidewalk mural strategically located in front of the Greater Oneonta Historical Society.

COMING SOON: THE KEEPERS

The Keepers is a performance art intervention created by longtime NYC cultural provocateur, Ed Woodham – scheduled for Friday, September 22 in three different locations around the Penn Station neighborhood (The Church of St. John the Baptist, Gimbel’s Skybridge, and the demolished Hotel Pennsylvania). The Keepers September activation has been commissioned by the Preservation League of NYS as part of a New York State Council on the Arts-funded project drawing attention to the League’s Seven to Save endangered historic sites across the state through artistic interventions. The Penn Station Neighborhood, which is threatened with needless and large-scale demolition, was identified as a Seven to Save in 2022. This project is organized in partnership with the Empire Station Coalition.

Big Impact for Small Towns: Investment Strategies for Rural Projects

Even small money can make a big difference in small towns. In this session from PastForward 2022, panelists dig into the results of the Northeast Heritage Economy Program (NHEP) grants, administered in 2020-2022. NHEP is a collaborative initiative of the Preservation League of New York State, New Hampshire Preservation Alliance, Maine Preservation, and Preservation Trust of Vermont.

PLNYS in the Community, Preservation in ActionPLNYS StaffMay 3, 2023

New York's First Statewide Deconstruction Summit

On December 6, preservationists, architects, contractors, environmentalists, students, academics, recycling coordinators, and city planners were among the 60 or so attendees at the first annual statewide Deconstruction Summit, held at Russell Sage College in Troy. The summit was co-hosted by The City of Troy and TAP Inc., with support from NYSAR, Russell Sage College, CR0WD, and NYSERDA. The goal was to generate ideas about potential statewide deconstruction legislation.

PLNYS in the CommunityKatie Eggers ComeauDecember 8, 2022deconstruction, sustainability

Behind-the-Scenes with the League in Buffalo

On an unseasonably warm and beautiful November day in Buffalo, League staff enjoyed a full schedule of behind-the-scenes tours, visits with colleagues and grantees, and a chance to see current and future success stories throughout the city. As packed as our schedule was, we also added many other sites to our wish list for another Buffalo tour in 2023!

PLNYS in the Community, PLNYS Site VisitsKatie Eggers ComeauNovember 15, 2022Buffalo

A Determination of Eligibility for Willard State: One Step Toward Saving This Historic Site

On Monday, August 15, the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation (OPRHP) issued an official determination that the former Willard State Hospital complex is eligible for the State and National Registers of Historic Places. The Finger Lakes campus, which straddles the town lines of Ovid and Romulus, is one of the League’s 2022-2023 Seven to Save sites.

Walking in Olmsted's Footsteps in Rochester's Highland Park

2022 marks the bicentennial of Frederick Law Olmsted’s birth. To help mark the occasion, we reached out to our friends at Highland Park Conservancy to collaborate on a walking tour of the jewel of Rochester’s park system.

PLNYS in the CommunityKaty PeaceJune 6, 2022lanscape, Rochester, Olmsted

Demolition Alert: Former Colonie Village School

We recently learned of the proposed demolition of the the brick schoolhouse that has sat prominently at 1653 Central Ave in Colonie for the past 90 years.

PLNYS in the CommunityChristina HingleOctober 28, 2020

Statewide Opera House Survey

Greg Socinski is interning with the Preservation League of NYS to create a comprehensive database of extant historic opera houses throughout the state. This internship project is underwritten by the Arthur F. and Alice E. Adams Foundation. In 2018-2019, Historic Opera Houses were included on our biennial Seven to Save list of at-risk historic places. This project is a continuation of work that began during that Seven to Save cycle. If there is a historic opera house in your community, feel free to reach out to Greg by emailing gsocinski@preservenys.org.

PLNYS in the CommunityGreg SocinskiSeptember 1, 2020Seven to Save, Opera Houses

The Preservation League of New York State’s Response to Recent Protests

We stand with our Black colleagues and collaborators, and people everywhere who speak out against racism. We believe that our work as preservationists means telling complete stories even when those stories are difficult or painful.

PLNYS in the CommunityPLNYS StaffJune 2, 2020

Road Trip to Schoharie

League President Jay DiLorenzo took a short road trip to admire a few historic sites in Schoharie. Here are his highlights.

PLNYS in the CommunityJay DiLorenzoMay 19, 2020

A Dive Into the Archives for Preservation Month

Celebrating Preservation Month with a look back at some of the historic places we’ve been involved with over the years.

PLNYS in the CommunityKaty PeaceMay 1, 2020

2019 Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference

Manager of Technical & Grant Programs Frances Stern recently spent a few days in Atlanta exploring the theme of Equity First: Revitalizing Communities Together at the annual Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference hosted by the Center for Community Progress.

PLNYS in the CommunityFrances M. SternOctober 29, 2019