Excellence in Historic Preservation Award Winners - 2000

The Preservation League of New York State is proud to announce the recipients of its annual statewide historic preservation awards.  A total of ten awards are being given to individuals, organizations, and projects from across the state that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to retaining, promoting, or reusing our historic buildings, structures, and cultural landscapes.  The award recipients for 2000 are distinguished for preservation work that has spurred economic development, increased heritage tourism, provided affordable housing, revitalized downtowns, and supported the stewardship of our architectural and cultural heritage. 

The following recipients were honored by the Preservation League on June 15, 2000 at the New York Yacht Club, 37 West 44th Street in New York City.

INDIVIDUALS

Janet Bowers Bothwell, Maine, New York

Janet Bowers Bothwell and her family organization, The Bowers Foundation, have been instrumental in protecting, promoting, and increasing public awareness of the incomparable historic resources in the Southern Tier of New York State.  Mrs. Bothwell’s intense commitment to historic preservation, her support of preservation organizations, and her efforts to protect buildings through collaborative ventures, have made her a strong leader in her community.  The Preservation League honors Mrs. Bothwell for helping to ensure the future of the region’s heritage for generations to come.   

Christopher Gray, The New York Times

Christopher Gray, writer for The New York Times, has accomplished much to promote public awareness of our architectural heritage.  In his widely circulated column, Streetscapes, Mr. Gray raises important issues in the field of historic preservation and sparks reader interest in historic buildings.  He captivates the interest of his readers with his edifying in-depth research of specific sites and through an ongoing look at the changing face of New York City.

ORGANIZATIONS

Preserve and Protect for www.preserve.org

Preserve and Protect is a not-for-profit corporation that provides space on the World Wide Web for Historic Preservation and Environmental Protection Organizations.  The site, made possible with support from the New York State Council on the Arts, allows for a central location for links to numerous preservation organizations.  Preserve and Protect also posts information on current issues, keeps preservationists and environmentalists up to date with ongoing issues, and assists organizations with the design of their own web sites.  

Landmark Society of Western New York for  www.thehomeroom.net

The Landmark Society of Western New York hosts a city living resource center called the “Home Room” program that promotes home buying in Rochester’s unique and historic neighborhoods.  By viewing the web site, visitors can easily access information on historic city neighborhoods and quickly view individual homes for sale.  People may also visit the “Home Room” at the Landmark Society’s headquarters and browse through notebooks containing materials and photographs of the neighborhoods of Rochester.   

Glimmerglass Heritage National Register Project, Otsego County

The designation of the Glimmerglass Historic District is a result of the combined efforts of a coalition of eleven local preservation and conservation groups along with the State Historic Preservation Office.  Encompassing Otsego Lake - a long, narrow glacial body of water - this unique 15,000-acre cultural landscape in northeast Otsego County is one of the largest historic districts in New York to be listed on the State and National Register of Historic Places. 

PROJECTS

Albany Pump Station, Albany

The adaptive reuse of the 19th century Quackenbush Pump Station has had a strong positive impact on local leaders, developers, and the community by demonstrating the economic benefits of preserving Albany’s built environment.  For many years, the building – noted as a key component to Albany’s Urban Cultural Park Center at Quackenbush Square -- sat vacant and deteriorating. When C.H. Evans Brewing Company acquired the building and began renovations, they were adamant that it retain its industrial character.  This task was accomplished by project architects Dembling and Dembling.  Now a popular gathering place for residents in the Capital Region, the Albany Pump Station stands as a testimony to the strong potential of historic preservation. 

Burnham Building, Irvington-on-Hudson

After the Lord and Burnham Greenhouse Company closed in the late 1980's, the Burnham Building stood vacant and derelict at the foot of Main Street, overlooking the Hudson in the village of Irvington-on-Hudson. The building, vacant for ten years, was saved by a unique collaboration, spearheaded by the architect and including village administration and a non-profit developer of affordable housing.  Despite the impression of many in the village that the building was not suitable for reuse, it is now home to the Irvington Public Library along with 22 affordable housing units.  The sensitive rehabilitation highlighted the building’s historic features and  qualified it for Historic Preservation Tax Credits, an important part of the financing package.

Old City Hall, Kingston

Left abandoned and boarded up for decades, Kingston’s Old City Hall has been resurrected to its former splendor and original use.  Through the efforts of the city, Mayor T.R. Gallo and the nonprofit Friends of Historic Kingston, support of the National Register-listed building’s restoration was widespread. Renewing life into the 125-year-old landmark has helped to revitalize midtown Kingston and has demonstrated the city’s commitment to the preservation of its architectural heritage.   

Town Hall, Flushing

The once neglected Town Hall of Flushing has been restored to is 1862 grandeur as an area landmark. Under the leadership of the Flushing Council on Culture and the Arts and with strong support of the Borough President of Queens and the City of New York, a strategy was developed for an adaptive reuse as a cultural center, returning the building to public service.  It now serves as an important anchor of community activity and is regularly used for exhibitions, meetings, performances and other public uses similar to those for which it was originally intended.   

Grand Central Terminal, New York

A National Historic Landmark, a New York City Landmark, and an American icon, Grand Central Terminal once again shines splendidly.  Once threatened by demolition, the Beaux Arts building is as grand today as it was at its opening in 1913.  Its restored ceilings proudly show off their 2,500 stars, its balconies are lined with restaurants and shops, and its walkways bustle with life.  The magnificent restoration has brought about the renaissance of the surrounding 42nd Street area and is truly a testimony to the economic benefits of historic preservation.

The Preservation League of New York State Annual Awards Program began in 1984 as a means of honoring excellence in the protection and revitalization of the Empire State’s historic and cultural resources.  By publically recognizing exceptional historic preservation work and those who make it happen, the awards program encourages standards of excellence, builds local pride, and inspires others.

The Preservation League of New York State is dedicated to the protection of New York’s diverse and rich heritage of historic buildings, districts, and landscapes.  It actively encourages historic preservation by public and private organizations, agencies, and individuals in local communities throughout New York State and provides the united voice for historic preservation.

The Preservation League Statewide Awards Program is generously funded by the Arthur F. and Alice E. Adams Foundation of Miami, Florida.