Excellence Award Spotlight: Arbor Gerard Block and the Carroll Street Warehouse Rehabilitation Project
The restored Lake St Building exterior at night. Photo by Molly Cagwin
The Arbor’s Gerard Block, the Gerity Pharmacy and the Carroll Street Warehouse Rehabilitation Project in downtown Elmira has been named one of this year’s Excellence in Historic Preservation award winners.
“It has been an honor and a joy to be part of this exciting project and an especially rewarding experience to have such special and unusual historic elements to re-incorporate into space that is being used for artist work studios, artist housing, and affordable living space,” said Elise Johnson-Schmidt, Principal Architect/Owner of Johnson-Schmidt Architects, P.C. “Elmira’s renaissance, of which this project is a significant part, is moving forward full-throttle thanks to the people and organizations who have worked hard to seek competitive state and federal grant funds; the craftspeople who have so beautifully executed the work; the beautiful old buildings waiting to be rediscovered; the historic preservation tax credits that allow this work to be financially viable; and in this case, Arbor and their team who have dedicated four years to making this project a reality. Thank you to the Preservation League for your much coveted award recognition!”
Arbor Development’s adaptive reuse of two historic commercial buildings and one industrial building into creator space, artist and affordable housing is a boon to the Elmira community. The three three-story buildings at 118-122 and 124-126 Lake Street and 414-418 Carroll Street went from being vacant to providing 28 residential units, 5 storefronts, 8 artist studios, and an art gallery. An ARTS survey conducted by Three Rivers Development and the Community Foundation of Elmira-Corning and the Finger Lakes just prior to the project’s initiation underscored the need for housing and workspace for artists in the region, which the project was designed specifically to accommodate.
Following Hurricane Agnes and the significant flooding it caused in 1972, an estimated 40% of Elmira’s commercial space was lost to misguided attempts at redevelopment. These buildings are survivors of that time. Threatened more recently with the possibility of demolition, they have instead been reborn, and are fulfilling the need for affordable and creative space as part of a vibrant historic city. The architects were able to restore and protect many historic features (including the original transom windows shown below, before and after restoration), while incorporating modern upgrades that make these spaces both energy efficient and beautiful. Instead of eyesores in the heart of downtown Elmira, these buildings are now a point of pride for their community – welcoming residents and visitors alike who are reminded of the City’s important past and its bright future.
The restoration adhered to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards to qualify for Historic Tax Credits, assuring that its rehabilitation was completed while maintaining the buildings’ historic integrity, and creating high quality space for its residents. Low Income Housing Tax Credits and Affordable Housing grant funds were also used, which required compliance with Energy Smart, Enterprise Green Community, and NYSERDA requirements. The result combines restored historic integrity and details with energy efficient modern upgrades.
This project involved nearly 30 separate entities, which required a high level of collaboration. Frequent calls and discussions with state agencies, project partners, and supporters was a fundamental part of its success.
“The Gerard Block Apartments project exemplifies how the adaptive reuse of historic buildings can directly address a community’s pressing needs,” said Preservation League President Jay DiLorenzo. “The creation of affordable housing and artist live/workspaces in such prominent downtown buildings will have positive effects on Elmira for years to come.”
The restored Carroll Street building illuminated at night. Photo by Molly Cagwin
The Arbor Gerard Block and the Carroll Street Warehouse Rehabilitation Project was funded thanks in part to NYS Homes and Community Renewal, state and federal Historic Tax Credits, DRI / City of Elmira, NY Restore, and Chemung County IDA.
The Arbor Gerard Block and the Carroll Street Warehouse Rehabilitation Project team included:
Arbor Housing and Development | Development Team/Owner
Jeffrey Eaton, CEO | Rocco Soda, Director of Real Estate Development | Jeanne Glass, Project Manager | Danielle Kenny, Project Coordinator | Amanda Wandell, Project Coordinator
NYS Department of Housing and Community Renewal | Reviewed drawings for state
Leonard Skrill, Upstate Director of Development | Christine Carrera, Design, Construction, & Environmental Unit Associate Architect
NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation | Reviewed drawings for state tax credit application
Julian Adams, Director | Sloane Bullough, Commercial Tax Credit Programs | Karen Brandt, Historic Preservationist, National Park Service | Approval of tax credit review
Hamilton Stern Construction, LLC | Contractor
Richard Potts, Vice President | Gary Lyons, Senior Project Superintendent
Johnson-Schmidt Architects, P.C. | Architectural design and historic preservation services
Elise Johnson-Schmidt, Principal Architect/Owner | David Anderson, Vice President | Charles Devine, Architectural Design Production Manager
Monica McCullough, President, MM Development Advisors | Low income housing consultants
Sustainable Comfort, Inc. | Regulation of sustainable practices
James Moriarty, Vice President | Jeffrey Love, Senior Project Manager
James Gensel, President, Fagan Engineers | Civil engineer
Ryan Filkins, Consultant, Jensen/BRV Engineering | Structural consultant
Philip Borrelli, Attorney, Philip Borrelli, Esq. | Legal counsel
William Murray, Partner/Lead Mechanical Engineer, EC4B Engineering, P.C. | Lead engineer of electrical and plumbing
City of Elmira | Completed initial feasibility study, supplied financing
Daniel Mandell, Mayor | John McCracken, Inspector | Code enforcement | Emma Miran, Director of Community Development
Southern Tier Economic Growth | Coordinated pilot agreement in lieu of taxes
Mike Krusen, President | Jill Koski, Senior Economic Development Manager
Jennifer Herrick-McGonigal, Executive Director, Elmira Downtown Development | Downtown booster
Christopher Moss, County Executive, Chemung County | Real estate tax abatement
Bruce Whitmarsh, Director, Chemung Valley History Museum | Support and neighbor of project, sold property to Arbor Development
Rachel Dworkin, Archivist, Chemung County Historical Society | Assisted in archive library navigation
Betsy Hale, President, Three Rivers Development | Sponsored arts survey conducted to evaluate the need for housing and workspace for artists in the region
Randi Hewitt, President, Community Foundation of Elmira-Corning and the Finger Lakes | Sponsored arts survey conducted to evaluate the need for housing and workspace for artists in the region
Dave Rochelle, Producer/Director, Creagent Marketing | Produced and edited video content
Molly Cagwin, Photographer, Molly Cagwin Photography | Shot and edited final photos
Click here for everything about the 2021 Excellence in Historic Preservation Award winners!
Since 1984, the Preservation League’s statewide awards program has highlighted projects, organizations, publications, and individuals that exemplify best practices in historic preservation and recognize the people who are using historic preservation to build stronger neighborhoods, create local jobs, provide affordable housing, open our eyes to overlooked history, and save the places that are special to all of us.