In honor of Bastille Day, Village Preservation has released their latest interactive StoryMap, “French Flats: the 19th Century Innovation that Changed the Way We Live.” Beautifully illustrated with contemporary and historic photos, it shows how an idea imported from Europe utterly transformed New York after the Civil War, with the effects still very much with us today.
Read MoreOn Monday, May 19, the League was proud to present Roberta Brandes Gratz with our 2025 Pillar of New York Award, recognizing her decades of work in support of preservation issues in New York. Many thanks to the hundreds of people who gathered with us in the Rainbow Room to honor Roberta and her incredible contribution to the field of preservation. Thanks to the generosity of the people in the room (and a few from afar), the 2025 Pillar Awards raised over $300,000 to support the League’s statewide work.
Read MoreCheck out this 6-minute documentary to learn more about the Seven to Save-listed New York Amsterdam News!
Read MoreOn June 2, The Preservation League of NYS sent a letter to the entire New York State Congressional Delegation to stress the importance of the Historic Preservation Fund. Along with our Preservation Colleagues, the League is determined that our elected representatives in Congress understand the importance of the Historic Preservation Fund and related programs in communities across New York State. You can find that letter here.
But we also need YOU to raise your voice for preservation and contact your elected representatives.
Read More“The League is thrilled to recognize the historic headquarters of the New York Amsterdam News on our 2025-2026 Seven to Save list,” said Caitlin Meives, Director of Preservation for the Preservation League of NYS. “The storied Black-owned newspaper, one of the oldest and most influential in the country, has been in their Harlem location since 1936, and it vital that this history be protected and celebrated.”
Read MoreThe Preservation League of NYS has officially opened nominations for their 2025 Excellence in Historic Preservation Awards. The League's annual Excellence Awards program shines a light on the people who are using historic preservation to make our world better — through exemplary restoration projects, indispensable publications, individual action, and organizational distinction. New in 2025: The Preservation Trades Award, honoring individuals or teams that demonstrate exceptional skill, commitment, and creativity in traditional trades practices.
Read MoreIn our Trade Stories video series, we shined a light on what a career in the preservation trades looks like and the tradespeople who do the physical work of repairing and restoring our historic structures. In this webinar, we take a deeper dive into the industry and perceptions surrounding who trades careers are for.
Read MoreHighlights from the 2025 American Historic Trades Summit in Chicago courtesy of the League’s Director of Preservation Caitlin Meives.
Read MoreMeet this year's recipients: Jack Christie (SUNY Alfred State), Sophie Hass (Columbia University), and Elizabeth Kostina (Columbia University).
Read MoreOn Saturday, March 29, League President Jay DiLorenzo took part in Historic District Council’s 2025 conference, “Challenges and Opportunities for Historic Affordable Housing.” Jay spoke as part of the panel exploring Challenges and Opportunities for Historic Affordable Housing, alongside Mark Ginsberg, Founding Partner of Curtis + Ginsberg Architects, Jenna Breines, Director of Real Estate Development at West Side Federation for Senior and Supportive Housing, Inc (WSFSSH), and panel moderator Mariana Mogilevich, Editor-in-Chief of Urban Omnibus at the Architectural League of New York.
Read MoreSeven to Save Spotlight: Lower River Street Buildings in Troy. 213-223 River Street are vacant, but make up part of an intact historic streetscape in Troy’s bustling downtown — buildings on both sides are in active use.
Read More"The League's Preservation Opportunity Fund provides crucial capital funding for urgent preservation projects," said Caitlin Meives, Director of Preservation at the Preservation League of NYS. "We are thrilled to be able to support the hands-on preservation work each of our grantees are undertaking, ensuring these historic places can continue to serve their communities for many years to come."
Read MoreAlbany’s Guild House, a former immigrant settlement house situated behind the Cathedral of All Saints, has been added to the League’s 2025-2026 Seven to Save list. The building has been vacant for decades, but renewed efforts by local leaders hope to bring it back to active use to serve it’s original purpose of being a center for community support.
Read MoreAfter suddenly closing in 2024, local stakeholders banded together to advocate for Wells College. The League is pleased to join this group by including the campus on our 2025-2026 Seven to Save list.
“Our hope is that by recognizing the campus as a Seven to Save, the Preservation League can help PACNY bring together stakeholders to find a path forward through consensus,” said PACNY President Andrew Roblee.
Read MorePreservation Advocacy Week is a chance for preservationists from across the country to meet face to face with their Congressional representatives, educate them about the benefits of historic preservation, and ask for their support for critical preservation programs. This year, the New York delegation joined over 200 other advocates, representing 45 states and territories.
Read MoreThe Preservation League of NYS is thrilled to announce its biennial listing of the most at-risk historic sites around the state. The 2025-2026 Seven to Save list includes buildings and landscapes, represents communities both urban and rural, and showcases many eras of our state’s history. The listings themselves are both singular and representative — illustrating pervasive issues impacting not just these sites, but sites like them across the state and beyond.
Read MoreThe Preservation League of NYS drafted a statement decrying recent actions by the federal government to rewrite and censor history, notably by removing all mention of Transgender and Queer people from the Stonewall National Monument website. We aim to show a united front by joining our voice with our colleagues to condemn this erasure — and historic erasure of any kind.
Read More“…in whatever way in your life, in your work, kind of add the lens of language to how you're seeing environments and situations… we live in still a fundamentally multilingual world, very much a multilingual city and state, and of course it can seem like it's a challenge but also it's a huge opportunity — something to kind of embrace and value and wonder at. So I I hope some sense of wonder also kind of emerges through Language City.”
Read MoreSince Black History Month falls in February, and since it is cold and snowy in New York, we thought in addition to rounding up a few places to experience Black history, we’d also pair those places with a book or a documentary for anyone less inclined to brave the elements. It’s also a good reminder that Black history exists all the time — so check out some books from your local library and support your local PBS station this winter, and then make sure to visit the places that are promoting this history through the year. There are countless places around New York State doing incredible work to preserve and celebrate Black history and it is always a good time to support them.
Read MoreThe Preservation League of New York State is excited to announce that the 2025 Pillar of New York Awards Gala will take place on Monday, May 19, at the iconic Rainbow Room in New York City. This prestigious gathering will shine a spotlight on the incredible contributions of Roberta Brandes Gratz, a passionate advocate for historic preservation and urban revitalization. Gratz has demonstrated unparalleled commitment to advancing historic preservation efforts, making her an ideal recipient of this statewide recognition.
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