Click here to read the League’s support letter.

We are pleased that 17 partner organizations signed-on showing overwhelming support for the following preservation initiatives increasing the historic tax credit from 20% to 30% for small projects, renewing the historic barn tax credit, maintaining funding for historic sites, support for the Environmental Protection Fund, and inclusion in a future Environmental Bond Act. All of which will provide much needed economic stimulus in a post-COVID economy in New York State. We look forward to continuing to work with the agency and our colleagues on important preservation matters.

Community members have rallied around the modest 1911 gambrel home located at 88-28 43rd Avenue in Elmhurst. A recommendation submitted to the city’s Landmarks and Preservation Commission details the historical significance of the home, which was formerly the longtime home of Walentyna Janta-Polczynska, the “First Lady of Polish Americans.”

Walentyna, a WWII Polish War Heroine, resided at this residence until she passed away on April 2, 2020 at 107 years old. She was the last living member of the Polish Government-in-Exile and from 1940 to 1943 she served as a confidante and secretary of the prime minister and commander in chief, General Wladyslaw Sikorski. Her home became an important stopping place for Polish emigre elite fleeing Communist Poland as well as distinguished scholars, professors, and dignitaries. 

This cultural site is a rare example of significance not only for Polish and Polish American culture but on the accomplishments of a modern female war heroine. To read more about Walentyna’s accomplishments, check out this article. You can also read our letter of support, which outlines the historic and cultural importance of this site.

On September 8, the Southampton town board voted unanimously to pass two resolutions to address the preservation of unmarked burials and grave sites within the town. Resolution 2020-759 serves to protect the sanctity of unmarked burial sites by creating the position of town archaeologist, establishing a clear local process when remains are uncovered, ensure consultation, and explore acquisition of land from willing sellers. Resolution 2020-760 enacts a temporary six month moratorium on certain development actions within the hamlet of Shinnecock Hills, which will allow the review of current laws and ensure that human remains and associated funerary artifacts remain undisturbed to the greatest extent possible. 

You can read more here, in our letter of support, and review the text of the resolutions here.

We applaud Southampton for taking actions to celebrating its historic and cultural past!

House Passes H.R. 2 Infrastructure Bill, inclusive of HTC-GO Enhancements & Temporarily Addressing COVID-19 Distressed Projects 

The Invest in America Act [aka the Moving Forward Act], includes $1.5 trillion to fund infrastructure projects. It dedicates about $400 billion in infrastructure investments for roads, bridges, and transit, and includes key Historic Tax Credit (HTC) improvements and temporary measures related to COVID-19 recovery endorsed by the historic preservation community.

Thank you to our New York House Representatives for supporting this effort, including those who co-sponsored the bill: Yvette Clarke [NY-9], Adriano Espaillat [NY-13], Brian Higgins [NY-26], Carolyn Maloney [NY-12], Sean Patrick Maloney [NY-18], Gregory Meeks [NY-5], Joseph Morelle [NY-25], Thomas Suozzi [NY-3], Paul Tonko [NY-20], Nydia Velazquez [NY-7].

A big thank you to all of our supporters who joined us in this advocacy effort. Your efforts and support of the Preservation League clearly communicated how important preservation is to our economic recovery. This legislation supports preservation in the following ways:

• A temporary increase for all federal historic tax credit projects to aid in post pandemic recovery (30% through 2024, stepping back down to 20% by 2027), and a temporary extension to rehab deadlines impacted by the pandemic;

• Make permanent most of the provisions in the Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act, H.R. 2825/S. 2615 (HTC-GO) including: 30% Historic Tax Credit for projects under $2.5 million;

• Eliminates the HTC Basis Adjustment, bringing more value to HTC’s;

• Reduces the Historic Rehab Test to 50% of a building’s basis instead of 100%; 

• Makes the credit easier to use by nonprofits; and

• Includes a provision for communities to rehabilitate existing public schools using the HTC.

Join our continuing advocacy efforts:

Contact Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand to share how HTC projects impacted by the pandemic would benefit from temporary HTC provisions in emerging COVID-19 relief Senate legislation. Explain how these enhanced and temporary HTC provisions would bring relief to distressed projects. Suggested messaging to Senators:

• “Please include these needed HTC enhancements that were in the recent House infrastructure bill (H.R. 2) to the next Senate bill, so it may be used as a tool to enable future projects to aid in the economic recovery.”

• Describe obstacles that local projects have faced during the pandemic, such as extra costs incurred and project financing difficulties.

• Share the HTC Recommendations for COVID-19 Relief and Recovery Legislation 

• Explain how the recommended provisions would help these projects and bring back the pipeline of HTC projects that are stalled in your community.

We applaud the House for recently introducing the Moving Forward Act, to aid in COVID-19 response and recovery. Investment in our communities will greatly aid in this response, and historic preservation is key to revitalization efforts. Page 86 of the Act outlines a way to leverage investment by temporarily increasing the Historic Tax Credit (HTC) from 20% to 30% for 5 years. Further, it amends the disqualified lease rules, making the HTC easier for nonprofits and other tax-exempt entities to access it by including projects like health care centers, arts organizations, community services, workforce training providers, and others to use the HTC. This legislation also includes several provisions of the Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act, which we have been supporting this past year. 

You can help by contacting your New York Congressional Representative and encouraging them to co-sponsor the Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act in the House, and ask Senators to support the introduction of similar legislation. 

On June 4, 2020, H.R. 7092, The Great American Outdoors Act was introduced by the House as the counterpart to S. 3422 previously introduced by the U.S. Senate back in March.

The preservation community is particularly hopeful about the additional good this legislation can do as it addresses the $12 billion maintenance backlog in national parks and public lands to support the preservation of historic and cultural properties.

This legislation will also provide dedicated funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), the nation’s premier recreation and preservation support program.

Thank you to New York Representatives John Katko, Lee Zeldin, Elise Stefanik, and Max Rose for co-sponsoring this important legislation. 

The following letter was sent to the Town of Colonie Planning Board in response to proposed development adjacent to the nationally-significant Watervliet Shaker National Register Historic District.

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Concept review for Capital BOCES, 925 Watervliet Shaker Road, Colonie

June 5, 2020

Mr. Peter Stuto
Chair, Town of Colonie Planning Board
Public Operations Center
347 Old Niskayuna Road
Latham, NY 12110

Dear Chair Stuto,

I write on behalf of the Preservation League of New York State to comment on the concept proposal for the Capital BOCES at 925 Watervliet Shaker Road in Colonie. This project is immediately adjacent to the West Family structures and on the remaining agricultural land associated with the West Family site. The Preservation League is New York’s statewide nonprofit historic preservation organization. We advocate for the protection of historic buildings and landscapes throughout New York State, assisting in advancing historic preservation and community development efforts.

The project proposed at 925 Watervliet Shaker Road is part of the nationally-significant Watervliet Shaker National Register Historic District. In 2018, the Preservation League listed this historic district as among the state’s most endangered, part of our 2018-19 Seven to Save list. At the time of designation, the League noted that the district was “exceptionally susceptible to insensitive development,” a threat that has only grown over the last two years.

Full build-out on this parcel, as proposed by the developer, would devastate the integrity of the West Family site. Other municipalities cherish, celebrate, and promote their unique Shaker heritage. It is sad indeed how much inappropriate development has been allowed within this important historic district. Not to mention the loss of agricultural land, wetlands, and open space within a heavily trafficked corridor.

We believe that the required permitting for this project will lead to a State Historic Preservation Office review under Section 14.09 of the 1980 NYS Historic Preservation Act. We also believe that given the size and National Register designation, this project would have a positive declaration as a Type 1 under the State Environmental Quality Review Act, requiring a full Environmental Impact Statement that includes the cumulative impact of all project phases.

The Preservation League has met with the developer of the neighboring parcel and Shaker Heritage, offering assistance in promoting the incredibly intact collection of West Family buildings. Allowing the maximum development at 925 Watervliet Shaker Road would also destroy the buildings’ viewshed, which the Afrim’s Sportsplex on the opposite side worked hard to preserve.

Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions. Thank you and the other members of the Colonie Planning Board for your consideration.

Best regards,
Erin

Erin M. Tobin (she/her)
Vice President for Policy and Preservation
Preservation League of New York State

Last week, a letter was sent to Congressional leadership from the National Trust for Historic Preservation supporting historic preservation initiatives during these challenging times. The Preservation League of New York State signed-on along with 378 other organizations and businesses, including the National Main Street Center, National Trust Community Investment Corporation, National Preservation Partners Network, and the Coalition for American Heritage.

You can view a blog post on the Preservation Leadership Forum that gives a brief overview of the National Trust’s work over the past several weeks.

We encourage those who care about preservation in New York State to reach out to your Congressional delegation to support the priorities set forth in the letter with particular emphasis on the programs you know best and are most relevant to your work. 

120 members of Congress signed-on to the House HPF letter in support of $150 million in funding for the HPF for FY 2021. This is the second highest number of signers and the highest level of funding ever requested in an HPF letter.

A special thank you to our New York Representatives who supported this effort: 

Antonio Delgado (NY-19), Eliot Engel (NY-16), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Brian Higgins (NY-26), Hakeem Jeffries (NY-8), John Katko (NY-24), Carolyn Maloney (NY-12), Joseph Morelle (NY-25), Jerrold Nadler (NY-10), Kathleen Rice (NY-4), Max Rose (NY-11), Elise Stefanik (NY-21), Thomas Suozzi (NY-3), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Nydia Valazquez (NY-7)

Federal Historic Tax Credit Program | Positive Economic Impacts for New York State

The impact of historic preservation goes far beyond that of preserving historic architecture and our history. Positive economic results are achieved through the federal historic tax credit program, which can be credited with stimulating investment, creating jobs, generating taxes, and increasing income/GDP/Output. The National Park Service along with Rutgers prepares a yearly report on the Economic Impact of the Federal Historic Tax Credit. While the 2019 report is not yet available, the Preservation League has estimated the 2019 data in the interim and provides a look between those estimates and the program numbers from FY 2014-2018.