Announcing the Inaugural Preservation Opportunity Fund Grantees
The Preservation League of NYS Announces Inaugural Recipients of the Preservation Opportunity Fund Grant
This brand-new grant program from the Preservation League will fund brick-and-mortar projects at historic sites around the state
ALBANY, NY, 6.26.24 — The Preservation League of NYS is thrilled to share that three capital projects will receive funding from the newly launched Preservation Opportunity Fund. As Preservation League President Jay DiLorenzo said when the grant program was first announced in February, “We have seen a clear need from nonprofits across the state for more grant funding specifically for capital improvement projects. Through our new Preservation Opportunity Fund, we hope to meet some of that need.”
Albany County Historical Association’s Ten Broeck Mansion Roof Restoration, Albany, Albany County
"The Albany County Historical Association is honored to receive this generous grant from the Preservation League of NYS. The 1798 Ten Broeck Mansion is a cornerstone of the history and culture of the upper Hudson Valley as a community-centered museum,” said Albany County Historical Association (ACHA) Executive Director Kathryn Kosto. “This funding comes at a critical moment, allowing us to address roof leaks due to increasingly severe storms that are causing active deterioration. Thanks to this grant, the Ten Broeck Mansion can be preserved to serve future generations as a place for exploration, learning, and delight."
The project addresses water infiltration via the roof at the Ten Broeck Mansion, leading to increasing historic finish and structural damage to 18th and 19th century historic materials. The project will systematically repair the slate roof on the Ten Broeck Mansion and the 1850/80 southern addition roof, as well as restoring a deteriorated balustrade and roof deck. These funds will help match community donations and existing grant funds, which were received thanks to successive planning, research, and study grants generously funded by the Preservation League of NYS since 2015.
The ACHA was founded in 1942 as a nonprofit organization dedicated to presenting and preserving the rich and diverse history and culture of Albany County. ACHA received the 1798 Ten Broeck Mansion and part of the 1764 historic landscape as a gift from the Olcott Family in 1948 and has operated the Ten Broeck Mansion and historic gardens as a museum since then. ACHA serves over 8,500 people annually as a community-centered museum with free family garden, arts, culture, and history education programs, plus tours, lectures, exhibits, and community outreach initiatives.
Thomas Memorial AME Zion Church’s Emergency Structural Stabilization to Mitigate Water Damage, Watertown, Jefferson County
Following the formation of the AME Zion Church in 1821, the Thomas Memorial congregation was formed in 1878 and incorporated in 1880. The construction of their church building was completed in 1909 in the Late Gothic Revival style. It represented the only African American congregation in Jefferson County for several years. The church's masonry blocks were formed by the hands of the congregation and community members. The church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002. It served as a place of worship for many years before it closed its doors due to a lack of congregation attendance and a need for extensive repair work. The church has remained vacant since the passing of Mr. William "Buster" Crabbe in 2017 who was the church caretaker. In 2021 a group informally named "Friends of Thomas Memorial" began to discuss ways to preserve the church. This group consists of preservation experts who have devoted time to bring awareness to the need to preserve and repair the church structure. In 2022, the church was included on the Preservation League’s Seven to Save list of endangered historic sites. This POF grant funding will help continue efforts in stabilizing the church's failing structural infrastructure, caused by age and water damage.
"This is exciting news for the Thomas Memorial AME Zion Church,” said Shameika Ingram, founder of Preservation In Color. “We have been working for the past three years to find grant funding while highlighting the history of the church. Being one of the recipients of the Preservation Opportunity Grant is another victory for the church."
“Adirondack Architectural Heritage is honored to serve as the fiscal sponsor for Preservation in Color and to support Shameika Ingram’s leadership in organizing the effort to preserve Thomas Memorial AME Zion Church in Watertown,” said Erin Tobin, executive director of Adirondack Architectural Heritage.
Preservation In Color is a grassroots preservation consulting company that highlights the creative ways we preserve Black history, culture, and community.
Adirondack Architectural Heritage is the nonprofit historic preservation organization for New York State’s Adirondack region, with a mission to promote better public understanding, appreciation, and stewardship of the region’s unique and diverse architectural heritage.
Old Fort Johnson’s Gutter Restoration, Fort Johnson, Montgomery County
“Preservation Opportunity Funds will help us complete an important component of our larger roof restoration project,” said Rachel Bliven, Director of the Montgomery County Historical Society. “As a small nonprofit facing ever-rising costs, we are constantly challenged with the work of maintaining Sir William Johnson’s 275-year-old house. We are grateful for the support of the Preservation League of New York State and their leadership in preserving our heritage.”
Preservation League funding will repair Old Fort Johnson’s failing perimeter gutter drainage system and restore water-damaged cornices and eaves. This is an important component of a larger roof restoration project that will replace deteriorated wooden shingles, restore seven dormers and preserve the exterior envelope of Old Fort Johnson from cornice to ridge cap.
The Montgomery County Historical Society has been headquartered in Old Fort Johnson since 1906. Old Fort Johnson is the 1749 limestone house built by William Johnson on the Mohawk River in colonial New York. In addition to preserving this National Historic Landmark building, they open it to the public with restored period rooms, exhibits, collections, and programs that focus on the history of Montgomery County and Sir William Johnson, who shaped the development of colonial New York’s western frontier. Johnson was appointed Superintendent of Native American Affairs for all the northern British colonies, holding numerous councils on site to ally native nations with Britain in wars against France (1755-1763).
The launch of the Preservation Opportunity Fund coincides with the Preservation League’s 50th Anniversary and the organization’s recent five-year plan, which laid out clear goals for the statewide nonprofit moving forward. The creation of the Preservation Opportunity Fund is a key tactic to meeting the organization’s goal of “Protecting our heritage from loss.” Giving organizations the money they need to complete pressing projects will enable them to successfully steward those historic sites for many more years to come.
Annual grants made from this fund will support discrete capital projects on historic buildings, sites, structures, and objects. Organizations with an ownership interest in, or a long-term lease of, a historic property requiring preservation, restoration, or rehabilitation, are eligible. These grant funds aim to help those organizations that already have a clear idea of what their historic building needs — but may not yet have the funding in place to make it happen.
About the Preservation League of New York State
Since its founding in 1974, the Preservation League of NYS has built a reputation for action and effectiveness. Our goal has been to preserve our historic buildings, districts, and landscapes and to build a better New York, one community at a time. The League empowers all New Yorkers to use historic preservation to enrich their communities, protect their heritage, and build a sustainable future. We lead advocacy, economic development, and education programs across the state.
Connect with us at preservenys.org, facebook.com/preservenys, youtube.com/c/PreservationLeague and instagram.com/preservenys
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