Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

March 31, 2006

Catherine Jimenez
518.486.1868

State Board Recommends Diverse Properties for Listing on State & National Registers of Historic Places

(Albany, NY, Friday, March 31, 2006 . . . ) New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Bernadette Castro today announced that the New York State Board for Historic Preservation has recommended 40 properties for nomination to the State and National Registers of Historic Places. Property owners, municipalities and organizations from communities throughout the state sponsored the nominations.

"These nominations underscore the strong interest and commitment of Governor Pataki, the State Historic Preservation Board, and a diverse group of individuals and organizations in recognizing and protecting our state's most cherished historic and cultural treasures," said Commissioner Castro, State Historic Preservation Officer. "Historic preservation brings significant economic, educational and cultural benefits to local communities. Official recognition of these properties helps identify properties worthy of preservation and builds a firm foundation for improving quality of life through a variety of enhancement, tourism and revitalization activities where preservation is an investment in the future."

Some of the properties recommended for listing on the State and National Registers of Historic Places include the Susan B. Anthony childhood house in Greenwich; Calvary Methodist Episcopal Church in Albany; Latimer Reef Light Station in Fisher's Island; Gould-Guggenheim Estate in Port Washington; New Rochelle Railroad Station in New Rochelle; and the Strand Theatre in Plattsburgh.

The New York State Board for Historic Preservation is an independent panel of experts appointed by the Governor. The Board also consists of representatives from the following state agencies: Council of Parks; Council on the Arts; Department of Education; Department of State and Department of Environmental Conservation. The function of the Board is to advise and provide recommendations on state and federal preservation programs, including the State and National Registers of Historic Places, to the State Historic Preservation Officer, which in New York State is the State Parks Commissioner.

The State and National Registers are the official lists of buildings, structures, districts, landscapes, objects and sites significant in the history, architecture, archeology and culture of New York State and the nation. Official recognition can help highlight that state's heritage and can enhance local preservation efforts. Benefits of Registers listing include eligibility for various public preservation programs and services, such as matching state grants and federal historic rehabilitation tax credits. There are more than 4,400 National Register listings in New York State, including more than 85,000 historic buildings, structures and sites throughout the state.

During the nomination process, the State Board submits recommendations to Commissioner Castro. The Commissioner may list properties on the New York State Register of Historic Places and nominate them to the National Register of Historic Places where they are reviewed and, once approved, entered on the National Register by the Keeper of the National Register in Washington, DC. The State Historic Preservation Office and the National Park Service, which is part of the U.S. Department of Interior, jointly administer the registers program.

"The properties recommended for listing to the State and National Registers once again illustrate the vast diversity of New York State's unique historic and cultural resources," said Robert B. MacKay, Chairman of the New York State Board for Historic Preservation.

For more information about the New York State Board for Historic Preservation and the State and National Registers program, contact the Historic Preservation Field Services Bureau at (518) 237-8643, or visit the state parks web site at www.nysparks.com.

The recommended properties listed by region are attached.

STATE REVIEW BOARD RECOMMENDATIONS

• Albany County
• 1. Calvary Methodist Episcopal Church, Albany
• Broome County
• 2. Jonas M. Kilmer Residence, Binghamton
• 3. Old Hawleyton Methodist Episcopal Church
• Clinton County
• 4. Strand Theatre, Plattsburgh
• Erie County
• 5. Packard Motor Car Showroom and Storage Facility, Buffalo
• 6. Villa Maria Motherhouse Complex, Cheektowaga
• 7. Edward A. Diebolt House, Buffalo
• Franklin County
• 8. Loon Lake Fire Observation Station, Loon Lake
• Fulton County
• 9. Godfrey Shew House, Fish House
• 10. St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Middleburgh
• Jefferson County
• 11. Adams Commercial Historic District, Adams
• 12. Farview Manor, Clayton
• Kings County
• 13. Joost Van Nuyse House, Brooklyn
• 14. Immanuel Congregational Church, Brooklyn
• 15. East Midwood Jewish Center, Brooklyn
• Livingston County
• 16. G.A.R. Memorial Hall, Hunt
• 17. Hall's Opera Block, Avon
• Madison County
• 18. DeFerriere Cottage, Oneida
• Monroe County
• 19. Jayne and Mason Bank Building, Webster
• 20. William C. Jayne House, Webster
• Nassau County
• 21. Gould - Guggenheim Estate, Port Washington
• 22. Almeron and Olive Smith House, Plandome
• 23. Samuel and Elbert Jackson House, Wantagh
• New York County
• 24. 254-260 Canal Street, New York
• 25. Lee, Higginson & Company Bank Building, New York
• Onondaga County
• 26. Borodina Schoolhouse, Skaneateles
• Orange County
• 27. St. Thomas' Episcopal Church, New Windsor vicinity
• Rockland County
• 28. Onderdonk House, Village of Piermont
• 29. Major John Andre Monument, Tappan
• Schoharie County
• 30. Richmondville United Methodist Church, Richmondville
• Suffolk County
• 31. Latimer Reef Light Station, Fisher's Island
• 32. Karpen Residence, Lloyd Harbor