New York State - The Preservationist
Summer 2015
Brewing in Brooklyn
B eer making was big business in Brooklyn during the late nineteenth century, and the brewery at the corner of Bergen Street and Franklin Avenue played an important role in the industry's development and growth. Founded in the 1860s, the factory, which became known as the Nassau Brewing Company, expanded through the years and featured the latest in beer-making technology and equipment, from underground cellars designed to maintain a constant temperature to mechanical refrigeration. The company's prosperity mirrored the explosion of lager brewing in Brooklyn that accompanied the influx of German immigrants into New York City. By 1916, however, the factory was forced out of business due to competition from larger breweries. Now, with the help of preservation tax credits, the long-neglected property is being redeveloped (see above rendering) for commercial and residential use, helping to infuse new life into the surrounding area.
 
New York State - The Preservationist
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Banking on Preservation
With NCLB support, this vacant  building on Lander Street in Newburgh will be rehabilitated for apartment use.
Established in 2012 following passage of state legislation that allowed New York municipalities to create land banks to acquire and redevelop vacant and foreclosed properties, the Newburgh Community Land Bank (NCLB) has worked in partnership with the City of Newburgh to progress a community revitalization plan that focuses on the acquisition and rehabilitation of abandoned buildings in the center of the city for residential and commercial use. To support these efforts, the Division for Historic Preservation is updating information on the more than 2,500 properties included in the East End Historic District, which was listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places in 1985. Once the district is updated, the NCLB will be able to incorporate the most accurate property information into local redevelopment efforts. The division is also promoting the use of preservation tax credits and has received tax credit applications for some of the city's neediest properties.

Center of Excellence
When the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Canandaigua was threatened with closing in 2003, the local community joined together to advocate for its continued use and worked with the Veterans Administration (VA) to plan for its future. As a result, the 157-acre campus, which was developed in the 1930s, has become the VA Center of Excellence, focusing on  mental health research and education. The reuse of historic Building 14 is helping to progress the goals of the property's master plan. Through a public/private partnership and with the help of preservation tax credits, the building has been rehabilitated for housing homeless and at-risk veterans and providing mental health services. The building is part of the center's  Cadence Square complex, which provides affordable housing for veterans and their families.
Clermont Collections
Clermont State Historic Site preserves the elegant Hudson River estate of the prominent Livingston family. Established on land acquired through a royal patent in 1686, Clermont was home to seven generations of the family, including prominent statesman and inventor Robert R. Livingston. The main house is filled with family furnishings and art, including toys. These early twentieth-century rabbits were childhood toys of Honoria and Janet Livingston, who lived in the house with their family before it was donated to the state in 1962. The mansion appears much as it did when they were living there. We invite you to visit Clermont - tour the house, explore the grounds and discover the Livingston family legacy.
Preservation Square
The redevelopment of the Tishman Building on Lafayette Square in downtown Buffalo has transformed a vacant 1950s office building into a contemporary mixed-use complex that combines a hotel with offices and apartments. The office tower opened in 1959 as the headquarters of Iroquois Gas. It later housed the National Fuel Gas Company, which moved to the suburbs in 2003. The building's rebirth is remarkable on several fronts. It is one of a small number of mid-twentieth-century office buildings in New York State that have been rehabilitated using preservation tax credits. The building's distinctive metal and glass exterior has been preserved, while its interior has been updated for contemporary use. The project also incorporated a number of energy-saving features, including double-paned glass on the insides of the windows. This rehabilitation helps to further downtown Buffalo's rebirth, combining preservation with creative approaches for reviving underused office buildings.

Living in Peace
Located in the town of Victor, Ganondagan State Historic Site preserves the site of a large seventeenth-century Seneca village called the "Town of Peace." Come hear the story of how the village got its name, roam the land of the Senecas and enjoy nature from their perspective. Visit the reconstructed longhouse and see how the Senecas lived. The new Seneca Art and Cultural Center will open later this year and feature engaging exhibits, distinctive artifacts and contemporary artwork.
Irons in the Fire
Illustration by Richard Schlecht
Courtesy of the National Park Service.
Located in Taconic State Park in Copake Falls, the Copake Iron Works was established in 1845 and became a thriving iron manufacturing center during the last half of the nineteenth century. The furnace, which was improved in the 1870s, formed the core of the iron-making complex, producing high-quality pig iron for Northeast foundries. The iron works ceased operation in 1903 due to competition from new steel mills in the South and Mid-West, and most of the complex was destroyed in the twentieth century when the park was developed. However, the remains of the blast furnace survive and, with the help of the Friends of Taconic State Park, the stone structure has been stabilized and protected. Come visit the scenic park, enjoy its recreational facilities and learn more about the iron works through a series of new interpretive signs along the Iron Works trail.
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