Wednesday, October 14, 2009

"Suozzi Announces Partnership And Funding To Renovate Historic Properties"

Public-Private Partnership Provides Millions in Funding for Several Roslyn Properties

ROSLYN, NY – Against the backdrop of one of the oldest remaining grist mills in the U.S., Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi announced on October 13 a partnership with the Roslyn Landmark Society to rehabilitate several historic structures on three separate properties in the Roslyn area.

The comprehensive restoration effort will involve a total of approximately $4.2 million in funding from Nassau County and the Roslyn-based Gerry Charitable Trust, with the County portion derived the capital budget, the Hotel & Motel Occupancy Tax, and the Nassau County Environmental Bond Act.

“I am pleased to announce the formation of another dynamic public-private partnership that will allow us to undertake much-needed renovation of several significant historic structures in the Roslyn area,” said Suozzi. “Once the work is completed, these structures will be open to the public and will provide additional destinations for the exploration of the rich history of this County. I want to thank the Roslyn Landmark Society and the Gerry Charitable Trust for their generous support in this endeavor.”

The centerpiece of the effort involves the $2.2 million rehabilitation of Roslyn Grist Mill, one of the few remaining Dutch-framed colonial commercial structures in the U.S. Constructed between 1715 and 1741, the mill is located in the heart of the quaint business district along Old Northern Boulevard in Roslyn. The mill was operational for two centuries and played an important role in the development of Roslyn, but has been shuttered for decades. It was acquired by Nassau County in 1976.

The renovation of the Roslyn Grist Mill will involve returning the structure to its historic condition, including the exterior siding and roofing, and raising the building four feet so the entrance is at street level and the framing is no longer susceptible to water damage. “This is one of the most extensive and comprehensive restoration efforts of an 18th-century mill ever undertaken in the U.S.,” said Suozzi.

Just down the road from the mill along Bryant Avenue, the historic Cedarmere property will receive a $1.7 million facelift. From 1843 to 1878, Cedarmere served as the country home of William Cullen Bryant, the great American poet, editor, abolitionist and early supporter and friend of Abraham Lincoln. The work will include renovation of the exterior of the Bryant home, which dates to the 18th and 19th centuries, as well as the 1863 Gothic Revival mill overlooking the bucolic pond on the property. A small cottage at Cedarmere will also be renovated. The 7-acre Cedarmere property was acquired by Nassau County in 1969.

The final property being renovated, the Jerusha Dewey House, is located above Cedarmere on the 141-acre Bryant Preserve, which also serves as home to the Nassau County Museum of Art. This home, constructed in 1862 and done in the Gothic Revival style, was built by William Cullen Bryant for Jerusha Dewey, who was the sister of Dr. Orville Dewey, a prominent theologian of the time and Bryant’s friend. The $350,000 renovation will involve the complete restoration of the exterior, including the recreation of the original house colors (determined by scientific paint analysis). The Dewey House was acquired by Nassau County in 1969.

The nonprofit Roslyn Landmark Society, founded in 1961, is dedicated to preserving and promoting the history of Roslyn and the North Shore of Long Island."
Reposted from the County Executive website found HERE (website has a video also).

1 comment:

An Aesthete's Lament said...

Fantastic! Very good news. Now if only other municipalities would join in.