“Second Life for Sacred Places” – Feature Article In Central New York Magazine: The Good Life

8 July, 2014 8:09 pm - Leave a Comment

PACNY encourages all of our members to check out the July/August 2014 issue of Central New York Magazine: The Good Life, which features an excellent article entitled “Second Life for Sacred Places” by Renee Gadoua of Manlius (and a PACNY Member!). The article discusses the challenges facing the preservation of former sacred sites, and highlights the ongoing transformation of the former Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church (501 Park Street) into Masjid ‘Eesa ibn Maryam (Mosque of Jesus the Son of Mary) and the revitalization of People’s AME Zion Church (711 East Fayette Street).

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PACNY’s Sacred Places Symposium (November, 2013) and our advocacy supporting the preservation and re-use of People’s AME Zion Church are also featured. We encourage you to pick up a copy today and learn about important efforts to preserve and revitalize sacred buildings in our area… and all your favorite places to get ice cream! A great issue of a great magazine!

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“Endangered Churches” – From PBS’ Religion & Ethics Newsweekly – Featuring 2013 Symposium Keynote Speaker A. Robert Jaeger

1 July, 2014 11:45 pm - Leave a Comment

A recent story featured on the PBS program Religion & Ethics Newsweekly includes a discussion with A. Robert Jaeger, the President of Partners for Sacred Places and keynote speaker for our 2013 Sacred Places Symposium.

Across the nation, declining church membership is taking its toll on the physical state of houses of worship. In Philadelphia, churches are venturing into new partnerships to try and preserve their historic buildings. “Congregations have shrunk so much and budgets have shrunk so much that it’s hard for congregations to keep up with their buildings,” observes Bob Jaeger, president of Partners for Sacred Places, who calls the neglect of houses of worship a national crisis. “Unless they do something creative and bold, many of them will close or merge in the next ten, twenty years,” he adds.

You can watch the segment from the PBS video below or see the official show page featuring a transcript of the event.

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Preservation Association of Central New York’s 2014 Awards Ceremony

10 June, 2014 5:06 pm - Leave a Comment

By Tom Magnarelli

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The attending crowd at the awards ceremony. Click for a larger view.

The Preservation Association of Central New York (PACNY) held its 2014 award ceremony on May 22. More than 70 people attended the event at the High Peaks Club at the State Tower Building in historic Downtown Syracuse. The ceremony honored 12 exemplary projects and community advocates who have made a significant contribution to historic preservation in central New York.

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The attending crowd during the awards ceremony. Click for a larger view.

Murray Gould, President of PACNY, served as the Master of Ceremonies and presented the awards to all of the recipients.

“PACNY was very pleased to host and honor all of this year’s very worthy award recipients. We are thrilled to see all of the positive developments in historic preservation and the rehabilitation and reuse of historic structures that have been ongoing in our region over the past few years. Congratulations to all of our 2014 awardees – we look forward to continuing our advocacy and partnerships to support historic preservation in the coming year!” (Murray Gould, President of PACNY)

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Waiting for the ceremony to start. Click for a larger view.

Some of the honorees included the exterior restoration of the Babcock-Shattuck House, the renovation of the Kallet Theater in the Village of Pulaski, and the newly opened Pike Block in downtown Syracuse.

PACNY’s Award Committee, Chaired by Patricia O’Reilly, coordinated the award nomination and selection process and organized the event. The High Peaks Club at the top of the State Tower provided a dramatic setting and all of the attendees enjoyed the best views of the city that are available in Downtown Syracuse.

Check out a complete list of all of the award winners:

Pat Earle Award for the exterior restoration of the Babcock-Shattuck House in Syracuse.

Pat Earle Award, for the Kallet Theater and Conference Center in Pulaski.

Jasena R. Foley Public Education Award to Dr. Samuel D. Gruber for his ongoing, sustained leadership and contribution to education, promotion, and advocacy of historic preservation in Central New York over the last 20 years.

Harley J. McKee Award to Gary Wright of CNY Builder Services for excellence in the promotion and application of appropriate preservation technology and fine craftsmanship.

Paul Malo Award to the Pike Block Project in downtown Syracuse.

Preservation Merit Award to the Downtown Committee of Syracuse, Inc. for promoting the economic revitalization, beautification, security, and preservation of the built environment in Downtown Syracuse.

Preservation Merit Award to Kate Auwaerter for her advocacy for historic resources in our community.

Preservation Merit Award to the Stevedore Lofts project for adaptive reuse of the former Standard Yarn Company woolen mill and warehouses in the City of Oswego.

Preservation Merit Award to the St. Patrick’s Lofts project for adaptive reuse and renovation of the former St. Patrick’s School.

Stewardship Award to Karen Howe for her leadership in the restoration of the Barnes-Hiscock Mansion.

Stewardship Award to Laura Serway and Cindy Seymour for Laci’s Tapas Bar.

Stewardship Award to SUNY Oswego in recognition of their outstanding care for Sheldon Hall in Oswego.

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The 2014 PACNY Awardees. Click for a larger view.

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