Town Of Smithtown: Grant Awarded To Survey Historic Caleb Smith House

Smithtown NY

21 January, 2022

6:09 AM

Description

Press release from the Town of Smithtown: January 20, 2022 The Town of Smithtown is Awarded a 2021 Technical Assistance Grant to Fund a Building Conditions Survey of the Caleb Smith House Which Will Assist with Repairs to the Historic Property The Town of Smithtown has been selected to receive a 2021 Technical Assistance Grant by the Preservation League of New York State and their program partners at the New York State Council on the Arts, Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation, and Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area. The grant is for the Town's application to conduct a buildings survey of the Caleb Smith House, which is the first step towards making restorations to maintain this historic structure for future generations to enjoy. Smithtown was one of the 17 applications selected by an independent panel of preservation professionals, out of 14 counties across New York state. "On behalf of the Town, I'd like to formally commend the Preservation League of New York and their partners for the important work they do in funding projects that protect and preserve historic treasures throughout the State. We are thrilled to be chosen as a 2021 Technical Assistance Grant recipient, for which we will be able to begin the first steps in restoring the iconic Caleb Smith House. Grant opportunities such as these allow our administration to pursue our promise to constituents to preserve the historic landmarks which still remain throughout the Township. We can ensure that Smithtown's future generations will be able to experience, learn and embrace the history of our community, which the Caleb Smith House represents thanks to this grant." - Supervisor Edward R. Wehrheim The Town of Smithtown received the Technical Assistance grant for $3,888, which will go to support a building conditions survey of the Caleb Smith House. The survey will be conducted by Jan Hird Pokorny Associates, an architecture firm focused on the preservation of historic buildings, who will serve as consultants to the Town. Upon completion of the survey, the Town of Smithtown hopes to take the next steps to make necessary repairs and restorations to the historic estate. An assessment of the present state of the home will permit the Town to undertake appropriate fiscal planning to address building deterioration issues and plan appropriate interventions. It will be broken down by its various components such as masonry, roof, structure and mechanical systems, and include recommendations of how those systems could be improved and the relative costs and priorities of those improvements. The Technical Assistance Grant Program is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature. Generous additional support for this project has been provided by the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area. A total of $62,953 was awarded in the 2021 Technical Assistance Grant Program. The Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) program is a regrant partnership between the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) and the Preservation League of New York State. The Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area has provided $10,000 additional support for the five projects within the National Heritage Area boundary. Three nonprofit projects on Long Island received Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation funds, totaling $11,960. The TAG program supports arts centers, historic sites, music halls, theaters, libraries, and other cultural nonprofit or municipal entities that steward historic buildings throughout New York State. With the announcement of the 2021 awards, support provided by TAG since its launch in 2012 totals $533,974. These grants have directly advanced the efforts of 172 preservation projects. This press release was produced by the Town of Smithtown. The views expressed here are the author's own.