Albany Housing Authority wins Excellence in Historic Preservation Award

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King's Place, 27-29 North Swan Street, Front Elevation, Restored. Photo by Albany Housing Authority.

• King's Place, Front Elevation, Before. Photo by Albany Housing Authority.

ALBANY, NY (05/01/2013)(readMedia)-- The Preservation League of New York State has selected the Albany Housing Authority to receive an award for Excellence in Historic Preservation as an outstanding organization.

The League's statewide awards program honors notable achievements in retaining, promoting and reusing New York State's irreplaceable architectural heritage.

"Albany, like many upstate cities, has struggled with the issue of vacant and abandoned buildings. While other municipal organizations have made the decision to raze and rebuild, the Albany Housing Authority has committed to retaining and restoring the historic buildings that give the city's neighborhoods their distinctive, historic ambience," said Jay DiLorenzo, president of the Preservation League. "The rehabilitation of houses in Albany's South End and Arbor Hill neighborhoods is a sustainable choice that bolsters the desirability of urban living for clients of the Housing Authority and neighbors alike. Finally, by providing space for the administrative offices of the Albany County Historical Association in the renovated King's Place property, the Housing Authority has forged a strong partnership with one of the beacons of Arbor Hill's cultural, historic and artistic renaissance."

Contributing to the success of the Albany Housing Authority are City of Albany Mayor Jennings; Capitalize Albany Corporation; Albany County Historical Association; Harris A. Sanders Architects, P.C.; Norstar Development USA; Omni Housing Development, LLC; CK Dennis Architect; AOW Associates, Inc.; County of Albany; Wainshaf Associates, Inc., CSArch Architects; Cannon Heyman & Weiss, LLP; and Taconic Title Agency, all of Albany. Funding support was provided by NYS Homes and Community Renewal; US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, Key Community Development Corporation; PNC Bank National Association; Federal Home Loan Bank of New York and Community Preservation Corporation.

Mayor Gerald Jennings called the King's Place project "another significant milestone in achieving the goals we set forth in the Arbor Hill Neighborhood Plan of 2003," while Michael Yevoli, Commissioner of Development and Planning and the President of the Capitalize Albany Corporation, described the Albany Housing Authority as an "exceptional partner in our revitalization of the Arbor Hill neighborhood."

Darren Scott, the Director of Planning and Development at Albany Housing Authority, said, "Thank you to the Preservation League of New York State for recognizing the role that the affordable housing community can play in the preservation and revitalization of what are often both our most treasured and at-risk neighborhoods. The Albany Housing Authority accepts this award with honor on behalf of our entire team of funders, project participants, and neighborhood stakeholders, whose support and hard work allow the Authority to be an able partner for those who wish to transform their future, and that of their community, into one of choice."

The awards will be presented at the Preservation League's Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony in New York City at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 15th at the historic New York Yacht Club, 37 West 44th Street.

The complete list of award winners is: the New York State Capitol, Restoration of Skylights and Laylights, Albany County; East 180th Street Station, Bronx; Keramos Hall, Brooklyn; Hotel @ The Lafayette, Buffalo; The TAUNY Center, Canton; The Central Trust Building, Rochester. Albany Housing Authority will be honored for organizational excellence. The Buffalo News: Dawn Bracely, Editorial Writer and Stanford Lipsey, Publisher Emeritus, will be honored as an outstanding publication.

"As we launch our 40th Anniversary celebration in 2013, the Preservation League is looking forward to exploring not just the past, but the future of historic preservation. Many of the 2013 award winners provide valuable examples for other practitioners by incorporating energy efficiency techniques, adaptive reuse strategies and Federal and State Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits," said DiLorenzo. "Each year, we are impressed by the number and variety of laudable nominations, and this year was no exception. We are delighted to celebrate the work of the Albany Housing Authority."

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The Preservation League's Excellence in Historic Preservation awards program is funded by a generous grant from the Arthur F. and Alice E. Adams Foundation.

The Preservation League of New York State invests in people and projects that champion the essential role of preservation in community revitalization, sustainable economic growth, and the protection of our historic buildings and landscapes. We lead advocacy, economic development, and education programs all across the state.