Monroe County Preservation Efforts Win Funding

Related Media

Owners of buildings like these in the KodaVista neighborhood in Greece could take advantage of preservation tax credits if a survey leads to successful National Register nomination.

• More homeowners in Rochester's Maplewood neighborhood could take advantage of preservation tax credits if efforts to expand the Maplewood Historic District are successful.

ALBANY, NY (11/11/2015)(readMedia)-- The Preservation League of New York State recently announced two Preserve New York grants in Monroe County.

The Town of Greece Department of Development Services received a grant of $9,800 for an Intensive Level Survey of the KodaVista neighborhood.

The KodaVista neighborhood was developed in the 1920s as a residential area for Eastman Kodak employees as part of the Kodak Employee Realty Corporation. Development continued into the mid-20th century, and although the neighborhood is currently bound by big box commercial development and a major thoroughfare, the streets within the neighborhood remain intact with few architectural alterations.

The community is in a NYS Rehabilitation Tax Credit-eligible census tract and could become the only National Register Historic District in the town of Greece. This project fits into the town's master plan objective of preserving historic resources and promoting neighborhood revitalization.

The Maplewood Neighborhood Association in Rochester received a grant of $7,500 to support the cost of efforts to expand an existing Historic District.

The Maplewood neighborhood rose alongside the historic Maplewood Park, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. The neighborhood contains buildings from the mid-19th century through the 1920s, reflecting the popular styles of the era such as Tudor Revival, Queen Anne, Shingle, Arts and Crafts, and Colonial Revival. The growth of the Eastman Kodak Company near the Maplewood neighborhood also contributed to its growth.

This survey project will expand the current Maplewood Historic District, which includes main boulevards and avenues such as Seneca Parkway and Lake Avenue. The Maplewood Neighborhood Association is eager to see more of the area officially designated as historic and plans to interpret this expansion through walking tours and updated website information. Bero Architecture of Rochester will complete the project.

The Preserve New York Grant Program is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. "With the announcement of the 2015 awards, the total support provided by Preserve New York since its launch in 1993 is just over $2 million to 320 projects statewide," said Jay DiLorenzo, President of the Preservation League. "Preserve New York has a strong track record of bolstering local preservation efforts and delivering a strong return on investment."

"At its August, 2015 meeting, the Preserve New York grant program panel selected 14 applicants in 11 counties around the state to share $114,990 in funding," said Erin Tobin, the League's Director of Preservation. "As always, the competition for these funds was intense. The Preservation League is delighted to help advance the preservation efforts of the Town of Greece and Rochester's Maplewood Neighborhood Association with timely funding from Preserve New York."

Organizations and municipalities receiving grant awards in 2015 are: Albany County: City of Albany Department of Development and Planning; Cayuga County: Seward House Museum, Auburn; Chautauqua County: Jamestown Renaissance Corporation; Chemung County: Elmira Downtown Development, Inc. (EDD); Erie County: Landmark Society of Western New York; Monroe County (2): Town of Greece, Department of Development Services; Maplewood Neighborhood Association, Rochester; Montgomery County (2): Montgomery County Department of History and Archives; Village of Palatine Bridge; Niagara County: City of North Tonawanda; Schenectady County: Vale Cemetery Association, Schenectady; Schoharie County: Village of Schoharie; Suffolk County (2): Higher Ground Inter-Cultural & Heritage Associates, Brookhaven; Sylvester Manor Educational Farm, Shelter Island.

For more information on the Preserve New York Grant Program, please call 518-462-5658 x 10 or visit the League's website at www.preservenys.org.