Tioga County Village Receives Funding

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The 1911 Central Fire Station is a landmark in the heart of downtown Owego, and the fire station’s tower can be seen throughout the community.

ALBANY, NY (09/27/2016)(readMedia)-- The New York State Council on the Arts together with the Preservation League of New York State will award $5,000 to the Village of Owego to support the preparation of a building condition report for the Owego Fire Station. The Preserve New York grant will be presented on Wednesday, September 28 at 1:00 p.m. at the Owego Fire Station, 87 North Avenue, Owego.

The 1911 Central Fire Station is a landmark in the heart of downtown Owego, and the fire station's tower can be seen throughout the community. The building retains much of its original detail, including architectural elements and period furniture. In 2011, Tropical Storms Irene and Lee caused significant flooding in Owego and the building suffered extensive water damage. The hardest-hit areas of the building included the basement rooms, which have wooden pocket doors and were previously used as public spaces. The current state of disrepair limits community use.

Crawford & Stearns / Architects and Preservation Planners, PLLC of Syracuse will complete a building condition report for the fire station, which will guide the village in organizing and prioritizing post-flood repairs and maintenance of this important community resource.

Preserve New York is a signature grant program of the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) and the Preservation League of New York State, and is made possible with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. "With the announcement of the 2016 awards, the total support provided by Preserve New York since its launch in 1993 is over $2.2 million to 346 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."

"The Village of Owego is honored to receive this grant award from the Preservation League," said Jenny Ceccherelli, Village Trustee. "Our Fire Station is one of the most valuable and important buildings in the Village of Owego Historic District. The Condition Report will lay the groundwork for future grant funding opportunities to make the necessary repairs to this prominent, historic landmark. This grant represents the first step in a process to preserve an important regional asset. We are also grateful to the Owego Revitalization & Betterment Corporation for their additional support of $1,000 to help make this effort a success."

"At its August, 2016 meeting, the Preserve New York panel selected 26 applicants in 18 counties around the state to share $202,000 in funding," said Erin Tobin, the League's Director of Preservation. "As always, the competition for these funds was intense. We are delighted to help advance the preservation efforts of the Village of Owego with timely funding from Preserve New York."

Organizations and municipalities receiving grants in 2016 are: Albany County: Underground Railroad History Project of the Capital Region, Inc., Albany - $4,000; Bronx County: Woodlawn Conservancy, Bronx - $6,000; Erie County (5): Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Buffalo - $7,000; Preservation Buffalo Niagara, Buffalo - $7,000; Roycroft Campus Corporation, East Aurora - $12,000; Village of Hamburg - $5,000; Village of Springville - $7,000; Franklin County (2): Historic Saranac Lake, Saranac Lake - $2,000; Village of Saranac Lake - $8,500; Hamilton County: Adirondack Historical Association/Adirondack Museum, Blue Mountain Lake - $9,000; Madison County (2): Oneida Community Mansion House, Oneida - $8,000; Stone Quarry Hill Art Park, Inc., Cazenovia - $7,000; Monroe County (2): Greece Historical Society, Greece - $13,000; David Hochstein Memorial Music School, Inc., Rochester - $10,000; Montgomery County (2): Village of Fultonville - $4,500; Village of St. Johnsville - $9,000; New York County: CIVITAS Citizens, Inc., Manhattan - $10,000; Ontario County: Ontario County Historical Society, Canandaigua - $9,000; Orange County: Village of Warwick - $9,000; Rensselaer County: Village of Valley Falls - $5,500; Schenectady County: Vale Cemetery Preservation, Inc., Schenectady - $10,000; Suffolk County: Sylvester Manor Educational Farm, Shelter Island - $9,000; Tioga County: Village of Owego - $5,000; Washington County: Hubbard Hall Center for the Arts & Education, Inc., Cambridge - $12,000; Wayne County: Town of Lyons - $9,500; Westchester County: Village of Tarrytown - $4,000.

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.