|
Article Audio:
|
SCHENECTADY — A quartet of Schenectady County buildings will be honored for excellence in historic preservation at the Schenectady Heritage Foundation 2023 Historic Preservation Awards event on Thursday.
In honor of National Historic Preservation month in May, the nonprofit group will host its annual awards at YWCA of Northeastern NY at 4 p.m. on Thursday, with the YWCA to receive recognition for the recent renovation of the historic building’s front steps.
“The YWCA is a wonderful neighbor in the Stockade with a wonderful mission,” Schenectady Heritage Foundation Chairwoman Gloria Kishton said on Tuesday. “The front entrance was really in need of repair and the administration of the YWCA started that project a few years ago and then COVID hit and they had a false start. But they kept pursuing it and they did everything according to preservation standards and the result really turned out well.”
All four buildings that will be recognized are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The renovation of the residence at 1105 Union St. in Schenectady will also be honored during Thursday’s gala, with homeowner Narine Premchan and her son Eric and grandsons Erwin and Edwin recognized for their 2021 rehab of the historic home.
“We select properties, buildings and projects that are outstanding examples of historic preservation,” Kishton said. “One of our board members had been watching the restoration of the Union Street house for quite a while and when it was completed we were really impressed that the Premchan family had banded together with three generations to work on the house and they really had quite a bit to do to save it.”
Donna and Lawrence O’Connor will also be recognized for their restoration of 1696 Main St. in the village of Delanson, with the “Jenkins House” dating back to 1876.
The Rochester-based Home Leasing firm will also be honored for their work in restoring the former St. Mary’s School at 104 Irving St. in Schenectady, with the developers retaining historic details of the original school.
Kishton said that the Schenectady Heritage Foundation aims to celebrate historic preservation in Schenectady County.
“We want to recognize people that appreciate incorporating historic preservation into society in general and to incorporate it into economic development in Schenectady County,” she said. “It really highlights how historic preservation can be used to spur other development and appreciate our history.”
Contact Ted Remsnyder at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @TedRemsnyder.
Categories: -News-, News, Schenectady, Schenectady County
