New York State Register of Historic Places
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| New York State Register of Historic Places | |
|---|---|
| Name | New York State Register of Historic Places |
| Established | 1980s |
| Governing body | New York State Historic Preservation Office |
| Location | Albany, New York |
| Type | State historic register |
New York State Register of Historic Places is New York State's official inventory recognizing historic properties, districts, structures, objects, and sites within New York eligible for preservation incentives and protections. It operates alongside federal programs and local landmark systems to document resources from pre-colonial eras through industrialization and modern development in cities such as New York City, Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse. The register intersects with institutions and laws including the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the National Register of Historic Places, and state historic tax credit initiatives.
History
The register emerged amid late 20th-century preservation movements influenced by events and entities like the passage of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, advocacy by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and local campaigns in places such as Greenwich Village, Preservation League of New York State, and the Landmarks Preservation Commission. Early inventories reflected scholarly work by historians associated with Columbia University, SUNY Albany, and the New-York Historical Society. Important precedents include documentation efforts for the Erie Canal, the Hudson River School landscapes, and industrial sites like the Homestead Works analogues in western New York. Over decades the register expanded to include battlefield sites like Fort Stanwix, transportation resources tied to the Hudson River Railroad, and civic architecture by architects linked to McKim, Mead & White and Richard Morris Hunt.
Criteria and Nomination Process
Eligibility criteria mirror standards developed under the National Park Service and evaluate association with significant persons such as Theodore Roosevelt, Susan B. Anthony, and Frederick Law Olmsted, events including the Erie Canal era and Women's suffrage movement, and architectural significance from movements like Beaux-Arts and Art Deco. Nominations begin with documentation assembled by consultants, municipal historians, or organizations such as the Historic Albany Foundation and the Preservation League of New York State, and often rely on research in repositories like the New York Public Library, the New-York Historical Society, and the New York State Archives. Review involves assessments by professional staff of the New York State Historic Preservation Office and advisory boards composed of members from institutions including the American Institute of Architects and the New York State Council on the Arts. Projects tied to tax incentives may reference legislation such as the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives regime and state-level rehabilitation credits.
Administration and Legal Framework
Administration rests with the New York State Historic Preservation Office, housed within the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, which coordinates with federal partners like the National Park Service and state agencies such as the New York State Department of Transportation when compliance under statutes like the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and the New York State Historic Preservation Act is required. Legal protections and benefits can involve interactions with the State Environmental Quality Review Act and municipal ordinances in cities including Albany and Buffalo; listing can affect projects funded by agencies like the Federal Highway Administration and programs administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority when historic tax credits or grants are sought.
Relationship with National Register and Other Programs
The register functions in close coordination with the National Register of Historic Places; many properties nominated to the state register are simultaneously nominated to the national list, creating linkages to the National Park Service review process and to incentive programs administered by the Internal Revenue Service for certified rehabilitations. It also complements local landmark programs such as the Landmarks Preservation Commission and county-level commissions in Westchester County, Nassau County, and Erie County. Collaborative partnerships extend to nonprofits including the Preservation League of New York State, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and academic centers at Columbia University, Cornell University, and the University at Albany, SUNY.
Impact and Preservation Activities
Listing on the register has facilitated rehabilitation projects in former industrial districts like SoHo–Cast Iron Historic District, waterfront revitalizations along the Hudson River and Buffalo Harbor, and adaptive reuse of structures such as warehouses in DUMBO and mills in the Mohawk Valley. Preservation activities frequently involve grant programs administered in partnership with organizations like the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation and technical assistance from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The register has supported tourism economies in sites like Statue of Liberty National Monument, Saratoga Springs, and the Catskills while aiding stewardship of Native American heritage sites associated with nations such as the Iroquois Confederacy and archaeological resources curated by museums including the Seneca-Iroquois National Museum.
Notable Listings and Examples
Notable listings include landmarks tied to national narratives such as Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty, Susan B. Anthony House, Franklin D. Roosevelt's Hyde Park, and industrial ensembles like the Sibley Mill-era complexes and Massena facilities. Urban examples range from Flatiron Building and Brooklyn Bridge-era infrastructure to historic districts such as Hudson Historic District and Delaware Avenue Historic District; rural and archaeological examples include Fort Ticonderoga, canal architecture along the Erie Canalway, and plantation-era farmsteads. Each example reflects connections to figures like Alexander Hamilton, Robert Moses, and Harriet Tubman, and to movements such as Industrial Revolution-era manufacturing in upstate centers.