(WETM) — 13 locations across New York State have been nominated by the New York State Board for Historic Preservation to be added to the State and National Registers of Historic Places, with two being in the Southen Tier.
The Prattsburgh Commercial Historical District in Prattsburgh and Stewart Park in Ithaca both have been nominated.
Prattsburgh’s Historic District is being considered because it represents nearly the entire commercial history of the small hamlet of Prattsburgh between the 1870s and today.
The release says that the district is a continuous row of eight mixed-use brick and concrete buildings that feature Italianate and Neoclassical style embellishments constructed between 1874 and 1913.
These buildings are what give the village character, and showcase the style of commercial architecture of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century in western New York.
The second location nominated was Stewart Park in Ithaca, which has been a recreational park owned by the city that’s been enjoyed by generations of Ithaca residents.
According to the release, the park’s landscape reflects the evolution of Ithaca’s public recreational resources.
The park contains five visually distinct areas within four historic parcels, all being developed from the late 1800s to the 1950s.
Each of the four was once owned by separate entities before coming under the possession of the City of Ithaca by 1921, with the park opening to the public in 1923.
Some of the structures are still inside the park and are used as examples of their types of architectural integrity that help illustrate styles chosen for their uses.
Some of the structures include a boathouse, pavilions, platforms, footbridges, a tea house, and much more.
Being part of this list would be a good thing for the communities as it can assist owners in revitalizing properties by making them eligible for various public preservation programs and services through state grants and tax credits.
Erik Killeseid, the Commissioner for New York State Office of Parks and Recreation and Historic Preservation, believes that investing in historical resources is an investment in our future.
“State Parks knows how extraordinary our resources are and we are committed to preserving and promoting that historical fabric,” Killeseid said. “With State and National Registers recognition, opportunities for state and federal tax credits can help drive preservation efforts forward and encourage additional investments in our communities,” he said.
New York State continues to lead the nation in the use of Historic Tax Credits, with $4.5 billion in total rehabilitation costs from 2017-2021.
According to a report done by Rutgers and the National Parks Service, between 207-2021, the credits in New York State generated 69,769 jobs and generated over $1.3 billion in local, state, and federal taxes.
