Center for Photography at Woodstock Hires Prominent Architects to Renovate Its Historic Kingston Building

Center for Photography at Woodstock Hires Prominent Architects to Renovate Its Historic Kingston Building

Kingston, NY, May 2, 2024– The Center for Photography at Woodstock (CPW) announced today the selection of the architectural firm Lopergolo + Bartling to direct the rehabilitation and renovation of its historic four-story headquarters in Midtown Kingston, NY. Lopergolo + Bartling, a team led by veteran architects Sara Lopergolo and Erin Bartling, will convert the 40,000-square-foot former cigar factory into a photography museum, educational facility, and community center. Construction for Phase 1 will commence this summer and be completed by the end of the year. Overall rehabilitation of the building is slated for completion by Fall 2027, the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the Center for Photography at Woodstock.

Brian Wallis, Executive Director of CPW, stated, “We are excited to engage Lopergolo + Bartling for this ambitious and innovative architectural project. In upgrading our historic industrial building, we hope to create a cultural hub for the community and a beacon for photography lovers everywhere.”

Sara Lopergolo and Erin Bartling have a combined 39 years experience as architects of cultural institutions and adaptive reuse projects. Associated for many years with the prestigious design practice Selldorf Architects, the co-founders have worked on projects including the Frick Collection and the Swiss Institute in New York City; the Luma Foundation in Arles, France; and the Shaker Museum in Chatham, NY. Their plan will prioritize access and community engagement through a contemporary, architectural lens, while drawing inspiration from the historical roots of the former cigar building.

“We are thrilled to be selected by CPW to transform the historic cigar factory in Midtown Kingston,” said Sara Lopergolo, co-founder of Lopergolo + Bartling. “As an Ulster County native, creating an artistic hub for the greater Kingston community is especially meaningful, and an opportunity for us to design something truly amazing for all to experience.” 

In its new building, CPW aims to create a model for a community-based, artist-oriented photography and visual art organization. During Phase I, CPW will renovate the first two floors of the building to construct close to 6,000 SF of exhibition space, including a community gallery, an expanded Digital Media Lab, an 80-seat space for its “Meet the Artist” lecture series, workshop space, offices, and meeting rooms. Further renovation in Phase 2 will add additional exhibition space, as well as a library, study center, collection storage, bookstore, and café.

Once renovated, the majestic space at 25 Dederick Street will be a significant cultural hub in an economically distressed area targeted for revitalization in Kingston’s 2022 Arts & Culture Master Plan. The Center has already received over $1.8 million in New York State funding to support the project. The building is located close to Kingston City Hall and the Kingston High School, and is one block away from the Empire State Trail and the recently redesigned Broadway-Grand Street intersection, a key part of Kingston’s recent business corridor improvements. 

Over the course of the three-year renovation, CPW will remain open for photography exhibitions, digital production, workshops, and free public events.

About the Center for Photography at Woodstock
Founded in 1977, the Center for Photography at Woodstock (CPW) is a not-for-profit arts organization with a two-fold mission: to support artists working in photography and related media; and to engage audiences through creation, discovery, and learning. At the heart of CPW’s mission is programming that is community-based, artist-centered, and collaborative. To foster public conversation around critical issues in photography, CPW provides exhibitions, workshops, artists’ residencies, and access to its Digital Media Lab. In 2022, CPW relocated from Woodstock to 474 Broadway in Kingston. In 2023, the non-profit acquired a 40,000-square-foot factory building at 25 Dederick Street, which is being renovated as its future headquarters, a photography museum, educational and community center. 

Press Images and Interview Requests
To request high resolution images for press reproduction and interviews, please contact CPW by clicking here.