FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Anna Van Lenten
anna@cpw.org
347-254-0009
CPW Awarded Grant for Green Building Study at Van Slyke & Horton Headquarters
Kingston, NY, July 31, 2023–The Center for Photography at Woodstock (CPW) is delighted to announce that it is one of this year’s Preserve New York (PNY) grantees. The $14,000 PNY grant will fund a Condition and Feasibility study for the rehabilitation of the G. W. Van Slyke & Horton cigar factory, in the heart of the Midtown Arts District of Kingston. The building, constructed in 1907, is a 4-story, 40,000-square-foot commercial space with a red-brick exterior, open floor plans, and 12-foot ceilings, that will be turned into a museum and cultural center. CPW has contracted with consultant Scott Dutton of Dutton Architecture to complete the study in advance of future rehabilitation work.
Specifically, this grant will help to analyze various strategies for enhancing the building’s energy efficiency. It also will be used to assess the feasibility of installing geothermal, solar, and other modifications to the building envelope.
“This grant comes at a perfect moment for us,” stated Brian Wallis, Executive Director of the Center for Photography at Woodstock. “It will help CPW achieve its goal of building a healthy, energy-smart cultural facility that will be a downtown anchor for the City of Kingston, and a significant art center for the Hudson Valley. We are grateful to the Preservation League and NYSCA for their leadership on sustainability in the arts.”
“Climate change is real, and we are already experiencing its effects with more and more frequent extreme weather wreaking havoc on our communities,” stated Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger. “With this grant, CPW can now incorporate clean energy into the renovation of their new headquarters in Kingston. I am thrilled to support CPW as one of Ulster County’s leading future-forward nonprofits, and I thank the Preservation League and NYSCA for their ongoing commitment to funding for a green future.”
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
At its 2023 meeting, an independent grant panel selected 19 applicants in 17 counties to receive support totaling $279,936. Each grant supports important arts and cultural initiatives, as well as economic development related to our state’s arts and cultural heritage.
The Preserve New York program is a regrant partnership between the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) and the Preservation League, made possible with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
Since 1993, the program has been providing funds to municipalities and nonprofit organizations that need technical, professional assistance to guide a variety of preservation projects. The building condition reports, cultural landscape reports, and cultural resource surveys funded through this program lead to positive outcomes across New York’s 62 counties.
“This year’s Preserve New York grant cycle was one of the most competitive in the program’s history,” said Jay DiLorenzo, President of the Preservation League of NYS. “The 19 projects funded truly rose to the top and represent a great cross-section of historic resources found across the state. From a Shaker Washhouse upstate to the Little Caribbean neighborhood in Brooklyn, each project helps tell the story of New York’s rich history.”
About the Center for Photography at Woodstock
Founded in 1977, the Center for Photography at Woodstock 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 a digital media lab. In 2022, CPW relocated from Woodstock to 474 Broadway in Kingston.
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Banner image © EduardHueber/archphoto