“Preserving the historic integrity of St. Paul’s School is not only a matter of cultural and historical importance but also of practical significance. The building is eligible for several historic preservation grants that can aid in its preservation and rehabilitation.” – Tara Cubie, Preservation and Advocacy Director, Preservation Long Island.
In a July 11, 2024 follow-up to our previous Letter to the Editor of the Garden City News, Preservation Long Island expressed increasing concerns about potential preservation options that could affect the site’s current National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) listing and eligibility for preservation grants.
Most historic preservation grants are contingent upon adherence to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties AND eligibility for listing on the NRHP. These standards state that façadism, a practice where only the facade of a building is preserved while the rest is demolished or significantly altered, is not a suitable treatment option. Implementing façadism would irrevocably destroy the historic integrity of St. Paul’s School, making it ineligible for both continued listing on the NRHP and potential grants.
The current proposed funding for St. Paul’s School relies primarily on the taxpayers of Garden City. Through careful planning with the guidance of a skilled grant writer and the creation of an independent conservancy, the taxpayers’ investment could be leveraged with various funding sources, including federal grants, state grants, and private investment. The partnership between conservancies at historic properties has a proven track record of success in New York State and on Long Island.
Read the full letter HERE. Learn more about the ongoing historic preservation advocacy efforts for St. Paul’s School HERE
