National Trust for Historic Preservation Presents National Preservation Honor Award to the Museum at Eldridge Street in New York, NY
Monumental Facelift Erases Decades Of Decay And Brings Sanctuary Back To Life
Posted October 21, 2008 | Contact pr@nthp.org or 202-588-6141
Today, the National Trust for Historic Preservation presented the Museum at Eldridge Street in New York, NY its National Preservation Honor Award. The project was one of 21 national award winners honored by the National Trust for Historic Preservation during its 2008 National Preservation Conference in Tulsa, OK.
The Museum at Eldridge Street (located in the Eldridge Street Synagogue) sits in Manhattan's storied Lower East Side, a gateway for generations of immigrants now steadily disappearing because of development. When it first opened in 1887 at the height of Eastern European Jewish immigration, the Synagogue was an island of grandeur amid the chaotic bustle. Yet, the building became a pale reminder of its former self as the congregation moved away and the Synagogue fell into disuse. Now, after a monumental 20-year, $20 million restoration remarkable for its innovative use of both historic elements and new, energy-saving materials, this National Historic Landmark has finally returned to its former splendor and today is both a museum and a functioning synagogue.
The restoration process faced daunting realities – the roof leaked, a stairway had collapsed, stained glass windows were broken, pigeons roosted in the sanctuary and mold covered every interior surface. Using a preservation philosophy attuned to the history and aesthetics of the site, original materials were gently cleaned and decorative finishes painstakingly revealed beneath layers of grime and paint. Restorers were able even to preserve the undulations in the pine floorboards formed by the traditional practice of swaying to and fro while standing for prayer.
The Synagogue used inventive approaches to meet modern safety codes and requirements while retaining the building's authenticity. The massive chandelier's central oculus was converted to a hidden smoke purge system; the collapsed stairway made space for a new elevator; and historic light fixtures were wired to for both ambient and emergency lighting.
The restoration also used new green building methods and materials. The attic insulation, for instance, is made from recycled blue jeans; the bathroom-stall partitions are recycled plastic milk jugs; and the lobby countertop is recycled glass. To keep from enlarging the building's footprint, workers expanded and dug beneath the original foundation to create space for a museum gift shop, climate-control and electrical systems, restrooms and a kitchen.
"In a changing neighborhood, the restored Museum at Eldridge Street is a doorway into the lives of immigrants who helped shaped America," says Richard Moe, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. "This dramatic restoration has yielded an important link to a crucial part of American history."
Co-nominees honored today for Eldridge Street Synagogue's Honor Award are: Eldridge Street Project, Walter Sedovic Architects, Wiss Janney Elstner Associates, Simpson, Gumpertz & Heger, Robert Silman Associates PC, Goldman, Copeland Associates, Reynaldo C. Prego, T. Higgins Construction, Landmark Slate & Copper Works Inc., Seaboard Weatherproofing Company Inc., EverGreene Painting Studio, The Gil Studios, Aurora Lampworks Inc., Stuart Dean Co., ICS Builders, Damo Construction, Boro Plastering, Marcel Electrical Contracting Corp., BP&J Associates and Northshore Plumbing Inc.
The National Preservation Awards are bestowed on distinguished individuals, nonprofit organizations, public agencies and corporations whose skill and determination have given new meaning to their communities through preservation of our architectural and cultural heritage. These efforts include citizen attempts to save and maintain important landmarks; companies and craftsmen whose work restores the richness of the past; the vision of public officials who support preservation projects and legislation in their communities; and educators and journalists who help Americans understand the value of preservation. The winners of the National Preservation Awards will appear in the November/December issue of Preservation Magazine and online at www.PreservationNation.org/magazine.
To download high resolution images of this year’s National Preservation Award winners, visit http://press.nationaltrust.org/
The 2008 National Preservation Award Winners:
Louise DuPont Crowninshield Award: Mark Michel and Jane Blaffer Owen—Both Mark Michel and Jane Blaffer Owen have expertly combined vision, action and leadership to launch highly ambitious initiatives that protect some of the nation’s most precious—and fragile—historic treasures.
John H. Chafee Trustees Award for Outstanding Achievement in Public Policy: Andrew Potts, Washington, DC—From the corridors of the Capitol to corporate offices, Andrew Potts has provided informed, impassioned advocacy to save buildings and bring neighborhoods back to life.
Trustees Award for Organizational Excellence:GiffordPark Association, Elgin, IL—The all-volunteer Gifford Park Association creatively and innovatively revamped its historic neighborhood. Today, Elgin is a proud showplace for preservation and stands as a model for what vision and hard work can achieve.
Trustee Emeritus Award for Excellence in the Stewardship of Historic Sites: Edison & Ford Winter Estates, Fort Myers, FL—A recently completed $10 million effort rescued the side-by-side winter estates of two of history’s most inventive and influential geniuses, transforming the site into a premier education center and community resource.
NT/HUD Secretary’s Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation: Curley School Project, Ajo, AZ—The pride and joy of a small mining town when it opened in 1919, the CurleySchool was forced to close its doors when hard times hit in the 1980s. Reclaiming the building was a risky proposition, but an array of public and private partners came together to reopen the School as the centerpiece of a community-wide revitalization effort.
National Trust /ACHP Award for Federal Partnerships in Historic Preservation: V-Site Restoration Project, Los Alamos, NM—A small cluster of buildings, the V-Site was where the world’s first plutonium bombs were assembled during World War II. After the War ended, the buildings stood empty and threatened with demolition until an innovative preservation partnership ensured that time would stand still in a place where the world changed forever.
THE 2008 NATIONAL PRESERVATION HONOR AWARD WINNERS:
Arkansas Heritage SITES, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR—This innovative program has made significant progress in protecting the cultural assets of the rural Arkansas Delta while sparking economic revitalization, heritage tourism and spinoff business development in nearby communities.
William, Gayle and Carl Cook, Bloomington, IN—In the mid 1990s, the Cook family began helping the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana rescue the collapsing West Baden Springs and French Lick Springs Hotels. Thanks to this never-say-die family, two historic treasures have been saved and economic prosperity has returned to the community.
Crow Canyon Archaeological Center, Cortez, CO—Dedicated to the research of the ancestral American Indian experience, the Center’s pioneering collaboration with American Indian tribes and innovative outreach efforts continue to broaden understanding of ancient cultures and teach the importance of preserving fragile archaeological sites.
Ford Assembly Building, Richmond, CA—In an exemplary preservation turn-around, the building that once manufactured exhaust-spewing internal-combustion engines now houses a number of “green” businesses and a popular entertainment venue, all of which are revitalizing the local economy.
General Services Administration’s Modern-Era Buildings Initiative, Washington, DC— When local preservationists protested the GSA’s plan to alter part of a 1965 federal building in Denver, CO, the organization decided to take a serious look at its portfolio of Modern-era buildings. The result was a comprehensive initiative that laid a strong foundation for the stewardship of federally owned buildings from the 1950s, 60s and 70s.
Heritage Foundation of Franklin & WilliamsonCounty, Franklin, TN—Among the largest and most successful preservation groups in the country, this grassroots organization has fought for 40 years to protect the county’s rural legacy from urban sprawl.
Kansas Army National Guard, Topeka, KS—In America’s heartland, the National Guard has added historic preservation to the long list of services it provides. The preservation plans the Guard drew up while surveying its 49 armories, registering the qualified ones, and restoring two are landmark documents that have since been distributed in other states as models of their kind.
Museum at Eldridge Street, New York, NY—When it opened in 1887, the Eldridge Street Synagogue was an island of grandeur on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. But as the congregation moved away, the synagogue fell into disuse and the termites and pigeons took over. Now, a 20-year effort has returned the building to its original glory.
Oak Court, Dallas, TX—Over the years, a number of insensitive alterations dimmed the luster of this modernist masterpiece but a meticulous restoration has returned the residence, including its iconic floating dining room table, to the grandeur that won critical raves a half-century ago.
Partners for Sacred Places, Philadelphia, PA—Partners for Sacred Places, the only national organization dedicated to the preservation and effective use of historic religious buildings, has helped thousands of congregations nationwide preserve their sites, thereby creating a new movement within the preservation field.
Pasadena City Hall, Pasadena, CA—More than 70 years of heavy use and the ever-present threat of earthquakes put Pasadena’s City Hall at serious risk. After a 10-year, $117.5 million renovation to strengthen the landmark against future seismic activity while restoring its historic features, City Hall gleams anew.
Roma Visitors’ Center and Plaza, Roma, TX—In 1976, a misguided remodeling destroyed much of the 2-block long plaza located along the banks of the Rio Grande, but an innovative project has rejuvenated the heart of this Texas border town and the plaza is a dynamic gathering place for citizens and visitors once again.
TWA Corporate Headquarters Building, Kansas City, MO—An exemplary rehabilitation has brought viable new life to a building that was once slated for demolition. This preservation triumph in America’s heartland celebrates the recent past while pointing the way to a sustainable future.
Union Station, Springfield, IL—Over the years, passing time and changing lifestyles turned Springfield’s Union Station into an eyesore. But now, preservation has returned this treasured landmark to its rightful role as a downtown anchor and focus of community pride.
Washington Mills Building No. 1, Lawrence, MA—In a region dotted with historic mills, Washington Mills stands out. As the city’s first major housing development in over 20 years, the building has been transformed into loft-style, mixed-housing apartments, bringing new life and the promise of spin-off development to the depressed community.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation (www.PreservationNation.org) is a non-profit membership organization bringing people together to protect, enhance and enjoy the places that matter to them. By saving the places where great moments from history – and the important moments of everyday life – took place, the National Trust for Historic Preservation helps revitalize neighborhoods and communities, spark economic development and promote environmental sustainability. With headquarters in Washington, DC, nine regional and field offices, 29 historic sites, and partner organizations in all 50 states, the National Trust for Historic Preservation provides leadership, education, advocacy and resources to a national network of people, organizations and local communities committed to saving places, connecting us to our history and collectively shaping the future of America’s stories.
