Property owners are recognized for going the extra mile when renovating their buildings

The award is called “Partners in Preservation.” The purpose is to recognize property owners who have gone the extra mile in honoring architectural history when renovating their village buildings, those “who have made significant improvements to their homes or places of business, or have maintained them with particular care,” according to a statement released by the historic preservation commission’s chair, Thomas Olsen. These structures aren’t listed as landmarks, but they help define the character of the neighborhoods in which they are located. In each case, it began with the owners meeting with historic preservation commissioners, and ended because they took what they learned in that free consultation to heart. 

In the history of this award for honoring history, “this is a banner year,” said Olsen, with six being handed out. Since it was first conferred in 2010, there have only ever been one or a two each year. Olsen said that “the exceptionally high quality of the renovations, restorations and new construction done by our recipients absolutely justifies the high number of awards. The village has seen something like a minor revolution in the way some key property owners are thinking about their buildings and places of business.” 

The first award was given to Toshiko Lytell and John Dunham Lytell for their work restoring 19 North Chestnut Street, which now stands out as a massive and beautiful red historic home between North Front and Academy streets. Next, commissioners honored the sensitive replacement of the Mexican Kitchen building at 17 North Front Street after it was lain low in a tragic fire with an award to Nicky Woerner, Dallas Gilpin and Patrick Wang. Ed and Jill Burke were feted for the sensitive restoration they have to 68-70 Main Street, where Gourmet Kitchen and the new Kontiki are run. About a block up on the other side stands what’s now the Lemon Squeeze piano bar, which was lovingly reconstructed by Ed and Gina Carroll — and which now boasts “one of New Paltz’s best outdoor seating areas tucked behind it.” The last award was given to John Joseph, owner of 119-121 Main Street, a now-striking deep red building housing Bangkok Cafe and Apizza. 

Olsen emphasized the transformative nature of these projects, taking buildings that ranged from unremarkable to forlorn and remaking them as touchstones for the historic nature of the village. This reporter has seen developers point to Main Street in confusion, asking how anyone could possibly mimic the character of such an eclectic community. That’s a superficial take, failing to grasp that New Paltz’s character is more like the rings of a tree than the grain of a single board. What fits in the neighborhood depends on what’s already on that street and block. Most of these newly-minted partners owned diamonds in the rough, which they burnished with careful research and quality materials. In the case of 17 North Front Street, the awardees honored a precious historic schoolhouse lost to fire when they built “an attractive and historically sensitive new structure that honors the past, and at the same time will function as a modern restaurant.” 

Developers seeking to build in New Paltz have a phenomenal resource in the village’s historic preservation commissioners, as well as those that serve a similar function at the town level. The fact that these are buildings that were written about in Hudson Valley One for being lovely improvements rather than controversial projects is testament to the value of consulting before constructing.