Greenport awarded $25K to explore expanding historic district
The Village of Greenport has been awarded a $25,000 grant from the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to begin preparing a nomination to expand its historic district on the New York State and National Registers of Historic Places.
A successful nomination would expand the boundaries of the historic district, which was originally established in 1984, at the state and national levels. It would also open the door to additional potential tax credits for certain qualified buildings not currently in the district.
The credits could be for qualifying renovations, periodic grant programs and initiatives such as historic plaques.
“This effort is about honoring Greenport’s shared history while creating meaningful opportunities for the village and its property owners,” said Janice Claudio, chair of the village’s Historic Preservation Commission. “It’s about celebrating what makes Greenport special and strengthening property values, community character and long-term vitality for everyone.”
If approved, the expanded district would include about 225 properties.
The nomination builds on a comprehensive village-wide historic survey from 2020 by the same company. Based on that, the state identified five areas as potentially eligible for designation: Second Street, Front Street, Monsell Place, Stirling Avenue and Green Hill Cemetery.
The grant will allow the village to bring on Buffalo-based Preservation Studios — the firm that conducted the 2020 survey — to identify all the buildings that could be added and to do the work needed. The company is expected to begin in April.
As part of the process, the company will document exterior architectural features and define Greenport’s historical “Period of Significance” to explain the area’s development and character.
If the state accepts the nomination, property owners will receive letters next year asking them to vote on inclusion in the state register. Approval requires a majority vote from property owners within the proposed boundaries.
The historic district includes a dense group of mostly wood-frame homes and businesses laid out in a fan shape from the village’s Main Street waterfront business area. It covers all of Main Street and Carpenter Street, most of First Street, the 600-numbered block of Second Street, and buildings along east-west streets that cross Main and Carpenter streets.
Greenport Harbor borders the district to the east and south. Residential and commercial areas with altered historic or modern buildings border it to the north and west.
“The village is deeply appreciative of the support from New York State to assist with efforts to protect Greenport history and character,” said Mayor Kevin Stuessi.
The Greenport Historic Preservation Commission is holding informal sessions to listen and answer questions at the Little Red School House on Saturday, March 14, and Saturday, April 4. Both sessions are from 10 a.m. to noon.
Along with the informal sessions, residents are encouraged to contact the Historic Preservation Commission by emailing secretary Michael Noone at [email protected].
