Originally published by ReadMedia on April 30, 2018
The Preservation League of New York State has selected The New York Botanical Garden to receive an award for Organizational Excellence in Historic Preservation.
The League's statewide awards program honors notable achievements in retaining, promoting and reusing New York State's irreplaceable architectural heritage.
"The New York Botanical Garden is an iconic living museum, a major educational institution, and a renowned plant research and conservation organization," said Jay DiLorenzo, President of the Preservation League. "Founded in 1891 and now a National Historic Landmark, it is one of the greatest botanical gardens in the world and the largest of any major city in the United States. It is also a leader in historic preservation, with a peerless commitment to its iconic buildings and grounds."
Over the years, The New York Botanical Garden has benefited from the leadership of a number of visionary firms and individuals, including Lord & Burnham, Calvert Vaux, Olmsted Brothers, Beatrix Farrand and Laurie Olin. Four key efforts illustrate the Garden's dedication to preservation: the restoration of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory in 1997; the expansion and restoration of the LuEsther T. Mertz Library in 2002; the restoration of the Lillian and Amy Goldman Stone Mill and historic landscape in 2010; and the restoration of more than 150 acres of historic landscapes and living collections over some three decades.
The Botanical Garden has completed three 7-year strategic plans (1993–1999, 2001–2007, and 2009–2015). To fund the strategic initiatives called for in these plans, such as the key efforts listed above, as well as ongoing operations, $1.1 billion has been raised for "America's Garden." Eighty percent of that was from the private sector. The balance has been government funding for capital projects. These projects have revitalized the 250-acre museum of plants and have transformed it as a cultural attraction, research institution, center for education and publications, and community resource.
"We are honored to receive the award for Organizational Excellence in Historic Preservation and appreciate that the wonderful Preservation League of New York State has recognized our institution-wide preservation efforts here at NYBG," said Gregory Long, CEO and The William C. Steere Sr. President of The New York Botanical Garden. "We have been working for more than 25 years to restore the buildings and landscapes inside this National Historic Landmark – for today's visitors and for generations to come."
The awards will be presented at the Preservation League's Awards Ceremony in New York City at6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 9th at the historic New York Yacht Club, 37 West 44th Street.
The complete list of award winners is: Poughkeepsie Underwear Factory, Poughkeepsie; Richardson Olmsted Campus, Buffalo; Hotel Saranac, Saranac Lake; Sibley Square, Rochester; R.E. Dietz Lantern Factory, Syracuse; John Jermain Memorial Library, Sag Harbor; Tapestry on the Hudson, Troy. The New York Botanical Garden will be honored for Organizational Excellence.
"With our annual awards program, the Preservation League explores not just the present, but the future of historic preservation. Many of the 2018 award winners provide valuable examples for others by incorporating energy efficiency techniques, adaptive reuse strategies and use of Federal and State Historic Tax Credits," said DiLorenzo. "Each year, we are impressed by the number and variety of laudable nominations, and this year was no exception. We are delighted to celebrate The New York Botanical Garden for more than a century of preservation of the natural and built environment, and to commend all members of the staff and board for their leadership and vision."