Rochester and Irondequoit will receive a combined $77,500 for historic preservation work, including a statewide conference and a study that could help more than 4,000 Irondequoit properties move toward potential historic designation.
The awards are part of $180,000 announced Nov. 12 by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation for five municipalities, according to a news release. Federal Historic Preservation Fund money supports the grants through the Certified Local Government program.
Irondequoit studies historic district boundaries
Irondequoit received $37,000 to justify boundaries and determine eligibility for the proposed St. Paul Boulevard Corridor Historic District. The potential district was identified in a townwide historic resource survey funded through the program in 2025.
Only 33 of the town’s 21,000 parcels are currently listed in the National Register of Historic Places, according to the state parks office. The project could pave the way for potential listing of more than 4,000 historic properties in the proposed district.
The award funds the boundary and eligibility work. The survey area is fully eligible for New York State Historic Homeowner and Commercial Rehabilitation Tax Credits, the agency said.
Rochester will host statewide conference
Rochester received $40,500 to host the 2027 New York Statewide Preservation Conference, scheduled for May 12-14, 2027.
The gathering brings together preservation professionals, advocates and community members working on historic preservation and community revitalization. It also provides training for Certified Local Government communities.
Three other communities receive funding
Albany received $50,000 for an intensive-level survey of Delaware Avenue and preparation and submission of a National Register nomination. The work builds on a comprehensive survey and listing program introduced in the city’s 2019 Historic Preservation Plan, renewing efforts dating to the 1970s and 1980s.
West Seneca received $26,000 for an intensive-level historic resource survey of its Lower and Middle Ebenezer areas. The project will document, research, evaluate and map approximately 350 properties, with recommendations on eligibility for future historic district designation and preservation opportunities.
The state parks office said the Albany and West Seneca survey areas also are fully eligible for the state’s historic homeowner and commercial rehabilitation tax credits.
Williamsville received $26,500 to develop a self-guided walking tour connecting approximately 10 locally designated landmarks and historic sites. Plans include interpretive signs and a mobile-friendly companion website with historical material, archival photographs, audio narration and an interactive map.
The tour is designed to be accessible and expandable as part of the village’s “Walkable Williamsville” effort.
Applications exceeded available funding
The parks office received 11 applications seeking more than $445,000, exceeding the available funding. The agency described this round as the most competitive in the program’s history.
Established through an amendment to the National Historic Preservation Act, the Certified Local Government program connects community preservation goals with state and federal programs. Each State Historic Preservation Office administers the program to help communities identify and protect historic resources.
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