NY wants downtown Holley on National Register

Photos by Tom Rivers – The refurbished Salisbury Fountain in downtown Holley is pictured during last Saturday’s parade in Holley.

Members of the Mighty St. Joe’s Alumni Drum and Bugle Corps march through the Public Square in Holley during last Saturday’s parade. The Public Square area has been nominated by the New York State Board for Historic Preservation for the state and national registers of historic places.

The Kendall Lawn Chair Ladies perform on Route 31 in downtown Holley during last Saturday’s parade that passed through the historic district.

HOLLEY – Downtown Holley is among 26 sites throughout the state that have been nominated for the State and National Registers of Historic Places.

The nominations reflect the breadth of New York’s history, ranging from one of the last amusement park rides left at the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair in Queens, to the site of a 1943 school segregation fight in Rockland County, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced today.

“New York has a rich heritage, and important events in the history of this state and this nation have occurred in virtually every corner of it,” Cuomo said. “By placing these sites on the State and National Registers of Historic Places, we can ensure that they will be preserved and enjoyed by New Yorkers and visitors for years to come.”

Holley’s downtown was backed for the State and National Register by the New York State Board for Historic Preservation. Here is what it said about the Holley district:

Holley Village Historic District – The district’s 37 properties make up the commercial and institutional core of the village as it developed from 1822 to 1931; it was built along a distinctive street plan that was oriented to the Erie Canal’s irregular alignment as it spanned Sandy Creek.

Commissioner of the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Rose Harvey said, “These sites are the physical reminders of the incredible scope of architectural vision, craftsmanship, innovation and history across New York State. Listing these landmarks will give them the recognition and support they deserve.”

State and National Register listing can assist property owners in revitalizing buildings, making them eligible for various public preservation programs and services, such as matching state grants and state and federal historic rehabilitation tax credits.

Spurred by the state and federal historic rehabilitation commercial tax credits administered by the State Historic Preservation Office, developers invested $500 million statewide in 2014 to revitalize properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Homeowners using the state historic homeowner rehabilitation tax credit invested more than $9.8 million statewide on home improvements to help revitalize historic neighborhoods.

The state and federal government have both added several sites in Holley and Clarendon to the registers in recent years, including Hillside Cemetery, the Old Stone Store, and at least two cobblestone houses in the community.

The State and National Registers are the official lists of buildings, structures, districts, landscapes, objects and sites significant in the history, architecture, archeology and culture of New York State and the nation. There are more than 120,000 historic buildings, structures and sites throughout the state listed on the National Register of Historic Places, individually or as components of historic districts. Property owners, municipalities and organizations from communities throughout the state sponsored the nominations.

Once the recommendations are approved by the state historic preservation officer, the properties are listed on the New York State Register of Historic Places and then nominated to the National Register of Historic Places, where they are reviewed and, once approved, entered on the National Register.