Excellence Award Spotlight: Edgemere Development
“Edgemere is honored to be recognized for its commitment to preserving important historic landmarks,” said Charlie Oster, Partner of Edgemere Development. “Every building has a story as unique as the people who will eventually live there.”
Edgemere Development, Inc. (Edgemere) is a real estate firm focused on affordable, mixed-income, and mixed-use housing development with offices in Rochester and Albany, working throughout New York State. Their clients include nonprofit and for-profit developers, public housing authorities, and health systems. Over the years, Edgemere has interwoven its mission with public service and public benefit – wanting to leave the neighborhoods and communities they work in better places for people to live.
Edgemere has a legacy of taking on challenging projects, including complex adaptive reuse of historic structures, and has received 15 awards for Historic Preservation since 2010. Since its founding in 2000, Edgemere has received over $83 million in State and Federal Historic Tax Credits on 19 projects. Deteriorating structures are seen as creative challenges rather than project hindrances.
Before (left) and after (right) images showing the front facade of St. Bernard’s Park. Photos courtesy of Preservation Studios.
Edgemere incorporates sustainable building elements in all its projects. The historic St. Bernard's Park, Located on Lake Ave in the City of Rochester, NY, was constructed as a seminary in the mid-to-late-19th century. The building was converted into a mixed-use senior complex in the 1990s. Over the years, the iconic features of the building began to wear. In 2021, Edgemere oversaw the building's historic rehabilitation, including roof replacement, the addition of high efficiency plumbing and electric fixtures, HVAC optimization (including new A/C), and accessibility improvements. The historic red slate tile roof was replaced at a cost of over $3 million, and all copper details were restored. Experts estimate that the new roof will last 75-200 years. Solar panels were installed on two sections of flat roof, with a projected annual utility savings of approximately $9,500.
“Edgemere’s commitment to tackling challenging adaptive reuse projects has brought dozens of historic buildings back to active use,” said Preservation League President Jay DiLorenzo. “They also provide a model for how historic preservation and affordable housing can work together to strengthen communities – an example for developers across the state.”
Since 1984, the League's annual Excellence Awards program has allowed us to shine a light on the people who are using historic preservation to make all our lives better —through exemplary restoration projects, indispensable publications, individual action, and organizational distinction.
For more about all of this year’s winners, please click here.