Preservation Success Story: River House Project
Photo by James Autery
A 19,000 square-foot schoolhouse with Catskill Mountain and Hudson River views sat vacant and neglected for decades in the city of Hudson, NY. Built in 1903, it functioned as an elementary school until the 1960s, before a short-lived stint as a textile assembly site. Now, after years of meticulous restoration, it has been transformed into an anchor for the creative community
Photo by James Autery
River House Project is the second historic site in Hudson to be reclaimed by Melissa Auf der Maur and Tony Stone (they founded Basilica Hudson, a multidisciplinary art center, in 2010). After taking ownership of the building in 2015, they spent 2016-2018 working to transform an abandoned and neglected space into a functional, nimble workspace for filmmakers and other creative professionals. Their vision was to build a space that elevated the resources available to creatives in the Hudson Valley. The fact that this collaborative workspace was created in a historic building is part of its appeal; to Auf der Maur and Stone, the building itself is an inspiration to those who work within it. Restoring a historic site demonstrates a respect for the past along with a vision for the future – much in the same way filmmakers and other storytellers view their work.
Photo by James Autery
The restoration of River House Project was time and labor intensive. When walking through the space, it is obvious that attention was paid to every detail to keep intact as much of the building’s historic character as possible. For example, over 100 original windows have been restored. At the same time, priority has been placed on pairing these historic details with an emphasis on energy efficiency. The building is truly a great example of a restored site that shows how preservation and green technology can coexist to create a space that will bring its history sustainably into the future.
Photo by James Autery
When this project was first getting started, the League was happy to be a resource, recommending consultants and directing the project team to consider using Historic Tax Credits. Thankfully, because the site is considered a contributing property in the Hudson Historic District (listed on both the State and National Registers of Historic Places), Auf der Maur and Stone were able to take advantage of State and Federal Historic Tax Credits to help fund their work. Without these credits, this project would likely not have been possible.
To learn more about River House Project, visit their website at riverhouseproject.com.