Voices of Preservation: A View from the Friends of Parrott Hall
Robert C. Seem, Vice Chair of the Friends of Parrott Hall, opening the door to Parrott Hall in Geneva, NY.
As the tumultuous 2020 closes out, we want to report a brightening future for Parrott Hall in Geneva. We are in our second year of the Environmental Protection Fund grant from New York State. At this time last year, we were preparing to cover the roof temporarily to prevent further deterioration, but it became apparent that the plan of work needed revision. With the expert guidance of the Preservation League and The Landmark Society, we regrouped with a plan to replace the main roof. We hired Crawford & Stearns, Architects and Preservation Planners, who teamed up with the engineering firm of Klepper, Hahn & Hyatt to provide detailed plans and bidding documents for roof replacement. They are also doing an assessment of the condition and needs of the building’s remarkable veranda. Completed initial work provides access to the upper floors and interior scaffolding has been installed; temporary roof repairs are to begin any day now, keeping the interior dry until the full roof replacement begins next spring.
A view of a portion of the roof taken by Crawford & Stearns during a site visit to Parrott Hall this past summer.
In addition, a feasibility study, led by Clinton Brown & Associates of Buffalo, is underway to provide a viable long-term vision for Parrott Hall. Parrott Hall is an historic building, but we do need to determine the best way to support its new life.
Of course, fundraising is part Parrott Hall’s future and we have hired a fundraiser with an excellent track record working with area nonprofit organizations. She will seek funding from businesses, foundations, and organizations.
Our coalition continues to provide the foundation for our success. The Landmark Society of Western New York is providing most of the funding for the feasibility study while the Preservation League of NYS obtained a grant from the J. M. McDonald Foundation that will be applied toward stabilization work. Our partner, the City of Geneva, provides grant management support.
We are moving into 2021 with excitement and confidence that the future of Parrott Hall is bright, thanks to the myriad levels of support from coalition partners.