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Mark your calendar for the 19th Annual Candlelight House Tour, Friday, December 5. Beginning at 5:30 p.m., tour eight unique homes in Saratoga Springs' historic East Side, followed by a gala reception at The Canfield Casino in Congress Park from 7:30 p.m. Food, refreshments, entertainment by the Saratoga Strings, and silent auction, including such wonderful items as:
* Emma Dodge Hanson photography sitting
* Fabulous beachfront house for one week at Rum Point Beach, Grand Cayman Island
* Overnight stay at Friends Lake Inn, winner of Top 10 Inns Award and Wine Spectator^s Grand Award
Start the holiday season in high style by making your reservations today for this wonderful evening!
Member: $ 60
Non-Member: $ 65
For more information or to make your reservations, contact Marjorie Martin, Programs Director, at (518) 587 - 5030 or mking@saratogapreservation.org.
The Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation is pleased to present Saratoga Race Course Watercolor Originals by Ashley Halsey. The Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation comissioned Ashley Halsey to paint watercolors that capture the sense of place of the Saratoga Race Course. Ashley grew up in Stonington, Connecticut and learned to paint with watercolors at a young age. Ashley completed her BA in Studio Art at Skidmore College in 2007. In February 2008, the Adirondack Trust Company printed Saratoga: A Historical Guide, a book that Ashley illustrated, designed and wrote. Currently Ashley lives in Brooklyn, New York and works at Harper Collins Publishers as an Assistant Designer. Ashley is honored to be involved with the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation and the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation is honored to have her beautiful watercolors help raise awareness of the importance of preserving the Race Course.
Ashley Halsey^s watercolors can be viewed online at our online gallery. Pricing of the original watercolors and prints can be found in the online gallery.
Please contact us if you are interested in purchasing watercolors or prints.
In continuing support of the Saratoga Race Course, half of the listed price on the original watercolors is a tax-deductable donation to the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation. Proceeds from Ashley^s watercolors support preserving Saratoga Springs^ historic Race Track. More information on the preservation efforts for the Saratoga Race Course can be found at www.historicsaratogaracecourse.org
HOOFING IT AROUND HISTORIC SARATOGA SPRINGS!
The Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation (SSPF) launches its guided walking tours of historic Saratoga for the racing season.
Join nationally known author James Kettlewell (Saratoga Springs, an Architectural History) and local historian on a tour of the Spa State Park. Amble along the historic tree-lined avenue of magnificent houses that were built by those who made their fortunes after the post Civil War era. Learn from Margie Van Meter about the neighborhood that once was referred to as “Dublin,” in reflection of its ethnic heritage, and now has been transformed in to a thriving arts district. Walk with Carrie Woerner, the previous SSPF Executive Director along fashionable Franklin Square and hear about how the area was saved from demolition. Come discover one of our hidden jewels, the Gideon Putnam Cemetery with Mary Jane Pelzer and learn about the restoration that has taken place in the past several years. Stroll about the “Old Skidmore Campus” with alum Leslie Benton who retells fun stories about her time on the campus as well as pointing out interesting architectural aspects of the mansions on Union Avenue. Come see the beautiful churches on Washington Street and hear about their interesting history and ongoing preservation efforts. Meander through Greenridge Cemetery with Gloria May and see a wealth of statuary, monuments and mausoleums, as well as many simple gravestones that show the diversity of Saratoga’s heritage. Tours are seasonal, but we look forward to showing off our beautiful city to visitors and locals alike, -- see you in the spring!
Tours are given by Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation volunteers who generously donate their time and knowledge. The tours are approximately an hour long and start at 10:30 a.m. Each tour costs $5.00. This past season, our tours included:
DATE TOUR LOCATION GUIDE
July 27 North Broadway The Surrey Inn Gloria
857 N. Broadway May
July 29 Dublin 117 Grand Avenue Margie
Van Meter
August 3 Franklin Square Borders Bookstore Carrie
395 Broadway Woerner
August 5 Greenridge Cemetery Lincoln Avenue Gloria
Entrance May
August 10 Old Skidmore Campus SW Corner of Leslie
Regent & Union Benton
August 12 Spa State Park Administration Building James
Kettlewell
August 17 Gideon Putnam Cemetery Franklin Street Entrance Mary
Jane
August 19 Washington Street Churches Bethesda Church James
42 Washington Street Kettlewell
August 24 Franklin Square Borders Bookstore Carrie
395 Broadway Woerner
August 26 Old Skidmore Campus SW Corner of Leslie
Regent & Union Benton
September 1 Gideon Putnam Cemetery Franklin Street Entrance Mary
Jane Pelzer
Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation is a private, not-for-profit membership organization
that has been the leading advocate of preserving and protecting the architectural, cultural and
landscaped heritage of Saratoga Springs since 1977. Today our focus continues on new
opportunities for community growth through preservation, identifying endangered buildings
threatened by neglect, and providing education and technical assistance to homeowners in the
community.
Samantha Bosshart - Our New Executive Director
Samantha Bosshart began her new position as Executive Director of the Foundation on June 2. She comes from the Foundation from Historic Albany Foundation, where she was the Director of Preservation Services. Prior to her association with Historic Albany, Samantha spent five years with the Galveston Historic Foundation, which is the country^s second largest preservation organization.
Saratoga Race Course Preservation Coalition
SSPF is advocating for a balanced approach to preservation and modernization at the Saratoga Race Course. Our position has been endorsed by the Downtown Business Association, the Chamber of Commerce, the History Museum, Supervisor Joanne Yepsen, the Preservation League of New York State and others. Click here to read about the preservation challenges at the Race Course and to read our positon. We invite and encourage you to add your name to support the Race Course Preservation Coalition.
In February the Governor and the State Legislature reached an agreement on resolving the future of thoroughbred racing in the Spa City. Included within the bill were provisions calling for an inventory of all structures and landscape attributes on the grounds of the historic track in Saratoga Springs, as well as review of NYRA’s capital plan for the Saratoga Racecourse by the State Historic Preservation Office. The Foundation and the Racecourse Coalition had been working with State government to ensure that measures aimed at protecting the historic nature of the track and its environs were part of the overall legislation which granted NYRA a twenty-five year franchise to operate the track.
Under the terms of the bill, a local advisory board will be created, made up of representatives appointed by the Mayor, the County Board of Supervisors and NYRA. The board will work with the State Historic Preservation Office to conduct a comprehensive historic resources inventory of all track property structures and landscape feature, including their physical condition. Those aspects of the property which are of historic, architectural or cultural significance may be advanced by the board for consideration for inclusion in the National and State Registers of Historic Places and in local historic districts.
Restoring the Exterior of Your Historic House or Building?
The City^s Real Property Tax Abatement program is available to help fund exterior restoration projects. Adopted in 2000, this program abates the portion of an increase in your assessment that is due to rehabilitation of your historic house. Eligible properties must be in the City^s local historic zoning district, and projects must have been reviewed and approved by the Design Review Commission. The abatement applies only to City property taxes, not school or county taxes. For more details and to get an application, contact the Preservation Foundation office. The deadline for 2008 taxes is March 1, 2008.
Neighborhood Preservation Ordinance
SSPF held a workshop on the Neighborhood Preservation Ordinance on April 2, 2007. In the workshop, we reviewed the symptoms of extreme deterioration and how to recognize it, we talked about the several programs that provide financial assistance for repair and maintenance, and we walked through the proposed Neighborhood Preservation ordinance. We invited those who attended the workshop to share with us their impressions, suggestions, concerns. If you were unable to attend the workshop, we would still like to hear from you. Please download the proposal and give us your feedback using the Neighborhood Preservation Blog.
Become a Member Today!
Please support preservation of Saratoga Springs unique and treasured architectural heritage by becoming a member of the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation. Members receive discounts on Preservation Foundation programs, an annual subscription to the Spirit of Preservation newsletter, and invitations to special members only events. Corporate memberships are available as well. Click here for more information on membership.
Hoofing It! 8 Walking Tours of Historic Saratoga Springs
 We are pleased to offer the guided tour book Hoofing It! 8 Walking Tours of Historic Saratoga Springs. Beautifully illustrated with over 200 images from the Beckerman Archive, complete with easy-to-follow maps and brief histories of the buildings and homes along the way, Hoofing It! is the perfect companion for a stroll around the neighborhoods of Saratoga Springs. Whether you live in Saratoga Springs, or enjoy visiting the Spa City, Hoofing It! will be the tour guide you^ve always wanted. You can purchase your copy of Hoofing It! at bookstores in Saratoga Springs or online at Amazon.com.
SSPF members receive a 10% discount when ordered directly -- call
(518) 587-5030 for your copy -- a great holiday gift!
"Hoofing It" guidebooks are available for $17.95 at the following locations:
Barnes & Noble - Borders - Brookside Museum - Crafters Gallery - Departure at the Albany Airport - Impressions - Lyrical Ballad - NYRA Store at the Race Track - Saratoga County Arts Council - Saratoga Springs History Museum - Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation - Saratoga Springs Visitor Center - Seasons in Saratoga - Skidmore Bookstore - Soave Faire - Tang Museum, and other fine retail establishments throughout the Capital District.
Ten to Save
Out of our survey of the current condition of the historic neighborhoods in Saratoga Springs done in the Fall of 2003 and reviewed periodically by volunteers with the Foundation, we identified about 20% of the buildings in the survey area had some conditions that threatened the historic integrity of the building. We have selected the ten buildings that are the most significantly threatened because of neglect, vacancy or abandonment, or over-development. Click here to see the list of Ten Buildings Worth Saving.
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