Sunday, April 19, 3:00 P.M.
"RENOVATION OF THE THIRD DISTRICT LIGHTHOUSE DEPOT"
A NATIONAL LIGHTHOUSE MUSEUM ON STATEN ISLAND?
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Behind the gently curving brick retaining wall on Bay Street in St.
George, with its curious star-shaped tie rod anchors, sits one of the
most significant historic sites associated with our nation's maritime
heritage. The Staten Island lighthouse depot complex was established
as an experimental station for the testing of new materials and
methods of lighthouse operation and for the storage of materials
destined for east coast lighthouses. The state-of-the-art Fresnel
lenses were shipped from France to this depot for transfer to
lighthouses throughout the east coast. |
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As historically and architecturally significant as these buildings are,
they are also severely deteriorated and badly in need of repair. They have
been largely neglected since the city took over the property twenty years
ago and the weather and vandals have taken a severe toll.
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With the proposal to locate a National Lighthouse Museum at this
site being advanced by New York Harbor Lights, the local chapter of
the U.S. Lighthouse Society, the New York City Economic Development
Corporation commissioned the firm of Jan Hird Pokorny Associates to do
a study of the stabilization, restoration and adaptive reuse of the
historic buildings. On Sunday, April 19th a slide presentation by
Richard Pieper, Principal and Director of Preservation, Jan Hird
Pokorny Associates, will detail the findings of this feasibility
study. The study examines each of the buildings and the work necessary
to: 1) stabilize the buildings and protect them from further weather
damage and vandalism, 2) details what additions and changes would be
necessary to bring the buildings up to NYC building code regulations,
and 3) proposes adaptive reuses of the buildings on the site. Among
the findings, Mr. Pieper discovered that two of the buildings display
very early use of fireproof construction which has enabled their
survival and can aid in their adaptability. However, their
deteriorated roofs and vandalized gutters have brought them to a make
or break point in terms of their economic feasibility for reuse. |
New York Harbor Lights envisions the historic structures built by the US
Lighthouse Service used to educate visitors while serving as a source of
information and support to lighthouse organizations around the country.
Exhibition halls would display Fresnel lenses, lighthouse equipment and
other artifacts of the lighthouse keepers' life and times. There would be
an archives and research library. Educational programs would include "hands-on"
experiments and demonstrations, interactive displays and immersion
settings. Lighthouses, lightships and smaller navigational aids would once
again fill the grounds and pier. From the pier, water shuttles would carry
visitors along the shore to the Gateway National Recreation Area at Fort
Wadsworth, Alice Austen House Museum and Park and the Snug Harbor Cultural
Center. Regular boat tours would travel to the lighthouses and the many
parks and museums around the harbor. Bike paths, shuttle buses and a new
waterfront esplanade would link the museum to an expanding array of
water-related activities.
We were all surprised and delighted. Borough President Guy Molinari
committed $1.2 million of his discretionary monies to the renovation of
the buildings at the Third District Depot site if-the members of the
National Lighthouse Museum Steering Committee would select Staten Island
as the site for the national museum. Committee chair, Ralph Eshelman and
U.S. Lighthouse Society President Wayne Wheeler were clearly excited and
pleased at Molinari's announcement. This happened at a SI Borough Hall
meeting on Friday, March 27. Then the two committee members were off to
Newport, Rhode Island for a meeting with the full museum committee.
The committee did not select a site at the RI meeting, as the site
selection sub-committee still has to look at some of the other sites that
are in contention. They expect to make a decision in June, after a visit
to Mackinaw City, Michigan (which is making a powerful pitch to the
committee with state and corporate support.) NY Harbor Lights President,
Henry Stephenson reports, "With Molinari's commitment, Staten Island
is a strong contender. The site is historic and an important part of
lighthouse history, the buildings are sound and adaptable to a world class
museum, the visitor potential is outstanding, and the support shown by the
Borough President is an indication of the support the project could
receive at the city and state level".
Chan Graham
PLSI President
Update: The Coast Guard Station has been selected as the site of the
National Lighthouse Center &
Museum.
RETURN to April 1998 PLSI Newsletter