South Street Seaport Museum Awarded $2,011,000 By The New York State Council On The Arts

South Street Seaport Museum has received a grant award totaling $2,011,000 from the New York State Council on the Arts to support the façade restoration and window replacement of the A.A. Thomson & Co. Warehouse, the Museum's five-story 1868 industrial building located in the South Street Seaport Historic District at 213-215 Water Street in Manhattan.

With the help of NYSCA, the Seaport Museum will be able to expand the scope of the exterior work and complete the final, most visible element of the renovation project on the building's extraordinary mid-19th century Italianate-style front façade: to restore the cast-iron and marble façade, to install new windows and to restore the prominent pediment and cornice.

Captain Jonathan Boulware, President and CEO of the South Street Seaport Museum, stated "This marvelous award is the capstone to an already-underway excellent preservation project in the Museum's renovated Thomson building. A restored and stabilized façade and new energy-saving windows will bring this amazing 19th century building into the 21st century. The capital work already underway in the building will be protected, as will the artifacts that will populate our forthcoming exhibitions."

This award builds on a previously secured generous grant from the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation as well as support from the City of New York through funds from the Department of Cultural Affairs, New York City Mayor's Office, former Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, and New York City Council. The architects for the Thomson Warehouse renovation are Beyer Blinder Belle with Partner Richard Southwick leading the project. Once renovated, the Thomson Warehouse will welcome visitors to 11,000 square feet of previously inaccessible space for exhibitions, educational programs, and community meetings. The building's additional infrastructure upgrades include a new elevator and stairs, as well as new electrical, plumbing, fire protection, and climate control systems.

This grant is part of a record large capital project funding announcement by NYSCA, which totals over $90.5 million distributed to 19 projects across New York State.

"From New York City to the North Country, we are investing in our state's robust arts and culture sector to ensure all New Yorkers, regardless of their background, have access to the transformative power of art," Governor Hochul said. "Our unprecedented support for this shared vision of accessible and sustainable cultural spaces will result in a stronger economy, more jobs, and improved community and personal health for New Yorkers and our visitors from around the globe."

NYSCA Executive Director Mara Manus said, "We are immensely grateful to Governor Hochul and the New York State Legislature for this historic level of capital grantmaking. These critical investments will support visionary expansions, essential facility improvements, and community-building strategies that will promote health, safety, and accessibility. We commend South Street Seaport Museum for their bold and inspirational project that will deliver the measurable benefits of the arts to New Yorkers and our visitors for generations to come."

NYSCA Chair Katherine Nicholls said, "Capital projects for the arts are an investment in our communities, our health, and our prosperity for decades to come. On behalf of the Council and staff, I congratulate South Street Seaport Museum on its vision and dedication to serving the residents and visitors of New York and we look forward to seeing all that will flourish from this initiative."

NYSCA's Large Capital Improvement Grants for Arts and Culture support arts and cultural institutions across the state that are undertaking impactful, large-scale capital improvements. Grants range from $2 million to $10 million for projects with a total cost of $4 million or more. This funding will support investments to expand cultural programming, reach new and diverse audiences, and promote accessibility. These grants will also help advance the State's goals around diversity, equity, and inclusion and will require all grantees to commit to social equity initiatives and access plans that serve all New Yorkers. NYSCA's Large Capital Improvement Grants program is administered in coordination with Empire State Development, which reviews applications to evaluate the potential for projects to support local placemaking, community development, and downtown revitalization efforts.

About the New York State Council on the Arts

NYSCA preserves and advances the arts and culture that make New York State an exceptional place to live, work and visit. NYSCA upholds the right of all New Yorkers to experience the vital contributions the arts make to our communities, education, economic development, and quality of life. To support the ongoing recovery of the arts across New York State, NYSCA will award record funding in FY 2023, providing support across the full breadth of the arts.

NYSCA further advances New York's creative culture by convening leaders in the field and providing organizational and professional development opportunities and informational resources. Created by Governor Nelson Rockefeller in 1960 and continued with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, NYSCA is an agency that is part of the Executive Branch. For more information on NYSCA, please visit http://www.arts.ny.gov, and follow NYSCA's Facebook page, Twitter @NYSCArts and Instagram @NYSCouncilontheArts.

About the South Street Seaport Museum

The South Street Seaport Museum, located in the heart of the South Street Seaport Historic District in New York City, preserves and interprets the history of New York as a great port city. Founded in 1967, the Museum houses an extensive collection of works of art and artifacts, a maritime reference library, exhibition galleries and education spaces, working nineteenth century print shops, and an active fleet of historic vessels that all work to tell the story of "Where New York Begins." seaportmuseum.org

Photo credit: South Street Seaport Museum Archives