NORWICH – The Preservation League of New York State and their program partners at the New York State Council on the Arts are thrilled to announce that the Chenango County Historical Society & Museum has received a 2022 Technical Assistance Grant. This $4,000 grant will fund a Building Condition Assessment of the museum’s property at 77 Silver Street. During this grant cycle, 19 projects representing 14 counties across the state have been selected by an independent panel of preservation professionals. A total of $68,130 was awarded.

“We are incredibly grateful to the Preservation League and its partnering organizations for this grant!” said Joe Fryc, Chenango County Historical Society operations manager. “The building condition assessment of 77 Silver Street is a project that has been on our radar for quite some time, and with these funds we can finally take the critical first step in giving the building the care and attention it deserves.”

The Chenango County Historical Society (CCHS) will be working with LaBella Associates to conduct a Building Condition Assessment of the circa 1875 residential structure. For the previous 15 years, the facility served as the location of a second-hand bookstore on the Museum’s campus. Since relocating this retail space to a more suitable facility earlier this year, CCHS has been using the building to store artifacts from the Museum’s public teaching collection. Depending on feasibility, it is the Museum’s intention to renovate and refurbish this building for use as exhibition space and permanent collections storage. The first step in accomplishing these goals is to learn more about the condition of the structure. Information shared following the Building Condition Assessment will include details regarding the building envelope, structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and safety systems. This will allow CCHS to better understand the condition of 77 Silver Street for capital planning and asset management moving forward.

The Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) program is a partnership between the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) and the Preservation League of New York State, made possible by NYSCA with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. The Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area has provided additional support for the projects within the National Heritage Area boundary. The TAG program supports arts centers, historic sites, music halls, theaters, libraries, and other cultural nonprofit or municipal entities that steward historic buildings throughout New York State.

With the announcement of the 2022 awards, support provided by TAG since its launch in 2012 totals $602,104. These grants have directly advanced the efforts of 191 preservation projects.

Established in 1939, CCHS is the primary organization dedicated to actively and comprehensively preserving the history of Chenango County. The area’s premier heritage center, admission to the museum is a free-will donation left up to each visitor’s discretion, with approximately 75 percent of public programming offered free of charge. CCHS programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. Learn more at chenangohistorical.org

– Information from the CCHS