BEACON – The Preservation League of New York State has awarded the Howland Cultural Center in Beacon a $10,000 grant to help fund a building condition report of the facility.
“The grant kicks off ‘Howland 150,’ a key initiative to raise funds to continue restoration and maintenance of the 1872 building that will soon turn 150 years old,” said Craig Wolf, the president of the non-profit organization. The Howland will celebrate the building’s 150th anniversary throughout 2022, “with a year of renovations, programming and celebratory events focused on illuminating the robust arts and cultural community of Beacon all centered around the anniversary date of August 5, 2022,” said Scott Ramsey, who chairs the center’s fundraising committee.
The building at 477 Main Street was dedicated on August 5, 1872. Sponsor Joseph Howland gave it as a gift to the community to operate as the Howland Circulating Library.
Howland was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
The Preserve New York grant will allow architect Jeff Wilkinson to prepare a building condition report to include a prioritized list of work items needed for its long-term preservation and the necessary cost estimates to guide fundraising efforts.
