The Erie Canal warehouse at 60 Clinton Street in Brockport and the Hillside Cemetery and Chapel in Clarendon, Orleans County, are both part of The Landmark Society of Western New York’s 2014 Five to Revive.
The list of historic sites was announced Tuesday, October 7 and also includes the Auditorium Theater in Rochester, designated buildings of historic value in Rochester, and the former Trinity Episcopal Church in Seneca Falls.
“This is the second year we are announcing a Five to Revive list to call attention to key properties in Western New York that are in need of investment,” Landmark Society Executive Director Wayne Goodman said. “We can’t stress enough that these are significant historic properties whose rehabilitations can become catalytic projects for the neighborhoods and communities that surround them.”
Five to Revive Chair Tom Castelein, vice-president of preservation on The Landmark Society Board, said the initiative enhances the organization’s ongoing efforts to support revitalization in Western New York. “Our inaugural 2013 list of properties are moving closer to the goal of contributing to economic revitalization in their communities,” he said.
The 60 Clinton Street Erie Canal Warehouse in Brockport is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is the only surviving building related to the local reaper manufacturing industry, whose products were sold to an international clientele.
“A highly visible anchor on the Erie Canal in the Village of Brockport, this historic industrial building is unique in Monroe County,” the Landmark Society says of why it was selected. “It’s exceptional historic and architectural significance make it an important candidate for revitalization after many years of vacancy.”
“The Erie Canal Warehouse in Brockport has the potential to be a real catalyst for investment and revitalization in its immediate area,” said Caitlin Meives, a preservation planner with The Landmark Society. “With its location alongside the Canal, a rehabbed building would be a wonderful asset for visitors and residents alike. It’s also worth noting that, as a former industrial canalside building, it’s an extremely unique resource. A lot of these structures are no longer standing.”
Brockport Mayor Margaret Blackman agrees. She told the Suburban News/The Herald, “60 Clinton Street is an historical canal front property whose development has the potential to revitalize the entire street.”
The Hillside Cemetery and Chapel at the intersection of Route 237 and South Holley Road in Clarendon dates to 1866 and is a significant example of two periods of cemetery design. The 1894 Gothic Revival Chapel is a primary feature of the cemetery but is suffering from deferred maintenance and lack of funds.
“The Hillside Cemetery and Chapel are important examples of historic landscape architecture and building architecture in Orleans County,” the Landmark Society said. “They are highly visible resources at the southern gateway into the Village of Holley. With such historic and architectural significance, the Hillside Cemetery and Chapel could, with proper funding and maintenance, serve as attractive assets in the Clarendon and Holley communities.”
Caitlin Meives said Hillside Cemetery and Chapel “have had a dedicated group of local preservationists in the Town of Clarendon advocating on their behalf for a few years now and we hope to partner with them and the town to explore funding opportunities and plan for long-term stewardship of the designed landscape and the chapel.”
Clarendon Historical Society member Erin Anheier said she and the Society are pleased The Landmark Society selected Hillside Cemetery and Chapel as part of the 2014 Five to Revive and explains that it will help in raising awareness of the need to restore the chapel before further deterioration occurs.
“It is a beautiful and unique building that is very important to the streetscape of South Main Street, Holley,” Anheier said. “We really want to once again make it suitable for public use. The Town of Clarendon is proud to have such an historic treasure as Hillside Cemetery and its chapel within our borders. The Five to Revive designation should emphasize the importance of the building to the local population and hopefully encourage their support for the project. The Clarendon Historical Society and the Holley-Murray Historical Society are working together to raise funds for the restoration. Tax deductible donations may be sent to: The Clarendon Historical Society Chapel Fund, PO Box 124, Clarendon, NY 14429.
