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Rochester Historic Preservation Commission Hosts New Paltz Preservationists at Special Program on April 21, 2008
Historic preservation has been a contentious issue in the Town of Rochester, with scores of local residents coming out in 2006 to oppose a proposed new historic preservation law. The neighboring Town of New Paltz, meanwhile, has a preservation law much like the one that Rochester residents opposed. The Rochester Historic Preservation Commission invites local residents to a special meeting and presentation on Monday, April 21, at 7:00 p.m. in the Rochester Reformed Church at 5142 Route 209 in Accord to find out what New Paltz has gained and lost in preserving historic structures. Speakers will be John Orfitelli, the Chairman of the Town of New Paltz Historic Preservation Commission, who will be joined by the Commission’s consultant, noted preservationist Neil Larson
of Woodstock.
Apart from giving an illustrated talk about the significant historic structures of New Paltz, one of the oldest settlements in the country, Orfitelli and Larson will discuss the specifics of the Town’s preservation law and what it empowers the Commission to do. They will discuss examples of structures that have been designated as local landmarks and the reasons for the designations. Importantly, they will also describe the benefits and drawbacks to designation and the nature of the opposition to historic preservation in the Township. There will be a question-and-answer period for members of the audience to raise their concerns.
John Orfitelli, Chairman of the Town of New Paltz Historic Preservation Commission, spent thirty-five years with IBM and is currently a licensed real estate agent at Century 21 Venables Realty in New Paltz. Neil Larson, President of Larson Fisher Associates, has, among his many accomplishments, prepared the designation materials for the Hudson River National Register Historic Landmark District. He is a former staff member in the New York State Historic Preservation Office and has taught at both Marist College and SUNY New Paltz.
This is the second special program that the Commission has sponsored. At the last program, in January, archaeologist Douglas Mackey discussed Rochester’s extensive archaeological resources and their connection to land use laws to an overflow audience at the Museum in Accord.
The Town of Rochester Historic Preservation Commission has been in existence since 1987 and is entrusted by law to “survey the town for the purpose of determining which structures, buildings and sites or landscapes are worthy of preservation efforts…” It is currently conducting a study, funded by the Preservation League of New York State, to update research on Rochester’s architectural treasures, which, once completed, will be shared with Town residents.
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