A grant of $16,000 will fund a building condition report for the library.

Patterson Library is one of this year’s Preserve New York grantees. Their grant of $16,000 will fund a building condition report for the historic library. The Preservation League of NYS and their program partners at the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) are thrilled to help fund this important work.

“We are pleased and honored to be chosen for a Preserve New York Grant,” said Patterson Library Director, Megan Hegna. “So many historic public libraries have been abandoned in order to modernize services. Unfortunately, in many cases new buildings are a more efficient use of limited funds. The people of Westfield, previous library directors, and trustees have all prioritized this unique facility to preserve as much of its elegance as possible while still offering top-notch services.”

The historic Patterson Library has been a functioning library, serving residents and visitors of the Town of Westfield and Chautauqua County continually since the building’s opening in 1908. Today, the library is open six days per week and has a steady flow of patrons who visit to seek books and other reference materials and to attend regular and special programming for both adults and children. This Preserve New York Grant will help fund a building conditions report to assess and identify existing and future maintenance and replacement issues.

The Conditions Report will include HVAC components, electrical, plumbing, interior plaster walls, and window & roof condition. Working alongside Flynn Battaglia of Buffalo, NY, the Library and Board of Trustees will use the report to make well-informed decisions to maintain and restore this beautiful structure, and its historic details, for generations to come.

At its 2023 meeting, an independent grant panel selected 19 applicants in 17 counties to receive support totaling $279,936. Each grant supports important arts and cultural initiatives, as well as economic development related to our state’s arts and cultural heritage. Many of these grants will lead to historic district designation or expansion, telling the stories of communities throughout the state and allowing property owners to take advantage of the New York State and Federal Historic Tax Credits. With the announcement of the 2023 awards, support provided by Preserve New York since its launch in 1993 totals more than $3.7 million to 529 projects statewide.

The Preserve New York program is a regrant partnership between the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) and the Preservation League, made possible with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. The Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation has generously provided additional funds to support nonprofit projects in Nassau and Suffolk Counties.

Since 1993, Preserve New York has been providing funds to municipalities and nonprofit organizations that need technical, professional assistance to guide a variety of preservation projects. The building condition reports, cultural landscape reports, and cultural resource surveys funded through this program lead to positive outcomes across New York’s 62 counties.

Since its founding in 1974, the Preservation League has built a reputation for action and effectiveness. Our goal has been to preserve our historic buildings, districts, and landscapes and to build a better New York, one community at a time. The Preservation League of New York State invests in people and projects that champion the essential role of preservation in community revitalization, sustainable economic growth and the protection of our historic buildings and landscapes. We lead advocacy, economic development, and education programs across the state.