What Might Have Been

Earlier this week, the Preservation League of New York State announced the winners of their annual Excellence in Preservation awards--the League's statewide awards program that "honors notable achievements in retaining, promoting and reusing New York State's irreplaceable architectural heritage." One of the recipients of the Excellence in Preservation award this year is Christ Church Bronxville. In a press release, Jay DiLorenzo, president of the Preservation League, had this to say about the project: "The restoration wisely included a global view of environmental stewardship, from stormwater management to reducing energy use. The awards jury agreed that by reinstating the natural climate control features of traditional building methodologies—in other words, windows that open—the project team has set a fine example for other practitioners."  


So, why is Gossips interested in an Episcopal church in a village in Westchester County? Because the award-winning project is the work of Walter Sedovic Architects, the firm that was hired by the trustees of the Hudson Area Library in 2006 to design and oversee the restoration of 400 State Street and dismissed in 2009 by a new batch of trustees who decided to abandon the project before the capital campaign to support it had gained the necessary momentum.