{"id":12585,"date":"2022-12-29T09:07:07","date_gmt":"2022-12-29T15:07:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vecinogroup.com\/?p=12585"},"modified":"2022-12-29T09:07:26","modified_gmt":"2022-12-29T15:07:26","slug":"vecino-group-development-honored-with-new-york-state-preservation-award","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vecinogroup.com\/uncategorized\/vecino-group-development-honored-with-new-york-state-preservation-award\/","title":{"rendered":"Vecino Group development honored with New York State Preservation Award."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

On December 8th<\/sup> at a ceremony in Albany, NY the Vecino Group was awarded a 2022 New York State Preservation Award for its work on Old Snell Hall in downtown Potsdam, NY.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The national affordable and supportive housing developer, along with partners the Village of Potsdam and Clarkson University, spent more than four years rescuing the 103 year old former campus building to redevelop and serve its community as affordable housing and arts-driven programming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was clear from our very first discussion how important of a fixture Old Snell was\u2014and is\u2014for Potsdam,\u201d said Rick Manzardo, President of the Vecino Group, \u201cbut also how much more it could offer the community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chosen each year by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation, the awards recognize excellence in preservation and rejuvenation of New York\u2019s historic and cultural resources. Old Snell is one of ten historic developments Statewide to receive this recognition. In attendance to receive the award were Rob Holzman, Vice President of Planning and Acquisition, Vecino Group; Bruce Potekhen, Superintendent, Vecino Construction and Kelly Chezum, Vice President External Relations, Clarkson University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis highly visible reinvestment project in the heart of Potsdam adopted a successful historic preservation model and breathed life into an underutilized community resource\u201d said Erik Kulleseid, Commissioner New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This award underscores the importance preservation through redevelopment toward serving a greater community need \u2013 and is the very heart of the Vecino Group mission.  Now operating as The Quarry<\/em>\u2014named for the famous, locally-sourced sandstone used as its structure\u2014the newly renovated building provides 59 apartments for people living at or below 70% of the area\u2019s median income as well as a library, a community room and fitness center. The first floor provides community connection via flexible programming areas for Clarkson University as well as additional community-centered spaces such as a gallery, art studios and the completely restored auditorium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDevelopments like this wouldn\u2019t have been possible without the support of the entire community: the Village of Potsdam, Clarkson University as well as Saint Lawrence County and State partnerships,\u201d said Holzman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Manzardo agrees. \u201cPartnerships make the difference. We thank the State Historic Preservation Office for this honor and share it with all of Potsdam. To bring back this historic building and see the continued success of the residents of Potsdam is truly what makes the effort worthwhile.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n