NEWSLETTER
Transformative Funding Will Protect Delicate 18th-Century Architecture While Modernizing Visitor Experience and Community Education
New Paltz, NY — Historic Huguenot Street (HHS) today announced it has been awarded a $2 million Capital Project grant from the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA). The funding, announced as part of a historic $82.2 million statewide arts infrastructure initiative by Governor Kathy Hochul, will directly support the construction of HHS’s proposed Education and Visitor Center. This strategic investment will help alleviate structural stress on the National Historic Landmark District’s 300-year-old stone houses by transitioning administrative, educational, and visitor services into a new, purpose-built facility.
“New York’s powerful arts and culture sector is a formidable asset,” Governor Hochul said. “Our continued investments in museums, theaters and art centers generate incredible returns —sparking innovation, boosting local economies, driving visitors and making us the global epicenter of arts and culture.”
State Senator Michelle Hinchey, who represents a significant portion of the Hudson Valley, including New Paltz, remarked “Historic Huguenot Street is a local treasure in New Paltz, recognized as one of the oldest continuously inhabited streets in America. By preserving the architecture, cultures, and contributions of the many families who called it home across centuries, it offers a unique window into our region’s early history and serves as an important driver of tourism and local economic activity. I was proud to help champion this NYSCA grant at a meaningful moment as our country approaches its 250th anniversary. I look forward to seeing this National Historic Landmark expand educational opportunities and continue advancing its work to elevate the site’s rich multicultural history.”
New York State Council on the Arts Executive Director Erika Mallin said, “We know that
when the arts flourish, communities follow — bringing energy, creating jobs, expanding
accessibility, and increasing tourism. This grant program is a critical investment in our creative sector, empowering our creative community and inspiring innovation. Congratulations to all the grantees, we look forward to seeing these diverse projects develop all throughout the state.”
For over 130 years, Historic Huguenot Street has served as the historic soul of New Paltz. As one of the nation's earliest preservation organizations, HHS stewards a complex history spanning from the ancestral lands of the Esopus Lenape to the arrival of Dutch and French colonists and the forced labor of enslaved Africans. Today, the site faces the critical 21st-century challenge of managing aging 18th-century infrastructure while expanding its capacity for modern, inclusive storytelling.
The new Education and Visitor Center is designed to resolve these modern museum standard challenges. By relocating daily operations away from the fragile historic masonry —which faces existential threats from high foot traffic and a lack of ADA-compliant facilities —the center will allow the historic stone houses to be preserved strictly as delicate artifacts. The project has been rigorously planned to respect the district's architectural integrity and is strategically located to avoid disturbing Indigenous archaeology. The site has already received a formal determination of "No Adverse Impact" from the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
With newly expanded parking and its location near to the Empire State Rail Trail, Historic Huguenot Street will be positioned as a leading Hudson Valley cultural destination. Ulster County Tourism believes that the Center will be an important stop for users of the Empire State Rail Trail.
"We are profoundly grateful to Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Council on the Arts for this transformative $2 million investment in the future of Historic Huguenot Street," said Liselle LaFrance, President & CEO of Historic Huguenot Street. "For decades, we have utilized our 300-year-old stone houses for functions they were never built to sustain. Retrofitting these structures with modern plumbing or heavy HVAC systems risks catastrophic damage to our historic masonry. This capital award allows us to step forward at a critical crossroads. By building a dedicated Education and Visitor Center, we can finally protect the physical integrity and historic value of our campus while vastly elevating our operations and the visitor experience. It will allow students and visitors to engage with our rich history in a modern classroom setting before stepping outside to experience that history preserved flawlessly in stone. NYSCA's support ensures that this national treasure remains a vibrant, accessible, and secure resource for generations to come."
The $2 million grant awarded to Historic Huguenot Street is part of NYSCA’s Capital Projects Fund, which aims to make arts and cultural venues more physically accessible, sustainable, and better equipped to serve their communities.
HHS is working in close alignment with the local Planning Board, the Historic Preservation Commission, and neighbors to ensure the project meets community standards. Following extensive local and Village feedback, HHS successfully reduced the originally proposed building's footprint by 28 percent, reduced parking capacity to protect the site's "lawn aesthetic," and integrated a landscape plan that yields a net increase in the tree canopy. With NYSCA funding secured, Historic Huguenot Street is poised to move forward with securing its future.
About Historic Huguenot Street A National Historic Landmark District encompassing a 10-acre site into the heart of New Paltz, NY, Historic Huguenot Street is dedicated to preserving the history of the Hudson Valley's early inhabitants, including the Esopus Lenape, French Huguenot colonists, and enslaved Africans. For more information, visit [Website].
About the New York State Council on the Arts
The mission of the New York State Council on the Arts is to foster and advance the full breadth of New York State’s arts, culture, and creativity for all. Created by Governor Nelson Rockefeller in 1960 and continued with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, the Council is an agency that is part of the Executive Branch. For more information on NYSCA, please visit www.arts.ny.gov.
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