About Us

The New York Preservation Archive Project is a non-profit organization dedicated to documenting, preserving, and celebrating the history of historic preservation in New York City. Recognizing the instructive and inspirational importance of this history to the continued health, success and growth of preservation in our city, NYPAP hopes to bring these stories to light through public programs, oral histories, and the creation of public access to information. NYPAP is devoted to celebrating neglected narratives of New York historic preservation, as well as the canon, using the archives that hold these stories.

Contact us:

The New York Preservation Archive Project
174 East 80th Street
New York, NY 10075
Phone: (212) 988-8379
Fax: (212) 537-5571
General Info: info@nypap.org

Why?

Every day, preservationists work to save our city's architectural, cultural, and community treasures. In New York City, this effort has been going on for well over one hundred years. We have a series of laws, a Supreme Court case, and a track record of success that demonstrate the legitimacy - and urgency - of our work. New York City's preservation movement has served as a model and inspiration for thousands of other communities striving to preserve their own heritage.

So why is preservation still under attack? Why must preservationists constantly reaffirm and defend their place in the life of our city?

The New York Preservation Archive Project believes that the answer to this question lies partly in the ongoing loss of a sense of preservation's own past. As preservation pioneers pass away, their irreplaceable knowledge and their personal papers often disappear with them. As a result, preservationists themselves - not to mention the general public - are often unaware of precisely what the movement has accomplished and how those goals were achieved. How can we articulate the importance of preservation if we can't describe its historic effects and significance?

By documenting and publicizing the history of the preservation movement, we can ensure that preservation's influence on the architectural, cultural, and economic growth of New York City becomes part of New Yorkers' everyday understanding of their city - as vital and intrinsic as the work of the Dutch East India Company, the Progressives, or Robert Moses.

How?

NYPAP's mission is to document, protect, and publicize the history of the preservation movement in order to ensure that an accurate account of the movement is made available for posterity. We accomplish our mission by:

• Making reference materials, original research and primary source documents available on this site;
• Conducting oral history interviews with key figures in the movement;
• Assisting in properly archiving the papers and documents of preservationists and organizations;
• Conducting educational outreach programs with preservation students, professionals, and the general public.

How You Can Help

1. Sign up for our newsletter to stay up-to-date on preservation history news. You can also follow us on Twitter or connect with us on Facebook.
2. Pledge your support for NYPAP through a financial contribution or by donating skills, time, or materials.
3. Ensure that your own preservation papers are professionally archived and made available to researchers.
4. Be a preservation history advocate by telling other preservationists about NYPAP and encouraging them to document their own past.