December 1, 2022

New Oral Histories

Oral Historian Sarah Dziedzic continues to conduct oral histories to add to the Archive Project’s collection. Dziedzic recently conducted new oral histories with Alex Herrera, of both the Landmarks Preservation Commission and the New York Landmarks Conservancy; Carol Clark, a veteran of multiple city agencies; and Simeon Bankoff, former executive director of the Historic Districts Council. The Archive Project also recently received notice that it has received a new round of oral history funding from the Peggy N and Roger G Gerry Charitable Trust. 

Preservation History Database Entries

The Archive Project has added new entries to our ever-growing Preservation History Database on our website, www.nypap.org. New entries as of late include one on the 1973 amendments to the NYC Landmarks Law, an entry on Gowanus preservationist Linda Mariano, and an entry on the Northern Dispensary, among others. Special thanks to Patrick Reisinger for helping us continue to build out this mini encyclopedia of preservation history in New York City. 

Reunion: Jeffe Fellows and Reisinger Scholars

On October 12, 2022, Archive Project staff and board members met with several alumni of the Jeffe Fellowship and Reisinger Scholarship roles that support the Archive Project’s work each year. Former Reisinger Scholar Peter Sohmer and former Jeffe Fellow Dina Posner met current Jeffe Fellow John C. Harris and current Reisinger Scholar Bhavini Kapur at historic McSorley’s Old Ale House for an evening of happy hour conversation over lights, darks, cheese, crackers, and onions with Archive Project founder Anthony C. Wood, board member Adrian Untermyer and executive director Brad Vogel. The establishment was chosen based on Harris’ and Kapur’s research on the late Joseph Mitchell, a longtime habitué of McSorley’s and author of an essay on the remarkably enduring watering hole.