Montour House wins state award

ALBANY—The Montour House project was given an award for  Outstanding Adaptive Use and Commitment to Community Revitalization, Wednesday, Dec. 29.

The award came from the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.  The 2010 New York State Historic Preservation Awards were established in 1980 and are given each year to honor excellence in the protection and rejuvenation of New York’s historic and cultural resources.

The award was presented to Bruce Nelson, president of Nelson Development; the village of Montour Falls; and Schuyler County Partners for Economic Development (SCOPED).

The Montour House project was set in motion by a Restore New York grant and assistance from SCOPED.  Montour Falls hired developer Bruce Nelson to bring the 1850 Montour House back to life. Nelson worked closely with SHPO staff to determine the best approach to adapting the former hotel for apartments and commercial spaces while adhering to historic preservation standards.

Over 20 years of neglect had caused severe water damage and other deterioration, and the village was in danger of losing the central landmark. A mason employed on the job for 18 months and a millwright who restored 118 historic wood windows were joined by other team members who restored and replaced decorative plaster elements.