City Island Historical Society, 190 Fordham Street, Bronx
City Island Historical Society, 190 Fordham Street, Bronx
Restored entry and portico
City Island Historical Society, 190 Fordham Street, Bronx
After the fire
City Island Historical Society, 190 Fordham Street, Bronx
After the fireGrant Award: $10,000 toward architectural preservation services
P.S. 17 was designed in the Georgian Revival style by C.B.J. Snyder in 1897 when he was the Superintendent of Schools for the NYC Board of Education. In a 4,000 square foot space, the building now houses the City Island Historical Society. This small nonprofit organization operates a museum and library there, whose content focuses on the history of City Island and its relation to the surrounding waters.
In July, 2007, kids playing with firecrackers on the front porch of the building started a fire which largely destroyed the outer porch area, including the entry doors, columns, and overhead pediment. Luckily, the library and museum suffered mostly smoke damage. An Emergency Preservation Grant was authorized to retain Kaitsen Woo, a preservation architect, to prepare plans and specifications for a new entry, help bid and select a contractor and ascertain a price for the work. He has completed these tasks, and contractors’ prices have come in at about $150,000 for the rebuilding of the entryway.
