The Ellis Island Institute Preservation Forum
The rehabilitation and re-use of the un-restored buildings on Ellis Island, which served as a state-of-the-art U. S. Public Health Service hospital for treating ill and infirm immigrants, is one of the largest historic preservation projects ever undertaken in this country. In order to capture the power of this project, on June 11, 2008, the Ellis Island Institute hosted its first forum by bringing together a national panel of historic preservation professionals to discuss the many ways in which the rehabilitation of the twenty-nine un-restored buildings on Ellis Island will serve as a unique educational opportunity on the value of historic preservation.
Co-sponsored by Columbia University’s graduate program in historic preservation, the New York Landmarks Conservancy and Preservation New Jersey, the one-day forum resulted in a strategy to engage audiences of all kinds in educational programs that capture and explain the multiple ways in which the field of historic preservation saves and revives our historic built environment, benefits the economy and contributes to environmental sustainability.
In 2000, workers began to stabilize these buildings after over forty-five years of abandonment, repairing roofs and gutters, removing vines and vegetation from the exterior and interior spaces, clearing away debris and hazardous materials and fitting windows with wooden panels to preserve historic architectural features. These actions stalled further deterioration for ten to fifteen years. Since then, the project to re-habilitate the structures as the Ellis Island Institute and Conference Center has advanced to the point where some construction has taken place, with more planned for the coming years. Through the work of the Preservation Education Forum, the Ellis Island Institute will insure that , as one of the largest preservation projects moves towards completion, the historic preservation story behind the project will reach students, preservation professionals and audiences of all kinds.
Visit our website often to see how you can become involved and learn more about historic preservation on Ellis Island.
Read the report from the Forum
Our sincere appreciation to our co-sponsors and funders:
Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, Columbia University
New York Landmarks Conservancy
Preservation New Jersey
Samuel H. Kress Foundation
World Monuments Fund
