Many important historic structures and archeological sites, both on land and underwater, are found in New York's waterfront communities. An integral part of making the most of your waterfront is to protect, preserve and sensitively reuse your community's historic resources.

As historic resources are limited and irreplaceable, public or private uses and activities should avoid destroying or damaging any site having historic or cultural value. In addition to giving a community its unique character, older and historic buildings and historic districts offer considerable opportunities for economic growth through heritage tourism and building rehabilitation. The economic benefits of historic preservation should not be overlooked.

In assessing your historic resources, you will want to identify all the elements that are important in the history of the development of your community. These would include the following:

• Any historic resource listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places. Historic resources are formally designated at the federal and state level following a prescribed survey process based on strict nomination and evaluation criteria. Information about which buildings, structures and sites have been listed in the National and State Registers of Historic Places should be obtained from New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. You will also want to identify any resource nominated to be on, or determined eligible to be on the State or National Registers of Historic Places. These are equally significant resources.
• Any locally designated historic resources, this may include districts and structures that are also on the State or national register.
• An archeological resource which is in the State Department of Education's or Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation's inventory of archeological sites. The specific sites of archeological resources should generally not be made public.
• A resource that is a significant component in a State-designated Heritage Area (formerly known as Urban Cultural Parks)
• Known shipwrecks are another important resource, divers in your area will often be familiar with their location.

If the above information is limited or nonexistent it may be because your community has never been formally surveyed. If this is the case, you should consider surveying buildings in the waterfront neighborhoods to determine areas that may be historically significant. The Historic Preservation Field Services Bureau of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation will be able to assist communities in determining what waterfront areas are historically significant. You will also want to compile a brief history of the development of your waterfront. A local historical society may be able to provide this information.

Once you know the history of your waterfront and have identified your historic resources you will need to gather information about them in order to determine how best to protect them and what role they can play in making the most of your waterfront. Some questions you will want to ask are:

• What is the condition of structures or sites of historic significance, are they in near original condition, easily restorable, significantly altered, derelict or vacant? Who owns them? What are they used for now?
• If buildings are not in use or are underused, what new use might be appropriate given their nature and economic realities in your community?
• What is the level of protection afforded the historical resource? Listing on the State or National Register only requires that the actions of federal and State agencies be protective of the listed resource. Private or local government actions are only affected if there is a local law establishing standards to protect historic resources. How effective are local law protections, if any? The Secretary of the Interior has established standards of protection that guide federal and State agency decisions - these are a useful guide in judging the adequacy of any local standards, particularly where there are numerous historic resources.
• What themes, events, styles, notable people can be drawn from the history of the community for use in guiding new development and activities?
• Do people know about any underwater resources, particularly shipwrecks, and are they being respected by divers?

The following are some of the approaches you will want to consider to protect, understand and make use of your historic resources.

• Seek listing of historic resources not already listed on the National or State Register, and /or local designation. Buildings individually listed, or listed as contributing members in historic districts may be eligible for tax credits, grants and other incentives.
• Enact or strengthen a local historic preservation law
• Work with the Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation to protect historic resources through the Certified Local Government Program
• Work with preservation organizations to provide information to owners of historic resources of the benefits of appropriate restoration and the resources available to accomplish such restoration
• Work with business and development interests to find new uses for your historic buildings
• Identify regional tourism organizations with whom you can work to attract visitors to your significant resources, particularly those that fit into a regional theme, such as military history, maritime history, or industrial history.
• Create events and interpretive programs that celebrate your history and the buildings and places that make it real today 

Partners and Links

The Historic Preservation Field Services Bureau of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation can help you understand the historic value of your waterfront and what you need to do to protect it. If your waterfront project includes a historic property, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation may be able to help with funding for protection and improvements. Through the Environmental Protection Fund and, in some cases in partnership with federal grant programs, grant assistance is provided to municipalities (including state agencies) and nonprofit organizations:

• through the Historic Preservation Program for the acquisition and/or rehabilitation of properties listed on the National or State Registers of Historic Places; and
• through the Heritage Areas Program Areas to fund facilities, exhibits and programs in legislatively designated Heritage Area.

The New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) is a state funding agency that can provide support for activities of nonprofit arts and cultural organizations .

The National Park Service administers grant programs focused on cultural resources and historic preservation, as well as the Land and Water Conservation Fund, managed in New York by the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, which is intended to create and maintain a nationwide legacy of high quality recreation areas and facilities, and stimulate non-federal investments in recreation resources.

The National Park Service's Heritage Preservation Services helps individuals and communities identify, evaluate, protect and preserve historic properties for future generations. It provides a broad range of products and services, financial assistance and incentives, educational guidance, and technical information in support of this mission. If you're working with a historic building, Heritage Preservation Services will be able to help with almost every aspect of your project, from planning and evaluation to repair and rehabilitation.

The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation can provide assistance related to the preservation, enhancement and productive use of our nation's historic resources.