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County approves NYSCA grant acceptance for leasehold improvements at Baker Meeting House
Summary
Albany County approved acceptance of a New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) grant to fund leasehold improvements at the 1848 Baker Meeting House; Sheba Heritage Society said the grant would cover roughly half the cost of replacing a ramp and related code-compliant repairs.
The Albany County Legislature approved acceptance of a New York State Council on the Arts grant to make leasehold improvements at the 1848 Baker Meeting House.
Johanna Battman, director of Sheba Heritage Society, told the Legislature that the society holds a long-term lease for the county-owned property and must seek authorization before accepting grants that affect the leasehold. "We have a long term lease, with the county, and, pursuant to our lease, we have to request authorization before accepting any grant that could impact, the property and capital projects that, make improvements to the leasehold," Battman said.
She said the grant would help fund replacement of an existing ramp entrance with a graded sidewalk, installation of a code-compliant second-floor fire escape stairway and construction of a protective shield to meet preservation-office requirements tied to previously installed HVAC equipment. Battman said the ramp replacement would cover approximately half of the ramp cost. The society has already installed new heat pumps two years earlier, she added.
Legislators voted to authorize acceptance of the NYSCA grant by voice vote; the meeting record shows the motion carried with aye votes and no recorded opposition. The presentation did not include the exact grant amount or a full cost breakdown for the entire project; those details were not specified during the committee presentation and will be part of subsequent project approvals as required by the lease and county procedures.
