FEMA Funds Help Repair Storm
Damage At Historic Rye Playland
This past March, Playland Amusement Park, a National Historic Landmark located in the City of Rye, was damaged by a Nor’easter that ripped through parts of New York State.
At the request of Governor David A. Paterson, New York State received a presidential disaster declaration for six counties including Westchester, making federal funds through the Public Assistance Program, available for repairs or replacement. Work began in early April to repair the storm damage sustained at Rye Playland. Some of the damage included the sand dunes on the beach area, the wood rails, deck, roof and electrical damage on the pier, asphalt shingles on the Ice Casino, the roofs of several rides such as the Carousel, the Whip and the Log Flume.
The park opened on schedule in May, despite continuing repair work. “Without the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) assistance and funding, timely restoration of our park would have been more difficult or even impossible,” said Dan McBride, Director of Playland.
Playland’s plan and its original buildings and structures remain largely intact after more than 80 years of continuous use. It is the first comprehensively designed amusement facility in the United States, resting on 313 acres. The majority of the facilities have an Art Deco design. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987.
Playland is located partially along the shoreline of Long Island Sound and is extremely vulnerable to damage from severe storms. Repairs are underway and should be completed by mid-July.
What happens after a major storm damages an historic landmark building? According to the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, projects involving federal funds are required to go through a review process. FEMA and the State Emergency Management Office (SEMO) consult with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), the authority on historic structures and cultural resources throughout the Empire State.
“The historic review process assures the local community that the federal government is indeed dedicated to preserving our national heritage,” said Albie Lewis, Federal Coordinating Officer for FEMA in Albany.
The process involves examining and evaluating a damaged structure. FEMA makes a recommendation and submits it to SHPO for review. Often records are made to preserve the historic building and repair it to its previous condition. Sometimes a building cannot be repaired/restored or relocated without an adverse effect to its historic nature. When that happens, FEMA, SEMO and the SHPO come up with an “alternative treatment measure” that would serve to offset the historic loss to the community.
FEMA, like all federal agencies, must take into account the effect of its undertakings on properties that meet the criteria for listing in the National Register of Historic Places, the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of protection at the local, state or national level. Fewer than 2500 of these sites are designated National Historic Landmarks, which are those properties that possess exceptional value or quality in interpreting the heritage of the United States.
FEMA’s mission is to support citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
© Shoreline Publishing 2010
629 Fifth Avenue, Suite 213, Pelham, NY 10803
Phone: 914-738-7869 Fax 914-738-7876
http://www.shorelinepub.com
prod@shorelinepub.com
