Newsletter - Spring 2000

Contents:

• Project Update
• Lightship Nantucket II to Represent Museum at OP-SAIL 2000
• New Development Director on Board
• Through the Lens
• "A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words"
• Board of Directors

Project Update
By Henry Stephenson, NLCM Project Director

After a careful search, and a series of presentations by prospective firms, the Museum Planning Committee has found a museum planning and exhibit design firm uniquely suited to our needs.

Lee H. Skolnick Architecture & Design Partnership (LHS) has won the contract. All the firms considered were well-qualified, highly-recommended and had extensive experience in museum exhibit design. The committee felt, however, that LHS seemed to go further. Their work created a strong sense of place and presented memorable images that visitors could take home with them. The firm’s proposal was especially sensitive to both the historic context within which they would work and the need to blend preservation with the creation of enlivened spaces.

LHS is unusual in that it combines architecture, museum planning and exhibit design. Mr. Skolnick, a fine architect and one of the country’s best exhibit designers, is joined by his partner and wife, Jo Ann Secor, who will be responsible for the research and programming of museum exhibits. The team is comfortable with hi-tech installations, having just completed the Hubble Telescope exhibit for the Smithsonian Institution and a computer-learning center for the Chicago Academy of Sciences. Their architectural message is delivered through direct work that incorporates good design and clear organization.

Felicia Liss, Paul S. Alter, Lee H. Skolnick, Henry Stephenson, Jo Ann Secor & cynthia Smith.

Both the New York Municipal Arts Society and the Staten Island Children’s Museum have worked successfully with LHS. The company’s other projects include Omaha’s $18.9MM Western Heritage Museum expansion project, two mobile exhibits for the NYC Museum of Natural History, the Adirondack Museum, a $17.5MM Children’s Science Museum in Chattanooga, and the inaugural exhibits at the Montauk Lighthouse for the Montauk Point Historical Society.

LHS is aware that we are a start-up organization and that one of our first and most pressing needs is to secure funding to move forward. They will work with us to develop the museum program, produce promotional materials, and will do presentations of the designs for prospective underwriters. Finally, LHS gets rave reviews from everyone with whom they have worked.

Restoration Plans Moving Forward

Pokorny Associates, architects for structural stabilization and restoration, have completed most of the plans for the restoration of the buildings at the site. Contracts are to be let this Fall. Phase One includes the installation of basic utilities, parking, landscaping and the restoration of two buildings. Building 11, the former Machine Shop and nearest the water, is scheduled to become a small restaurant. Building 10, the former Lamp Shop, just behind the Machine Shop, will house the museum exhibits, administrative offices and museum store. The remaining structures will be renovated over the course of the next few years.

Key West (in any weather)

Hurricane Irene did not deter Jim Dunlap, Tom Laverty, the Stephensons and Wayne Wheeler from attending the National Lighthouse Conference in Key West last October. The conference was a great way to connect with lighthouse organizations from around the country, and bring everyone up to date on the progress we are making here in New York.

The NLM slide show provided an introduction of the project, while highlighting the wealth of lighthouses and maritime resources in and around the New York area. Jim, Tom and Wayne then joined Henry in a panel discussion about how best to coordinate our efforts with lighthouse groups nationwide. We are exploring the possibility of implementing some of the ideas presented at the conference. Establishing associate memberships for other organizations would allow us to work together and be helpful in disseminating information and promoting each of our groups. Ideas such as traveling exhibits, restoration workshops and the use of oral history all had merit and will be incorporated into our on-going planning.

Having the support of a national network of lighthouse advocates, such as those we met in Key West, is invaluable as NLM moves forward. We will keep all of our contacts within the circle of NLM friends and reach out for advice and counsel.

Lightship Nantucket II to Represent Museum at OP-SAIL 2000

By Roberta Scott-Boatti

The tall ships are coming! NLCM will act as the northern anchor for Staten Island’s events of Op-Sail 2000, the largest ship and maritime event in history.

Not since July 1976, when vessels sailed and steamed through the Verrazanno Narrows to commemorate our country’s 200th birthday, has another maritime event been so highly- anticipated in New York City. It is tremendously exciting, that our fledgling NLM has been asked to play a significant part in making the week of July 3-9 a successful and memorable celebration. We will be the northern anchor for Staten Island’s events of OpSail 2000, the largest ship and maritime event in history. Borough officials have chosen Lighthouse Plaza as the primary Staten Island site from which information will be distributed to the thousands of celebrants visiting us for the first time.

NLM, together with other cultural organizations and municipal groups, will provide for viewing the tall and military ship armadas, and for the enjoyment of fireworks along the four-mile stretch of waterfront from our plaza to Fort Wadsworth. Not only will visitors be able to take advantage of one of the most magnificent view corridors in the country, they will be entertained with music, vendors and children’s activities along the way. Thousands of vessels are expected to fill the harbor on Independence Day. The leader of the free world will be here as well. President Clinton’s ship, assigned to head the parade, will be launched from the Homeport just south of NLM. Lighthouse Plaza will be Staten Island’s stepping-off point for visitors from other boroughs, states and countries.

Op-Sail visitors will also be able to board the tall ships moored just off Lighthouse Plaza during the week. On July 4th the NLM will provide a VIP hospitality suite and weather shelter that will afford close-up views of activities on the plaza and around the piers.

What would a waterfront celebration be without ships close by? NLM will have them. The Lightship WLV-613 (Nantucket II) will be here on the Fourth of July to represent the NLM at the Op-Sail 2000 ceremonies. She will be docked at the museum site from July 3rd through July 9th and open to visitors throughout the week. The WLV-613 is a beautiful ship, with an unusual tripod mast housing the brightest light ever mounted on an American ship. WLV-613’s owner, Jack Baker, saved the ship from being scrapped and has completely restored her to original condition, an enormously generous undertaking for which we are all extremely thankful. The WLV-613 was the last lightship on station in the United States and was headquarter-ed at Ambrose Channel here in New York before being transferred to Massachusetts. (The name painted on the hull refers to the station where the ship is working.) We are especially pleased that she will be here for this historic event.

Lightship WLV-613 Nantucket II to Represent Museum at Op-Sail 2000 Ceremonies

During the Parade of Sail, the ship will be prominently stationed at the entrance to the Upper Bay, where she will guide the tall ships into the harbor. After the Parade of Sail, she will return to dock at the museum grounds.

The Lighthouse Museum is working to have the ship permanently moored at our site. A special fund has been created for the ship’s long-term care and we welcome your support in this effort. The owner has stated that his intention is to donate the ship to the National Lighthouse Center & Museum.

If you plan to be in New York, Lighthouse Plaza is the place to be. The lightship will be open to visitors, fireworks will be on a barge just off of our shore point and all other activities are within easy access. You will have to wait a thousand years for another millennial celebration such as this. None of us can afford to miss this one.

New Development Director on Board

The museum search committee has selected Pam Tice as the first Director of Planning and Resource Development. We welcome her with excitement about the wealth of fundraising and executive experience she brings to the table. Ms. Tice’s first assignment will be to initiate a $15MM national fundraising campaign for reconstruction of the historic structures at the Lighthouse Depot.

Ms. Tice was Vice President of Strategic Planning and Development for the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in NYC, and was the first Executive Director of the Central Park Conservancy also in NYC. Pam’s experience, however, goes well beyond her fundraising skills. She has a broad range of executive experience and has been involved in several important start-up efforts.

Hostelling International-New York, which operates the largest youth hostel in the world in Manhattan, has benefited from ten years of Ms. Tice’s stewardship as Executive Director. Currently Ms. Tice is the Executive Director of Bike New York, a new organization established by Hostelling International to operate the annual Five-Boro Bike Tour, the country’s largest mass-bicycling event.

The museum looks forward to working with Ms. Tice whose many talents will be much needed and greatly appreciated as we move forward with this exciting project.

Through the Lens

By Nellie Wilson

We need your help! With this edition of the newsletter, we inaugurate a column devoted to celebrating special people in our community of lighthouse aficionados. We’ll publish short biographical sketches of people who have made an interesting contribution to our unique area of interest. To start things off, our next newsletter will feature Frank Schubert, by all accounts a fascinating man, and keeper of the Coney Island Light Station right here in NLM’s backyard, so to speak.

There are many lighthouse devotees. Please send us the names of those you think worthy of celebrating. Lighthouse keepers, restorers, collectors of memorabilia, artists… you get the idea. The person must have contributed to "lighthouse life" in a significant way, a way that would be of special interest to the community. We are especially interested in finding people who were associated with the Lighthouse Depot.

We need the following information:

• Suggested person’s name, address, telephone
• Brief summary of accomplishments
• Your name, address, telephone

Please send your suggestions to: "Through the Lens", NLM, One Lighthouse Plaza, Staten Island, New York 10301 or e-mail us at: info@lighthousemuseum.org.Thank you!

"A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words"

Newsletter Reader

Doris T. from Pennsylvania wrote to say that she very much enjoys reading our newsletter and looks forward to coming to New York when the museum is completed. In the meantime, she would like to see some photos of the site as we progress. We are including a photo of the Dutch Gabel Machine Shop Building in this issue and will publish more in the future. Thank you for taking the time to write; the opinion of members is very important to us.

The interior of the Dutch Gable Machine Shop, slated to become a restaurant.

NLM Board of Directors

• Brendan Sexton, President
• Judith M. Hoffman, First Vice President
• Ralph Eshelman, Second Vice President
• Wayne Wheeler, Treasurer
• Channell Graham, AIA Secretary
• Henry Stephenson, AIA Director
• Dr. William Baker
• Chris Benbow, Esq.
• Cliff Benfield
• Capt. Richard Bennis, CG
• Ken Black
• Cesar Claro
• E. Virgil Conway
• James Dunlap
• Dr. Loren Graham
• Dr. Gayle Haines
• Arthur Imperatore, Jr.
• Thomas Laverty
• Michael Martin
• Dr. Valerie Nelson
• Jerry Roberts
• Maurice K. Shaw
• Rep. Mark Souder R-IN
• Michael Vogel