A Look at the Renovations of Philipse Manor Hall

Built in the late 1600’s, Philipse Manor Hall was home to four generations of the Philipse family. The hall was eventually owned by multiple individuals before becoming the Yonkers City Hall. When the new City Hall was built in the 20th century, the house was preserved, becoming the Philipse Manor Hall Historic Site. This is the oldest building in New York State, and amongst one of the oldest in the country.

Throughout 2010 and 2011, Barton & Loguidice provided the engineering services for the replacement of the HVAC systems for the old manor house and the caretaker’s house. In 2015, B&L again provided services in the preservation and reconstruction of the stone retaining wall at the perimeter of the manor hall grounds. More recently, B&L assisted on the design work for the renovations to the manor hall to provide ADA compliant accessibility and technologically advanced exhibits while preserving the historic nature of the facility. While the manor had to remain closed during the renovations, the team at B&L worked with Saratoga Associates and were able to fast track the project through design and construction. The renovations at Philipse Manor Hall required updates to ensure the building was ADA compliant, therefore a small, modernized addition was built on the backside of the hall to house an elevator and modern restrooms. The stone veneer addition was designed in an effort to complement the envelope of the house with the use of modern construction materials. Previous foundation remains were preserved and interfaced to prevent disturbance of the foundation. Windows were restored and walkways were adjusted to meet ADA compliant levels as well. The project also included restoration of existing floors and walls throughout the hall in preparation for new exhibits, and a new catering kitchen in the caretaker’s cottage.

The renovations to Philipse Manor Hall and other historic sites in New York State are in preparation for the 250th anniversary of the United States coming up in 2026. To learn more about Philipse Manor Hall or to plan a visit, please follow the link here. For any further questions on this project or our other Facilities services, please contact Dean Mason or Sue Weaver.