Preservation Matters: Sending a Message of Preservation

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The community was determined to change the direction that the city was taking. With the many grand hotels demolished, there was a need for a modern hotel. Members of the community invested in the construction of the Holiday Inn, which opened in 1964. The following year, the Saratoga Performing Arts Center opened with the New York City Ballet and the Philadelphia Orchestra making it their summer home.

However, downtown was still struggling. In 1973, local business leaders came together to revitalize downtown. The group formed the Saratoga Plan of Action. With input from the community, a plan was made that had immediate, short, and long-term goals. These goals ranged from basic clean-up, planting of trees, reviewing of building façade improvements to the creation of a special assessment district to fund projects, and downtown advertising and promotion.

Historic preservation played a critical role in the success that downtown sees today. Building on the earlier efforts of Bea Sweeney, who was actively involved in the Citizen’s Advisory Committee to the Planning Board, later the Committee on Aesthetic Zoning and Historic Preservation; the Mayor’s Temporary Committee on Historic Buildings established in 1963; and the momentum of the Saratoga Plan of Action, historic preservation saw a turning point when in 1974, Ray Watkin, a Broadway business owner, took office as mayor.

Watkin was a champion of historic preservation, which was proven early in his tenure as mayor. Not long after taking office, the Postmaster began renovation of the 1910 BeauxArts United States Post Office on Broadway – destroying the terrazzo and marble floor and planning to cover the skylight with a dropped ceiling that would damage the two important Guy Péne du Bois murals depicting Saratoga Racing Season that were created under the Treasury Relief Art Project, which supported artists during the Depression. He was successful in getting a temporary stop work-order. Undeterred, the Postmaster planned to move forward. Watkin sought permission from City Council to sue the U.S. Post Office. When he was unsuccessful in gaining their support, he sued as an individual and was successful in preserving the grand interior.

The battle of the Post Office galvanized his dedication to see the city take further steps to protect its historic resources. “The Post Office was a building that many could relate to as it was one that they used often. The court case helped to gain additional support for preservation in the community – laying the groundwork to establish a historic review ordinance,” shared Watkin.

Shortly after, Watkin formed a Historic Preservation Committee to establish a local register, to

PHOTO PROVIDED BY SSPF PHOTO PROVIDED BY SSPF The interior of the Saratoga Springs Post Office at 475 Broadway, showing the significant Guy Péne du Bois’ murals that depict the Saratoga Racing Season that were created under the Treasury Relief Art Project and would have been damaged with the proposed renovations. The Saratoga Springs Post Office skylight, which would have been obscured by the a drop ceiling, and the marble and terrazzo flooring that was going to be removed, but were thankfully preserved due to Watkin’s lawsuit.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY MARK STRAUS AND SSPF A photo of the 1871 Ainsworth Building at 458-470 Broadway before and after the façade improvement grants. Watkin’s business, Raymond’s Bootery, was initially located next to Menges & Curtis.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY SSPF Raymond Watkin with former business partner and friend, Mark Straus, who owned the store Mabou also located in the Ainsworth Building.