Photo by: NY State Parks

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the opening of the Frederic Church Center for Art and Landscape, a new entry and orientation facility at the historic site in Hudson, Columbia County. The Frederic Church Center will be a welcoming gateway for all visitors to Olana State Historic Site, making all 250 acres of the historic landscape an integral part of the visitor experience. This sustainably designed, all-electric building is the first structure built at Olana since Church’s lifetime.

“Olana State Historic Site is one of the Hudson Valley’s most striking destinations, drawing visitors from around the world,” Governor Hochul said. “With the opening of the Frederic Church Center, even more residents and visitors can fully experience the work of one of our nation’s most visionary artists right here in New York State.

Olana is the 19th century home, studio and designed landscape of Hudson River School artist, Frederic Edwin Church. The Frederic Church Center is the keystone of the award-winning Strategic Landscape Design Plan completed in 2015 by New York State Parks, The Olana Partnership (TOP), the LA Group and Nelson, Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects (NBW). The plan received the 2017 National Honor Award for Analysis and Planning from the American Society of Landscape Architects.

Designed by Architecture Research Office (ARO) and Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects (NBW), the Frederic Church Center includes a spacious entry lobby for ticketing and orientation, a café, gender neutral restrooms and a multipurpose room adjoining outdoor terraces and paths that connect to Olana’s historic carriage road network. As the principal entry point for a National Historic Landmark and New York State Historic Site that attracts over 200,000 visitors annually, the Frederic Church Center will provide a highly visible, publicly accessible demonstration of sustainable design and carbon neutral construction.

The more than $18 million construction project is funded through about $11.8M in initial investments of OPRHP capital funds, nearly $5 million from TOP and $1 million from Assemblymember Didi Barrett and Speaker Carl Heastie. Commitments of $1.4 million Empire State Development Market NY Regional Tourism Grant and $1.8 million from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s (NYSERDA) Carbon Neutral Community Economic Development Grant Program will be leveraged to offset initial investments. TOP has also contributed an additional $5 million in private donations to fund exhibits and furnishings.

New York State Parks Commissioner Pro Tem Randy Simons said, “Today we celebrate not just the opening of the new Frederic Church Center, but the power of public-private partnerships within our State Park system. We are thrilled to officially open this beautiful facility, a testament to our shared commitment to preserving and enhancing our natural spaces. This is a true milestone for our park and all those who treasure the Olana State Historic Site.”

The Olana Partnership President Dr. Sean Sawyer said, “This is a landmark day for Olana and the public-private partnership that has stewarded the site for the past 53 years. The Olana Partnership has engaged private supporters from across the country to raise $13 million in private donations to build and endow the Frederic Church Center. TOP has also brought other New York State public funders into the project to create a carbon neutral structure that will fuel the local economy and job development.”

The Frederic Church Center is estimated to boost Olana’s annual economic impact in the Capital Region by 17 percent to $15.7 million and to increase the number of jobs supported to 240, a 28 percent increase.

State Senator Michelle Hinchey said, “As one of the central figures of the Hudson River School of American landscape painters, Frederic Edwin Church played a vital role in sparking the early environmental movement by capturing the beauty of our region and sharing it with the world. The legacy of this iconic period lives on at the Olana State Historic Site in Hudson — an important economic driver that will be further enhanced by the new Frederic Church Center for Art and Landscape. I’m proud to support this exciting investment and know it will elevate Olana’s impact and the profile of the Hudson Valley as a destination for cultural tourism.”

Assemblymember Didi Barrett said, “The stunning, zero-emission and mass-timber Frederic Church Center for Art and Landscape at Olana State Historic Site is a fitting 21st century tribute to the visionary 19th century Hudson River School painter, environmentalist, architect, landscape designer and farmer as it welcomes residents and visitors from across the globe to New York State’s beautiful Hudson Valley. I am proud to have partnered with Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie to secure an historic $1 million grant for this project, and it is an honor to join Governor Hochul and Commissioner Simons for today’s ribbon cutting celebration.”

NYSERDA President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said, “The new all-electric building at Olana State Historic Site is an example of how New York State is complementing renowned destinations with zero-emission building solutions. This project is another step towards building a better, more sustainable future as the new welcome facility not only enhances an already desirable experience in the Hudson Valley, but serves as a model for public-private partnerships at work.”

Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “The new Frederic Church Center for Art and Landscape is a sustainable modern portal that will welcome, introduce and enrich visitors to Olana and its timeless Hudson River vista. This project furthers our commitment to the State’s dynamic tourism economy, which is strengthened by investing in New York’s unparalleled palette of arts and culture offerings.”

Empire State Development Vice President and Executive Director of Tourism Ross D. Levi said, “The new Frederic Church Center for Art and Landscape is an exciting addition to what is already a must see destination in Olana State Historic Site. With a new on-site location for guests to eat, enjoy unparalleled views and learn about the world famous Hudson River School of Art, visitors can spend more time enjoying this landscaping and architectural marvel. We hope this impressive new welcome experience brings even more people from around the world to Olana and encourages them to extend their stay to enjoy delicious cuisine, relaxing accommodations and a variety of cultural destinations in the surrounding Hudson Valley, making it easy to love New York.”

The design of the new Frederic Church Center features a whole building systems approach to achieve a low environmental impact and reduced energy consumption with minimal maintenance. The building is expected to expand Olana’s visitor capacity by serving as a base for sitewide interpretive programming and recreational use. Work also included new wayfinding signage throughout the site and critical improvements to existing infrastructure.

NBW Senior Principal Thomas Woltz said, “Our work with Olana has focused on restoring the landscape to Church’s original intent, while updating it to best serve today’s growing audiences. Strategically sited to protect historic viewsheds and minimize impact on the site, the Center will serve as an expression of Church’s vision for new generations of visitors.”

ARO Principal Adam Yarinsky said, “Our goal for the Frederic Church Center was to create a space that harmonizes art and architecture with the natural beauty that inspired Church’s work. Every design decision was made with the landscape in mind, from the materials we selected to the way the building nestles into the site.”

ARO Principal Kim Yao said, “We wanted the Center to serve as a place for both reflection and engagement. The design invites visitors to experience Olana as an immersive, living work of art.”

The Olana Partnership is a 501(c)(3) non-profit partner of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation at Olana State Historic Site. TOP’s mission is to inspire the public by preserving and interpreting Frederic Church’s Olana, a New York State Historic Site and National Historic Landmark within the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area. The Olana Partnership envisions Olana as vibrant with the activity of visitors, students, scholars and artists, as the most widely recognized artist’s home and studio in the world.

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf courses, boat launches and more, which saw a record 84 million visits in 2023. For more information on any of these recreation areas, visit the New York State Office  of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation website and download the free NY State Parks Explorer app or call 518-474-0456. Join us in celebrating our Centennial throughout 2024, and connect with us on Facebook,  Instagram, X (formerly Twitter) and the OPRHP Blog.