Smithtown Takes First Step In Restoring Caleb Smith House

SMITHTOWN, NY — Smithtown officials will soon take their first step toward restoring the historic Caleb Smith House.

The town received a $3,888 Technical Assistance Grant from the Preservation League of New York State. Officials will use it to support a buildings survey of the house, which was built by Caleb Smith, Yale University graduate and state assembly member, in the mid-1700s.

Jan Hird Pokorny Associates, an architecture firm focused on preserving historic buildings, will conduct the survey (and will serve as consultants to the town). The assessment will allow the town to begin planning for the cost of fixing building deterioration issues.

The survey will be broken down by components such as masonry, roof, structure and mechanical systems, and it will include recommendations on how those systems could be improved and the relative costs and priorities of each one.

When the survey is complete, the town hopes to begin repairing and restoring the estate.

Smithtown's application was one of 17 selected by an independent panel of preservation professionals out of applications that came from 14 counties across New York.

Smithtown Supervisor Edward R. Wehrheim said his town was thrilled to be chosen as a Technical Assistance Grant recipient, and he thanked the Preservation League of New York and its partners for their work funding projects that protect and preserve the state's historic structures.

"Grant opportunities such as these, allow our administration to pursue our promise to constituents to preserve the historic landmarks which still remain throughout the Township," Wehrheim said. "We can ensure that Smithtown's future generations will be able to experience, learn and embrace the history of our community, which the Caleb Smith House represents thanks to this grant."

In total, $62,953 was awarded in the 2021 Technical Assistance Grant program. The program is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts, with additional support coming from the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area.