Sylvester Manor Capital Campaign Case for Support

WHO WE ARE

Sylvester Manor is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization located on Shelter Island, New York on the ancestral lands of the Manhansett People. The 236acre waterfront site is the most intact remnant of a former slaveholding plantation north of Virginia and is Shelter Island's only site of national significance on the National Register of Historic Places. Our mission is to Preserve, Cultivate and Share historic Sylvester Manor by celebrating inclusive history and offering innovative programming that is open to all.

WHY SYLVESTER MANOR MATTERS

Consisting of 236 acres of working farm fields, woodlands and wetlands, a 1737 Manor House, a restored 19th-century windmill, an Afro-Indigenous Burial Ground and family cemetery as well as a formal garden, it is uniquely positioned to be a nationally recognized center for place-based learning and interpretation.

Sylvester Manor has become an educational and cultural mecca for students of all ages, from the youngest children to adults and eminent scholars. Using shared resources, collections and the layered cultural landscape itself, we are committed to bringing expanded programming and the full, inclusive history of Sylvester Manor to a broader audience.

CASE FOR SUPPORT

Over the next five years, our goal is to weave together Sylvester Manor's expansive acreage into a single, holistic campus that is open and accessible to all. This campaign has two primary goals:

Rehabilitate and preserve the 1737 Manor House, ensuring it remains a living structure reflecting the complexity and layers of our Nation’s history.

Transform the historic grounds into a more accessible, welcoming site to give more people the opportunity to learn from and experience this nationally significant place.

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OUR VISION

FOR SYLVESTER MANOR

CENTER FOR HISTORY & HERITAGE ACCESSIBLE AND OPEN TO ALL

The 1737 Manor House is the single most important artifact in our collection and one of the crown jewels of this historic site. The exterior and oldest portions of the House will be rehabilitated with the help of historic preservation professionals. The newer section of the House, which dates to 1908, will be adaptively reused for programming and interpretive purposes. Over the next three years, we will establish the Sylvester Manor Center for History & Heritage to include accessible artist/scholar-in-residence workspaces and housing, offices for expanded History & Heritage staff, year-round exhibition and program spaces as well as support facilities.

Sylvester Manor was a privately owned property and estate for hundreds of years. The existing entrances, driveways and circulation are vestiges of the past and do not represent the mission or goals of this maturing not-for-profit. The goal is to adapt entranceways and circulation into a site that integrates programming, protects highly sensitive and historic features and ensures full public access to the entire property.

ENSURE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY

Investments in Sylvester Manor’s infrastructure will ensure we continue to expand existing programs and meet the needs of our community. Included in this plan is the adaptive reuse of a newly acquired historic building, the Farmhouse, for operational and administrative purposes. This increased office space outside of the Manor House will enable the organization to continue to grow and adapt for years to come.

CAPITAL CAMPAIGN UNDERWAY

Recent progress has catalyzed the capital campaign, giving us momentum and demonstrating the resonance of our mission. Over the past year:

$4.375M of grant funding has been awarded, including:

$500K grant from New York State

$3.75M grant from the Mellon Foundation to establish the $125K grant from Gerry Charitable Trust

Sylvester Manor Center for History & Heritage

WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO AND NEED YOUR HELP!

Giving to the Sylvester Manor Capital Campaign is a transformative opportunity FOR YOU to be a meaningful part of our future.

CAPITAL CAMPAIGN INITIATIVES

The campaign is currently broken down into four distinct parts:

1737 MANOR HOUSE REHABILITATION

ACCESSIBILITY (ENTRANCES, ROADS, PARKING, ETC.)

FARMHOUSE RENOVATION /

ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES

MAINTENANCE & PRESERVATION ENDOWMENT

TOTAL:

MANOR HOUSE DRAFT DESIGN CONCEPTS

Architectural Preservation Studio, DPC

Plans for History & Heritage Center

SECOND LEVEL

MAIN LEVEL

MANORHOUSE

PROPOSED ROADWAY & CIRCULATION - A CLOSER LOOK

Design concepts are still in development

NEWPARKING

NEWPARKING

AERIAL MAP & CONCEPTUAL DRAWINGS OF THE PROPOSED SYLVESTER MANOR CIRCULATION

PROVIDED BY NELSON BYRD WOLTZ LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS

LET'S UNLOCK THE NEXT CENTURY OF GROWTH

TOGETHER...

With your funding, Sylvester Manor will be able to:

Increase annual visitorship by more than 400%, and reach a national and global audience

With high-quality programming and staff in place, we now NEED YOUR HELP to ensure that Sylvester Manor's nationally significant site is preserved and fully accessible to all.

Hit our financial targets and ensure the sustainability of the fastgrowing nonprofit organization

While the centerpiece of the campaign is the rehabilitation and preservation of the 1737 Manor House, the overall site will realize a host of benefits when ALL initiatives are complete. Your financial support can help make this happen!

Realize the transformational impact of this uniquely intact historic site

To find out more information on making a pledge or gift, or for naming opportunities, please visit

www.sylvestermanor.org/capitalcampaign