New plans revealed for John Jay Homestead restoration project

Plan for work to restore the exterior, above, and interior, below of Bedford House. COURTESY JOHN JAY HOMESTEAD

By JEFF MORRIS

Plans to renovate and restore Bedford House, the centerpiece of John Jay Homestead in Katonah, are back on track and will soon be moving ahead.

Originally announced in the fall, the concept has been refocused after a project review by New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

Plans and a timeline were revealed at the annual meeting of Friends of John Jay Homestead, held May 20 at the Bedford Playhouse.

For those unfamiliar with the site or the man, John Jay Homestead State Historic Site is where Jay chose to retire after a long career in public service. His many public roles included serving as president of the Second Continental Congress, principal negotiator of the Treaty of Paris which ended the Revolutionary War, United States Secretary for Foreign Affairs under the Articles of Confederation, and first chief justice of the United States. 

He also served as the first chief justice of New York State, co-author of its constitution, and governor from 1795 to 1801. He is often called “the forgotten founder.”

Heather Iannucci, museum and regional site director for the state parks department, who has been at John Jay Homestead since 2007, highlighted the project, which she said would “breathe renewed life into the historic Bedford House, which is the centerpiece of a 52-acre historic property.”

Iannucci said that in response to highly variable construction costs that were identified during the initial bid period last fall, the scope of the project was revised to focus on a full renovation of the Bedford House. She said the planned $30 million investment is the “largest ever one-time investment in a state historic site, and it will prepare the site to attract new visitorship during New York state’s commemoration of the Revolutionary War period from 2024 to 2032, as well as commemorations to mark the end of enslavement in New York State in 2027.” 

According to Iannucci, input and engagement was welcomed from both Friends of John Jay Homestead and its immediate neighbors. She said this meeting was a sort of “test drive” for coming public presentations.

A primary objective of the project, said Iannucci, is the reopening of Bedford House after five-plus years of closure, first due to COVID-19 and then for the installation of a museum-grade fire protection system. It will also address significant issues with the integrity of the exterior, to ensure the building is weather tight. There will be a complete replacement of the roof, including flashing, restoration of windows, doors, and storm windows, cleaning and repainting of masonry, and repairs to and painting of the wood siding.

Another aim is to restore the interior, preserving existing historic fabric and restoring 1820s era historic fabric that was lost over time. And, said Iannucci, the building will be updated to allow full accessibility throughout the first and second floors.

The “Our Whole History” framework will be used to tell new stories with expanded interpretive areas and exhibits throughout the site. “The Our Whole History initiative reflects Parks commitment to reveal and share historically under-told stories of the ordinary and extraordinary people across New York state,” said Iannucci. “We’re reexamining older historical narratives that may have overlooked certain important perspectives and stories. By including stories of the enslaved and free blacks, indigenous people, white servants and the tenant farmers, the site can tell a more complete and engaging history that improves relevance to its visitors.”

They are also planning to improve the visitor experience with upgrades to restrooms and wayfinding, said Iannucci. On the first floor, accessibility upgrades will include ramps, a ramped hall to the public restroom, a chair lift at the front porch, a light use elevator and a new egress stair in the north wing, and an enlarged gender-neutral accessible restroom.

A number of other architectural adjustments are being made to reinstall 1820s-era elements, including some  windows, while removing some non-historic features, on both the first and second floors. Spaces that were being used for administration and storage are being reclaimed as well.

Iannucci emphasized extensive work will be done to improve the HVAC system. She said during the design process, they discovered that the 2013 HVAC system was contributing to a mold problem, with the system exacerbating the intrusion of water into the building. Everything will be revamped or replaced, with new controls, added coverage on the third floor, and a thorough cleaning of air ducts, to be completed prior to the reintroduction of the historic collection.

Following Iannucci’s presentation, Emily Grand, executive director of Friends of John Jay Homestead, previewed many of the fabrics, wallpapers, carpets, furniture and other furnishings that will be included throughout the house. These will be period authentic and were found through extensive research. 

The project timeline calls for a public webinar to officially introduce the project Monday, June 9, at 6:30 p.m., for which registration will be required. 

It is anticipated that designs will be finalized this summer, with the project going out to bid in the fall, construction beginning in 2026 and completion and reopening in 2027.