John Jay Homestead State Historic Site, Katonah, New York

Clients Friends of John Jay Homestead, John Jay Homestead State Historic Site, NYS Parks and Historic Sites

The Heritage Landscapes team developed an integrated strategy for stewardship of the historic JJHSHS landscape into the future while improving circulation and accommodating contemporary and possible future uses in a manner that minimizes impacts on the remaining cultural landscape. Applying nature and heritage-based solutions to this community asset, the JJHSHS Circulation Improvements and Landscape Rehabilitation Plan proposes to:

  • Restore historic landscape overall spatial and visual organization
  • Enhance legibility of the house pleasure grounds and greenhouse gardens
  • Recapture the geometric functional spaces in the Farmyard
  • Expand and improve the safety of the trail network for pedestrians and equestrians
  • Develop a tiered wayfinding and interpretation vocabulary to provide visitor information
  • Enhance biodiversity and habitat with woodland management and native plantings
  • Propose pollinator meadows to renew the historic pastoral landscape
  • Plan an appropriate site for enlarged parking and a new event building
  • Consider a community supported farm on the small south parcel

Opportunities for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of historic buildings and potential construction of new buildings to serve educational, interpretive and staff uses within the historic organization are identified. The plan proposes a new parking lot, with green infrastructure for stormwater management sited near the site of the historic orchard and interplanted with apple trees. Phased restoration of prominent stone walls and placement of wooden stiles at locations where paths intersect stone walls, introduces visitors to this historic technique and facilitates movement around the property on a more complete system of paths and trails. Progress is underway.

WORKS:

John Jay Homestead Circulation Improvements and Landscape Rehabilitation Master Plan

TEAM:

Heritage Landscapes, with Broadreach Planning & Design, Mobility Planning