10. You Can Visit Lynnewood Hall
There is a very long road ahead before Lynnewood Hall can be open to the public. However, there is a way you can get inside while simultaneously supporting the Foundation’s preservation efforts. You can do this by joining a Pre-Restoration Hard Hat Tour. Money from these tours will go toward covering the $1,250,000 cost of asbestos remediation. The tours will be scheduled for after remediation is complete in approximately 4 to 5 months.
The Lynnewood Hall Preservation Foundation was formed in 2019 and officially took ownership of the estate on June 30, 2023. In the years leading up to the purchase, board members worked closely with the previous owner to install security cameras on the property, make essential repairs like fixing broken windows and stopping leaks, and start clean-up efforts. The Foundation is currently waiting on the final report from a conditions assessment which will lay out the roadmap for the estate’s restoration journey. “It’s a daunting project,” VanScyoc admitted, “but from our perspective, we always had the faith that it could be.”
Thome explained that the ultimate goal of the restoration of Lynnewood Hall is to make it a cultural center and art museum. “For me,” Thome explained, “the goal is seeing the original intention of the house at its creation be honored by filling the art galleries with fine art again.” But that’s not all the Foundation seeks to do. Preserving the home is about more than just bringing back the old glamour of the Gilded Age. There will also be opportunities for education throughout the restoration process. VanScyoc sees opportunities for those interested in building arts to learn skills from expert craftspeople while helping to restore the property. “It’s not just about the stewardship of the house, but also saving the house so that everyone can appreciate it.”
“In a world that is constantly seeking to divide us,” VanScyoc told Untapped New York, “when you come inside this house, you can step into this door and be part of something bigger than yourself. Whatever might inspire you may be different from what inspires 50 other people, but in it we can all find something we’re struck by together.”
You can find ways to support the Preservation Foundation’s mission here and donate directly at this link. Stay up to date on news from the estate on Instagram and Facebook.
Next, check out 10 Gilded Age Mansions You Can Visit
