Acting Commissioner Eduardo del Valle of the NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC) announced today that two DDC projects, a $6.2 million restoration project at the Poppenhusen Institute and the $108 million historic restoration and upgrades in DUMBO, have been selected by The New York Landmarks Conservancy to receive the Lucy G. Moses Preservation Project Award.
The awards, which will be presented at the 36th Annual Moses Awards today, are the highest honor for outstanding preservation work from the Conservancy. The annual awards are given to projects that demonstrate excellence in the restoration, preservation or adaptive use of historic buildings, streetscapes and landscapes that preserve commercial, residential, institutional, religious and public buildings.
“As we build and upgrade facilities in every borough, it’s vital that we protect and preserve the architectural heritage and beauty of New York City,” said DDC Acting Commissioner Eduardo del Valle. “Our work at the Poppenhusen Institute over the years has been a huge contribution to culture in College Point, and our DUMBO project restored more than 800,000 cobblestones on the historic neighborhood streets. We thank the New York Landmarks Conservancy for these awards, and the recognition these represent of the work performed by our DDC staff.”
“As executive director of the landmarked Poppenhusen Institute, a community treasure in College Point, Queens, I am grateful for all our funders: Borough President Donovan Richards Jr., Councilmember Vickie Paladino, and former Mayor Eric Adams,” said Susan K. Brustmann, Executive Director at the Poppenhusen Institute. “Also, the supporting agencies including the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs and the NYC Department of Design and Construction, who supported our preservation efforts to return this off-the-beaten-path historic structure to its original state of grandeur. I’d be remiss not to mention CTA Architects and the contractor Lanmark Group, who honored this 1868 structure, understanding its historic and architectural significance. Everyone who has visited the institute since the completion of the window project in November of 2025 is awestruck by the magnificence of the windows and the brilliance of the sunlight that illuminates each historic space, especially the Grand Hall. Finally thank you to the Landmarks Conservancy for recognizing the Poppenhusen Institute with the Lucy G. Moses Award, as well as the support that they have demonstrated to our preservation efforts over the decades. Thank you one and all.”
The Poppenhusen Institute in College Point, Queens is an 1868 structure that is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is a designated landmark by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. It was one of the nation’s first structures built exclusively of cast or artificial stone. Named after German immigrant Conrad Poppenhusen, it began the first free kindergarten in the United States in 1870. Throughout its history, the building has served other purposes, including as a free public library, a village hall, savings bank and a Sheriff’s Office.
The project, which DDC managed for the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, completely replaced and provided thermal upgrades to the building’s 97 exterior wood and steel windows, including five monumental windows and 16 dormers on the attic level. The building’s brownstone sills, wood windows, window hood elements and masonry were upgraded in a manner that preserves the historic nature of the Institute. The project also fixed water infiltration at many of the brownstone windowsills and trim which had been exfoliated and deteriorated. DDC worked with CTA Architects and Lanmark Group on the project.
DDC managed a $6.2 million project that included new windows at the historic Poppenhusen Institute building in College Point, Queens