2019 AIA NYS Excelsior Award for Bldg 8 at Tilly Foster Farm

Tilly Foster Farm Educational Institute - Building #8  in Brewster, NY has won a   2019 American Institute of Architects (AIA) New York State (NYS) Excelsior Award of Merit for Public Architecture for Renovation/Addition during the Excelsior Award ceremony in Albany, NY on May 7, 2019.  The AIA NYS Excelsior Award is given each year to a juried selected public funded project for design and excellence in the public sector. The qualifications for the award included that the building had to contribute to the life of the community and to meet a greater social value beyond basic function. 

The project was a   design-build renovation on a County owned 199 acre farm to create the County’s first public institute for career education called Tilly Foster Farm Educational Institute. In addition, the renovation includes a County owned restaurant called Tilly’s Table which provides farm-to table dining featuring local farmer produce.  Being a County owned project, the County used Building #8 as a flagship to promote its own workforce from design to construction to renovate the building.  In conclusion, the County not only saved money by doing the project in-house but started a new concept in design and architecture for future construction and planning for county municipalities.

Putnam County’s Architect Ben Harrison, AIA, NCARB accepted the award that night.  Ben accepted the award from Mark V. Kruse, AIA, 2019 AIA NYS President and Georgi Ann Bailey, CAE, Hon. AIA NYS, Executive Director, AIA NYS.  Ben will be giving copies of the award certificate to the Putnam County Executive Mary Ellen Odell and the Commissioner of the County’s Highway and Facilities department Fred Pena. 

Ben Harrison, AIA, NCARB, RA
Putnam County Architect
Planning & Design

Putnam County Department of Highways & Facilities
842 Fair Street
Carmel, N.Y. 10512
845-878-6331