Last Tuesday, the Village of Roslyn board of trustees honored one of the champions of the village’s grand legacy of historic preservation.
Guy Frost, a 50-year resident of Roslyn and the longtime village architect, received a plaque, honoring him for his aesthetic contributions to the historic district.
“Tonight we are honoring an important man in the history of the Village of Roslyn,” said Mayor John Durkin. “Guy has lived int he village for over 50 years and has made sure Roslyn has kept its historic character and authentic feel. Roslyn is one of the most historically significant villages on Long Island and this man has made sure it has looked right and stayed right.”
Some of Frost’s contributions in the village include work on the Ellen E. Ward Clock Tower and many of the older homes and buildings and stores in the area. His architectural firm has provided layouts for the Warren Wilkey House, the Willet Titus House, the Zwerdling residence and the Willis Avenue Brick Firehouse.
“This plaque is also dedicated to Guy for his historically and environmentally sensitive design to the homes on Valentine Lane,” said Durkin. Valentine Lane is a cul-de-sac with colonial homes overlooking the Roslyn Duck Pond.
The plaque, in part, praised Frost for his “passion for the village, and his contributions…to the historic district, [which has] made the village a more beautiful place to live.”
A day later, while speaking to The Roslyn News, Frost had his fellow preservationist, the late Dr. Roger Gerry, on his mind as he recalled those early days when historic structures in the village were being saved.
“It was just wonderful,” Frost said of the ceremony at the village. Then, he began reminiscing about his late colleague.
“My wife called up Doreen Banks to have a park named after Roger Gerry,” he recalled, “and it was done the next day. That was just amazing.”
Frost has operated his own architectural firm in Roslyn since 1958. He moved to Roslyn on New Year’s Day 1965, from his former residence in Port Washington. A few months later, Frost had lunch with Gerry and his wife, Peggy. Gerry, Frost emphasized, was the mover and shaker behind the village’s restoration efforts.
“He was a wonderful captain,” Frost said. “It was a wonderful experience to have the opportunity [to do historic restoration]. As an architect, I had to learn to appreciate historic buildings.” Frost’s education at The Rhode Island School of Design helped him with what would be a future calling. Students, he recalled, would visit historic homes in Providence and study ways to keep them in good shape for future generations to enjoy.
Frost has spent a half-century being involved in restoration projects, and he is still going strong. His most recent project was, as referred to earlier, renovation work on a firehouse on Willis Avenue Brick Firehouse, one described by Frost as a “marvelous red brick building” that was being considered for demolition. Instead, Frost did renovation work on the front wing. Not only did he help save an old building, he managed to make friends with the carpenters and the other fellows on the job, an experience that further brightened up the effort. Guy Frost received his due at the board meeting, but it appears that his good work in the service of historic restoration will still go on.
