Howard Kroplick, co-president of the Roslyn Landmark Society, provided Village of East Hills trustees with an update on the Mackay Estate Gate Lodge restoration project at its monthly board meeting on Wednesday, June 10,
The project aims to stabilize and restore the building’s original features while exploring adaptive reuse options that would make it accessible to the public, such as a community center or cultural space. Local officials emphasized that the initiative preserves a vital piece of Long Island’s architectural heritage and enhances community identity and civic pride.
Kroplick updated the board with news that the Roslyn Landmark Society was awarded $427,000 for the repair and replacement of the Mackay Estate roof. The grant was part of the New York State Council on the Arts’ capital project funding announcement, which totaled over $86 million for 134 projects across New York.
This is the first NYSCA capital grant awarded to the Roslyn Landmark Society, the third highest award on Long Island and the highest in Nassau County.
There were only 11 Long Island projects that were awarded grants this year, with only one other grant in Nassau County.
Limestone repair and replacement were recently completed, and windows and doors await. Kroplick said the doors and windows should be delivered between June and July of this year, with installation expected to be completed at no cost by the co-president of the Landmark Society, John Santos’ company, Island Contracting, in September 2025.
The funding for the windows and door replacement comes from the Gardiner Foundation grant, which awarded the Roslyn Landmark Society $69,599 in December 2023.
Village of East Hills Mayor, Michael Koblenz, asked Kroplick why he hasn’t considered using other materials that look like slate to restore the roof, claiming that he could save money by not using real slate.
“We would never get these grants without the real deal,” said Kroplick. He referred to slate roof restoration plans that were part of the application for the NYSCA grant. Kroplick said it wouldn’t be a historic restoration if some parts weren’t historic due to money-saving measures.
Kroplick said the Roslyn Landmark Society is also considering applying for a $675,000 New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation grant.
The Village of East Hills recently called an emergency resolution to join the Heritage Area of Long Island, which Kroplick says “greatly increases the probability of a New York State grant.”
Kroplick said that he met with representatives of the New York State Parks, who were favorable in supporting the Gate Lodge project.
Kroplick expressed the need for community support to help get the grant accepted, and for the Roslyn Landmark Society as a whole. Howard Kroplick, Rick Shaper, and Nathan Halegua created the Mackay Estate Gate Lodge Founder Club last year to challenge the community to support the restoration by each donating $10,000 to sponsor a $30,000 match.
To join the club, you must make a minimum donation of $200. As a member of the founders club, your name will be etched on either a plaque or brick walkway at the completion of the restoration.
As of today, $46,370 has been generated through plaque and brick donations: 40 brick donations, three plaque donations valued at $10,000, and two $5,000 donations from the Selma and Alvin Silverman Foundation and Daphne and Dimitri Hanjis.
To raise more awareness about the restoration project and about the Roslyn Landmark Society as a whole, Koblenz granted the organization a table at the Village of East Hills Fireworks event on July 3.
Trustee Stacey Siegel said the Roslyn High School Acapella group volunteered to sing the Star-Spangled Banner at the fireworks event.
Trustee Clara Pomerantz said the 2025 Kickoff in the Park event will take place on June 27 from noon to 4 p.m.
