Bill Text: NY J02567 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Mourning the death of Joan Kaplan Davidson, a preservationist and philanthropist who devoted her life to the betterment of New York State and the Hudson River Valley
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2024-05-29 - ADOPTED [J02567 Detail]
Download: New_York-2023-J02567-Introduced.html
Senate Resolution No. 2567 BY: Senator HINCHEY MOURNING the death of Joan Kaplan Davidson, a preservationist and philanthropist who devoted her life to the betterment of New York State and the Hudson River Valley WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to pay tribute to citizens of the State of New York whose lifework and civic endeavor served to enhance the quality of life in their communities and this great Empire State; and WHEREAS, Joan Kaplan Davidson of Germantown, New York, whose charitable work of preserving and restoring New York State's architecture, historic buildings, and natural resources improved the quality of life for all New Yorkers, died on Friday, August 11, 2023, at the age of 96; and WHEREAS, Born in New York City on May 26, 1927, Joan Kaplan Davidson was a tireless advocate for buildings that are important to the cultural history of New York and an exemplary public servant of New York State, serving as both the Chairwoman for the Council on the Arts and the New York State Parks Commissioner; and WHEREAS, Joan Kaplan Davidson earned a bachelor's degree from Cornell University and a postgraduate degree in education from the Bank Street School and began her public service career, which continued for many years, in Washington, D.C., where she worked on the staff of the Senate Armed Services Preparedness Committee under Senate Majority Leader Lyndon B. Johnson; and WHEREAS, Joan Kaplan Davidson managed the creation of Westbeth Artists Housing in lower Manhattan, which would become a model for the rehabilitation of industrial buildings, and served as the first President; and WHEREAS, From 1977 to 1993, Joan Kaplan Davidson served as President of the J.M. Kaplan Fund and established her legacy as a philanthropist and preservationist through actions, such as the fight to preserve Broadway theaters, the restoration of the Eldridge Street Synagogue, and the groundwork and provision of much of the funding for the Gracie Mansion Conservancy which renovated and preserved the New York City Mayor's residence; and WHEREAS, A lifelong conservationist, Joan Kaplan Davidson established programs to support the protection of New York State's natural resources and the preservation of rural communities, such as the Rural New York Grant Program and the Industrial Heritage Reuse Project, and was especially active in the Hudson Valley where she resided; and WHEREAS, In 1995, Joan Kaplan Davidson founded Furthermore, an organization with a mission to provide grants for the publication of nonfiction books related to the arts, history, and the natural and man-made environment, and has assisted with the publication of more than 1,400 books, utilizing more than $8 million in grants; and WHEREAS, In 1996, Joan Kaplan Davidson was one of the founding members of Historic Hudson, a preservation organization dedicated to protecting the quality of life and the cultural and architectural heritage of the city of Hudson; and WHEREAS, Under Joan Kaplan Davidson's stewardship, her family's 19th-century estate on the Hudson River, known as "Midwood," became the epicenter of cultural, social, and political discourse and activism in the region; hosting gatherings, large and small, throughout the year was a personal contribution to her community and beyond; and WHEREAS, In her work to protect the Hudson River and the Hudson River Valley, Joan Kaplan Davidson and the J.M. Kaplan Fund provided grants to a myriad of important organizations, including Adirondack Experience, Adirondack Wild, Hudson Hall, Scenic Hudson, Historic Hudson, the Fisher Center at Bard College, the Thomas Cole Historic House, the Shaker Museum and Library, and the Columbia Land Conservancy; and WHEREAS, Joan Kaplan Davidson was personally committed to the protection of the Hudson River and the Hudson River Valley and would often be found at the center of efforts to clean the river, preserve its scenic banks, and protect endangered species of fish; and WHEREAS, Joan Kaplan Davidson is survived by her children, John Matthew, G. Bradford, Peter W., and Betsy; her twelve grandchildren; and her five great-grandchildren; and WHEREAS, Imbued with generational foresight and a deep well of compassion, Joan Kaplan Davidson leaves behind a legacy, which will long endure the passage of time and remain enshrined for generations, in the buildings and natural landscape that her philanthropy helped to renew and preserve; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to mourn the death of Joan Kaplan Davidson and to express its deepest condolences to her family and friends; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to the family of Joan Kaplan Davidson.