Preservation Long Island’s Annual Benefit Party, Friday, June 21st, at the Webb Institute in Glen Cove

“The Braes” formerly the Herbert L. Pratt estate,

now Webb Institute in Glen Cove,

Preservation Long Island’s Annual Benefit Party

Friday, June 21, 2024

———————————-

Webb Institute is past winner of Preservation Long Island’s Award for Project Excellence

for historically sensitive design by Bentel & Bentel Architects of new Couch Academic Center

———————

Founded as a not-for-profit in 1948, Preservation Long Island’s work concentrates on preserving and celebrating Long Island’s diverse cultural and architectural heritage through advocacy, education, and stewardship of historic sites and collections.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Preservation Long Island Annual Benefit Party

The Braes, formerly the Herbert L. Pratt Estate, now Webb Institute in Glen Cove, NY

Friday, June 21, 2024, 6pm-8pm

Cocktails, Hors d’oeuvres, Music and Tours by Bentel & Bentel Architects

Benefit Co-Chairs: Carol Bentel FAIA, Pia Crary, Edward Dugger, Victoria Greenleaf, and Cindy Ketchum

Cold Spring Harbor, NY (June 5, 2024) — Preservation Long Island is delighted to host its Annual Benefit Party on Friday, June 21, 2024 at “The Braes,” a spectacular venue overlooking the Long Island Sound in Glen Cove. Benefit Party guests will have a chance to explore the former Herbert L. Pratt estate, now the Webb Institute, while enjoying cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and music.

Bentel and Bentel Architects and Planners will lead tours of the original main building and the Couch Academic Center addition. The new building received Preservation Long Island’s 2022 Award for Project Excellence for historically sensitive design.

Operating for 75 years, Preservation Long Island is the only regional not-for-profit organization dedicated to historic preservation on geographic Long Island. From events and exhibitions to preservation advocacy, education, and publications, their wide-ranging programs connect Long Islanders to the region’s diverse and distinctive past.

——————

“Our Annual Benefit party venues are selected to showcase Long Island’s diverse architectural history,” said Alexandra Wolfe, Preservation Long Island Executive Director. “This year we are thrilled to host our Benefit Party guests at such a fine example of inventive new design in the service of historic preservation.”

“This fundraising event directly supports a wide range of Preservation Long Island programming including historic preservation advocacy services, public education programs and exhibitions as well as stewardship of our historic properties and collections”, said Katiana Anglade, Preservation Long Island Development Director. “It’s also one of the best parties of the season.”

——————

The cover art for Preservation Long Island’s newest publication Promoting Long Island: The Art of Edward Lange, 1870–1889 will be on display at the event. The book focuses on the life, work, and career of one of Long Island’s most prolific artists of the late nineteenth century. The new hardcover publication arrives in September 2024 and is available for pre-order at the party.

The Benefit Party will kick off with blues, pop ballads and instrumentals performed by Broadway World award winning artist and Long Island based performer Christen Dekie. Music will continue throughout the evening with DJ Emmanuel Jules. In addition to hors d’oeuvres, cocktails and a special signature drink, guests can sample a wine selection made possible in part by Total Wine & More. All guests will leave with Preservation Long Island’s blue logo tote bag. For more party details and online ticket purchases visit: https://preservationlongisland.org/benefit-2024/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The Braes” and the Webb Institute

Prominently situated on a hill-top overlooking the Long Island Sound in Glen Cove, “The Braes” was the largest of six country houses that comprised the Pratt family compound at Dosoris Point. It was built in 1912-14 for Herbert Lee Pratt (1871–1945) of the Standard Oil Company and was designed by James Brite in the neo-Jacobean style.

For the waterfront setting, Brite collaborated landscape designer, James L. Greenleaf (1857–1933), who brilliantly conceived the dramatic three-tiered terrace that showcases a spectacular 275o view of the Long Island Sound as it descends to the shore.

Today, “The Braes” serves as Stevenson Taylor Hall, the main building of the Webb Institute, a private college for naval architecture and marine engineering founded in 1889 by the ship builder and philanthropist, William H. Webb (1816–1899) and first located in the Bronx. The Institute (then known as Webb’s Academy) moved to its current location in 1947 and has expanded into a highly specialized tuition-free center for higher learning.

In 2022, the Webb Institute received a Preservation Award from Preservation Long Island in recognition of Project Excellence for the design of the Couch Academic Center, a 30,000 square-foot building addition designed by Bentel & Bentel Architects. Central to the new facility’s plan was maintaining the historic significance of both the original Pratt House and Greenleaf’s landscape plan by building underground and incorporating a green roof to preserve the essential character of the terraced landscape above. The result is spectacular and a fine example of new design in the service of historic preservation.

Stevenson Taylor Hall served as the iconic Wayne Manor in the 1995 film “Batman Forever” and the Webb Institute exteriors and interiors were the backdrop for “Gotham” the Batman prequel television series.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Preservation Long Island

Preservation Long Island is a not-for-profit organization that works with Long Islanders to raise awareness, appreciation, and support for the protection of our shared past through advocacy, education, and the stewardship of historic sites and collections.

http://preservationlongisland.org

————————–

Preservation Long Island maintains and interprets historic sites and collections that embody various aspects of Long Island’s history including:

Joseph Lloyd Manor, Lloyd Harbor http://preservationlongisland.org/joseph-lloyd-manor/

Custom House, Sag Harbor http://preservationlongisland.org/custom-house/

Sherwood-Jayne Farm, Setauket http://preservationlongisland.org/sherwood-jayne-farm/

Old Methodist Church and Exhibition Galleryhttp://preservationlongisland.org/methodist-church/

————————

==========================================================