Butler Rowland Mays Shares Our Vision.

In 2022 the Seward Mapes Homestead Restoration Committee contacted the architectural  firm of Butler Rowland Mays to see how it might help their Village property evolve into  a community center and interactive historic site. The firm’s history of creative problem solving and adherence to S.H.P.O guidelines qualified them to oversee the architectural transformation of many New York State restoration and community revitalization projects. Among them are the Fire Companies of Malta, Starr Library in Rhinebeck, and the Goshen Public Library in Goshen. In particular, Butler Rowland and Mays’ work for the Moffat Library in Washingtonville, NY accomplished many of the objectives the Village of Florida has in mind for its landmark property.

This 2022 conceptual rendering by Butler Rowland Mays envisions the Seward Mapes Homestead as a greenspace and pavilion providing a community center with the remains of the Seward birthplace repurposed as a gathering place and a history room. A decade ago the Moffat Library had many of the same challenges in transitioning to a modern learning center. Its original structure was strikingly similar to the original Seward house.