Roslyn Grist Mill restoration lands $675,000 state grant

The Roslyn Landmark Society has received a $675,000 grant from the state that will help fund the third phase of its restoration of the Roslyn Grist Mill. 

The grant was awarded by the state’s Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation through its Environmental Protection Fund for Parks, Preservation and Heritage.

The mill, on Old Northern Boulevard in Roslyn, was built between 1715 and 1741 and functioned as an early economic engine of the area. It has rare Dutch framing and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The state money will be used to repair and reinstall the mill’s husk frame, the restoration of its gearing and the creation of a new water wheel.

“This will help keep us on track,” said Jaime Karbowiak, executive director of the Roslyn Landmark Society. “The past few years we’ve made significant progress, from the time that the project first started. It has good momentum, so we want to keep that up. This money from the state will greatly, greatly help us with that.”

The third phase will also include the relocation of the stormwater basin and the construction of an ADA-accessible entrance, Karbowiak said.

Next on the agenda, as part of the second phase, is reinstalling the roof.

“The roof rafters are currently being fabricated in Vermont,” said Jennifer Lister, the Landmark Society’s project director. “We expect that to be delivered in the next week or so, and then scheduling our construction crew to start putting the roof back on.”

Lister estimated the rest of the second phase, which also includes installing shingles, siding, doors, windows and flooring, should be complete by around June.

Karbowiak expects the entire restoration to be complete by 2028. 

The first phase of the restoration, which lasted about 3½ years, was completed in July 2023 when the building was lowered onto its new foundation. 

The Landmark Society is also relying on money from Nassau County to complete the third phase. In October, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman included $2 million for the mill restoration in the latest capital plan, but the money has yet to be bonded for.

“It’s supposed to be happening soon, we just don’t know exactly when,” Karbowiak said. “It’s very exciting that Nassau County is so invested in seeing this project through to completion. We’re very grateful for that funding, because that’s what’s going to help us complete the restoration.”

Howard Kroplick, co-president and chair of the landmark society, said he remains optimistic the bonding will happen soon. Kroplick said he spoke to Blakeman about the project in September. 

"He's been very supportive; he says it's a promise he made, and it's a promise he's going to keep," Kroplick said.

A spokesperson for Blakeman did not respond to a request for comment.

By Joshua Needelman

joshua.needelman@newsday.com

Joshua Needelman covers the Town of North Hempstead for Newsday. A Long Island native and University of Maryland graduate, his work has appeared in publications including The New York Times and The Washington Post.