Circle of Remembrance: Memorial to the Enslaved of African Ancestry” April 16, 2021
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Village of Irvington RFQ Design Professional for a Memorial Space “Circle of Remembrance: Memorial to the Enslaved of African Ancestry” April 16, 2021 1. PROJECT OVERVIEW The Village of Irvington is soliciting Statements of Qualifications from design firms for work associated with the Village of Irvington project. The goals of the project are: To design a space for contemplation, reflection, remembrance and learning about the enslaved of African ancestry who lived and died here To design a space for public use on Village property To design a sitting area within the space for small groups (adults or children) to engage in an organized learning experience, or for individuals, couples or small groups to use for personal contemplation To include in the design supporting informational signage and/or engraved textual information for those who visit the location (texts may be both historic and poetic) To include near the space, wayfinding signage To consider including in the design, features of “circle” and ways to convey “reflection” Illustrative Example: The core element would be a circular stone bench, perhaps 15 feet in diameter, located in the widest area of the triangular park (the north end). This bench might have one or two openings in it to allow easy egress (so, two semi-circles). The circular space in the middle of the benches would hold engraved remembrance text. This central area might be raised as a table-like feature, or could be left at grade. (If raised, this area would be potentially useful flat surface for teachers and students.) Existing walls could be enhanced or raised where necessary, and informational signage and a map could be mounted on the wall if appropriate. Trees and low- maintenance greenscape would be desirable. 2. ABOUT IRVINGTON The Village is a suburban community, approximately 20 miles north of New York City, primarily residential in nature with a large number of residents working in New York City. It is characterized by its tranquil atmosphere, numerous green spaces, rich history, and an absence of commercial strip development. It contains an impressive vista of homes, lawns and parks, the Old Croton Aqueduct State Park, and many natural scenic resources. It also includes an attractive Main Street area business with a breathtaking full view of the Hudson River. The Main Street and Waterfront areas were designated by the National Park Service as the Irvington Historic District in 2014. The Study Area is located just across South Buckhout Street from the southern portion of the Historic District. 3. PROJECT DESCRIPTION The Village of Irvington is seeking the services of a qualified design firm to provide professional services for planning work associated with the Circle of Remembrance. The location is on the north side of South Buckhout Street, across from the Cosmopolitan Building that abuts Barney Brook as depicted generally on the maps below: 4. SCOPE OF SERVICES A complete scope of services will be established after a qualified consultant is selected to meet the project goals outlined above. It is anticipated that the scope of services will include, but not be limited to, the following elements: Engagement with a board-appointed, small community task-group, so as to: Design a space for contemplation, reflection, remembrance and learning as described in the goals Review design concepts with the community task-group for feedback and approval Present the final agreed-upon design during a Board of Trustees public meeting 5. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Village of Irvington Wayfinding Design Guide: https://www.irvingtonny.gov/DocumentCenter/View/10116/Wayfinding-Design-Guide--- November-2017 Appendix A: Historical information provided by Village Historian that informs the project 6. SUBMITTAL GUIDELINES All RFQ submittals shall provide the following information at a minimum in order to be considered (electronic submission preferred): Cover letter: An introductory letter indicating name of firm, likely team composition, contact person, address, phone, email and a short statement summarizing the strengths of the firm/team as it relates to this project. Relevant Experience: A description of the firm’s relevant experience and capability, with description and images of comparable projects. Reference to an online portfolio or firm web site is acceptable. Please provide the URL. Personnel Qualifications: Names and resumes of likely team members. Please identify individual roles on the team. Reference to a firm web site is acceptable. Please provide the URL. Hourly rates for likely team members. References: please provide names and contact information for three individuals who can speak to the firm’s past performance on similar projects. Responses will be accepted by the Village of Irvington, 85 Main St., Irvington, NY 10533 until May 14, 2021 at 3 p.m. Proposals should be clearly labeled and directed to Karen Buccheri. Electronic submissions can be made to [email protected] (utilize a large file transfer service, if necessary). 7. EVALUATION CRITERIA The Village of Irvington will evaluate the qualifications based on the following criteria: Relevant experience with similar planning projects in similar communities Qualifications of key staff members References Hourly rates 8. PROJECT TIMELINE Release RFQ April 16, 2021 RFQ Due Date May 14, 2021 Review of Responses: By June 15, 2021 Interviews and Firm Selection: July 1, 2021 – July 15, 2021 Negotiate contract: July 31, 2021 Project work August 2021 to December 2021 9. INQUIRIES Inquiries regarding this RFQ should be directed to Karen Buccheri, Assistant to the Village Administrator at [email protected] or 914-591-4356. Appendix A Sources and Notes on the History of Slavery in the Region of Philipse Manor that later became Irvington. Copyright Erik Weiselberg, Village Historian, Irvington, New York March 26, 2021 Evidence for the Historic Burying-ground on the Former Buckhout Property: Two written sources support the claim that a burial ground for enslaved Africans existed on the former Buckhout property. One is from a story “handed down by a tradition in the family of the Jewels” and recorded by 1886, locating “a graveyard for colored people on Captain Buckhout’s premises, east of the house, and in the place where the old orchard once was.” The other is a corroborating piece of evidence from 1939 reporting that in the 1890s human skulls and bones were dug up on the location identified in the 1886 family tradition account. Corroborating sources include wills of tenant farmers with enslaved persons living and working on the local properties, as well as contextual histories and maps. Source 1: “An amusing incident of those early times is handed down by a tradition in the family of the Jewels. Captain Buckhout’s house, when the British were encamped there, stood a little east of the Hudson River Railroad, on the Barney place, and the house of Mrs. John D. Mairs, just below it, now stands upon the ground then occupied by the British encampment. There was a grave- yard for colored people on Captain Buckhout’s premises, east of the house, and in the place where the orchard once was. Old Aunt Betty, a colored slave, was coming home one night, and had to pass by the grave-yard. While walking by it alone, some weird idea seized her, and she said aloud, “Rise, niggers, and come to judgment.” She had no sooner spoken than a flock of sheep lying quietly there, arose, and put themselves in motion. Aunt Betty, not expecting such a prompt compliance, was frightened half to death. Without stopping to investigate in the darkness, she took to her heels, and fleeing across the brook to her house, opened the upper half of the divided door, and sprang over into the room she hardly knew how, where she fell upon the floor fainting. Aunt Betty thought she had anticipated Gabriel’s trumpet.” Source: John A. Todd, “Greenburgh,” in J. Thomas Scharf, History of Westchester County, 2 vols. (Philadelphia: L.E. Preston, 1886), 2: 189. Source 2: “A grave yard for colored people was directly east of Captain Buckhout’s house, and an orchard was later planted on it. The old burying ground was almost entirely forgotten until the ground was excavated for the Cosmopolitan building and human skulls and bones were dug up.” Source: “Old Negro Burying Ground Was Famed In Early Days Of Village”, The Irvington Gazette, August 24, 1939. Source 3: Primary documents referred to in: Cathy Sears and Sarah Cox, “Our Town and Slavery,” The Irvington Historical Society Roost 20:1 (Winter 2019). https://887ca8e9-80b7-4835-9ca2- c87a8f1a1d8d.filesusr.com/ugd/75c146_ca4949af14e148dfaaeaff3ee38b7f3c.pdf Source 4 (maps): Couzens Map, 1785 Detail of Couzens Map depicting farms of 1785. “J.J.” in red square indicates John Jewel house, formerly Buckhout house, listed on later maps as “Barney.” Red markers indicate post-1785 features, including Village of Irvington and its Main Street as well as Main Street side-streets created upon formation of Dearman, later Irvington (named in 1854, incorporated in 1872). Side streets were originally simply labeled A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H; in 1932 they were named for important individuals in the area’s history: Astor, Buckhout, Cottenent, Dutcher, Eckar (Acker), Ferris, Grinnell, and H was named Dearman for Justus Dearman who purchased the land from William Dutcher and sold it to developers by 1849. South Buckhout Street is now the second side-street from the bottom (the first full side-street), and it runs right past the “J.J.” on the map, now the site of the Cosmopolitan (also called Trent) Building and the village land proposed for the historical marker and/or commemorative space. “Glode Requa, Jr.” is roughly today’s Lyndhurst, in Tarrytown but within Irvington School District; on the south, Jonathan Odell’s southern boundary roughly marks the southern boundary of the Village of Irvington.