Welcome Aboard, Sam Moskowitz

We here at GVSHP are pleased to welcome Sam Moskowitz aboard, whose first day as GVSHP’s Director of Operations is today.  Sam replaced longtime GVSHP Director of Operations Sheryl Woodruff, who left GVSHP at the end of 2014.

Sam previously worked as Director of Operations at a Brooklyn community based organization, the Midwood Development Corporation, and at the Penn South Houses in Chelsea. He graduated from Hunter College and the Bronx High School of Science before that, and has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Baruch.

At GVSHP, Sam will oversee agency operations, grants management, and our children’s education program, among many other responsibilities. Sam grew up and currently lives on the Lower East Side.

Sam says “I wanted to work at GVSHP because the mission of historic preservation and education is so important in this constantly changing city. Every square inch of New York City real estate is at an historic peak of demand. GVSHP is playing a critical role considering that developers and business interests usually prevail over homeowners, preservationists, or anyone else whose goals or priorities might be different.”

As someone who has lived in this neighborhood his entire life, Sam said “I loved growing up on the Lower East Side in the late 80’s and early 90’s. I never knew how crime ridden and drug infested it was until that time was well past. Unlike many of today’s youth, I was allowed — or forced — to go out and play unsupervised in the neighborhood’s parks and streets. Of course, the neighborhood has changed since then. Much of the Lower East Side’s  Orthodox Jewish community has moved out. Young professionals have moved in. The variety of retail and restaurants have changed to meet the shifting needs of new residents. However, some aspects of the neighborhood have remained the same due to the large concentration of public housing.”

“The neighborhoods of Lower Manhattan are important to me not just because my family has lived here for generations, but because of the critical role they have played in so many aspects of American history. Lower Manhattan has been rebuilt and redeveloped constantly over the past 400 years. Almost every block and building have several layers of important histories to be remembered and shared,” he added.

Well said, Sam.

Sam’s staff page on the GVSHP website can be found here.

I hope you’ll join us in welcoming Sam aboard!