Gillibrand Looks To Honor SANS

With property values and subsequent development on the rise, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand feels it’s high time for the Sag Harbor Hills, Azurest, and Ninevah Beach Subdivisions (SANS) to be added to the National Register of Historic Places, a long-overdue nod to the area’s history as a post-World War II holiday enclave for the African American community.

To get the ball rolling on the measure, Gillibrand submitted a letter on June 17th to the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, David Bernhardt.

“The Sag Harbor Hills, Azurest, and Ninevah Beach communities thrived as safe havens and retreats for African American families during a time of institutionalized racism, when African American families were excluded from so many other places,” Gillibrand said in a subsequent release.

“As one of the last remaining African American beachfront communities in the country, the SANS Historic District holds important historic value that must be protected. Today, I am calling on the National Park Service to place the SANS Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places, which would provide federal recognition and open up opportunity to secure resources to help preserve the legacy of these rich, iconic neighborhoods for generations to come,” she added.

Included in the region, which sits nestled in a cove between Sag Harbor and Northwest Harbor, are a handful of modest mid-century properties. This includes the summer residence of Amaza Lee Meredith, one of the first female African American architects.