Artists plan to transform historic Tivoli church

Brice Marden, a contemporary American painter and “among the world’s most celebrated artists,” according to the New York Times, is working on his next big piece – preserving St. Sylvia's Church on Broadway in the Village of Tivoli.

Influenced by the work of Jasper Johns, Marden, who has a home and studio in Tivoli, is known for his subtle explorations of color and gestural lines, and the medium of painting itself. After the doors of the Madalin Hotel closed in the spring of 2013 on the corner of Broadway and North Road, Marden and his wife, Helen, who is also an artist, bought and renovated the 100-year-old building and immaculately decorated the space, now Hotel Tivoli, with their personal collection of art.

The St. Sylvia property was listed for $499,900 and includes a 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom Mansard style home – the former rectory – with two additional lots. The couple plans to preserve the church as "a community and cultural space." 

Built on property donated by the Livingston family and sponsored by Carola de Laugier-Villars and her sister Estelle Maud Redmond, the church was named St. Sylvia in honor of their mother, Silvie Mathilde Livingston, and construction was funded by their father Johnston Livingston (1817-1911), a founder of Wells Fargo and American Express. As part of this new legislation, the grounds and exterior of the church will be protected by a conservation easement, according to The Village of Tivoli Board of Trustees.

An informal meeting to discuss the Marden's plans for St. Sylvia's, in addition to zoning plans to expand the Tivoli Firehouse after last year's devastating fire, will take place on Tuesday, February 25, 2020 at 7pm in the Village Hall. It will be an informal opportunity for residents to ask questions about the zoning changes and to learn exactly what is being proposed. A formal, legal public hearing on the legislation will be held on  Wednesday, March 4, 2020 at 7pm at Village Hall. 

View a PDF draft of the legislation, here: LINK

An image of Saint Sylvia Church taken from a 1914 publication entitled "The Catholic Church in the United States of America: Undertaken to Celebrate the Golden Jubilee of His Holiness, Pope Pius X, Volume 3.

An image of Saint Sylvia Church taken from a 1914 publication entitled "The Catholic Church in the United States of America: Undertaken to Celebrate the Golden Jubilee of His Holiness, Pope Pius X, Volume 3.

 
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