The New York City Parks Department agreed to make the oldest standing building in the Bronx Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant in a settlement the federal government announced Tuesday.
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, launched a lawsuit last year alleging that the Van Cortlandt House Museum, a historic 1748 Bronx residence that hosted George Washington and was turned into a public museum, was not readily accessible to individuals with disabilities.
The settlement requires the city-run museum to undertake a long-term capital project providing physical alterations to the basement and the first floor of the house in order to accommodate those with disabilities and to provide audio-visual depictions of the areas of the property that cannot be made accessible.
“The ADA applies to all places of public accommodation, even those that predate our Declaration of Independence,” said Jay Clayton in a statement. “The settlement approved today will expand access at the Van Cortlandt House Museum so more visitors, including people with disabilities, can experience this important piece of New York City history.”
The city has operated the property as a museum since 1897, in coordination with the Historic House Trust, and added a cottage to the property in 1910 that serves as a welcome center and gift shop.
The settlement highlighted accessibility issues across the property like uneven ground surfaces, steps and changes in level, narrow doorways and inaccessible restroom facilities. It also highlighted a lack of braille in parts of the museum.
The city Parks Department has already responded to some short-term fixes since the federal government first issued the complaint. Paks, for instance, installed a wooden ramp to wheelchair-access to the cottage, and agreed to maintain it as they continue with the long-term fixes.
The settlement that the U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken entered on Tuesday requires Parks to submit a design plan for the modifications by May 1, 2027. All work must be finished within five years.
