Stephen F. Byrns, President
Stephen F. Byrns founded the Untermyer Gardens Conservancy in 2011 and is its president. A graduate of Princeton and Columbia Universities, he was a founding partner of BKSK Architects, a successful architectural firm in New York City that was established in 1985. He was appointed by Mayor Bloomberg to serve as a Landmarks Preservation Commissioner on the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission from 2004–2010. He served on the Board of Wave Hill from 2000-2010.
A native of Michigan, Steve discovered Untermyer Gardens when he lived in Yonkers in the 1990s and became involved with local preservation efforts. He revisited it in 2010 when told that the fountains had been turned on after decades of disuse and proceeded to immerse himself in its history and become a volunteer. The more he learned about Samuel Untermyer’s garden, the more he was convinced that a conservancy should be established to work with the City of Yonkers to make it once again one of the greatest gardens in America. |