Point Vivian Park Community
Common Property
An Elegant Design, a Troubling Past, an Uncertain Future

Objectives and Goals

  1. Document and preserve key events threatening the system of common property at the Point Vivian Park.
  2. Clarify the issues and decisions surrounding the two recent lawsuits addressing Point Vivian common property; Holliday Trust v PVPA Corporation board and Pratt/Johnson v PVPA, and corporate board.
Holliday Trust vs PVPA Board
Pratt/Johnson vs PVPA

Documented Management

Lack of a documented management system to address the maintenance and use of the PV Park "common property."

Value of Common Property

Waterfront lot owners and off-river lot owners have very different perspectives and real value perceptions of the common property.

Off-River Owners

Off-river lot owners without common property river access have dramatic reductions in basic property value and enjoyment of the river.

Riverfront Owners

Riverfront lot owners may resent paying taxes/maintenance fees on property they do not use or enjoy. In addition, river lot owners adjacent to river access common property may resent the noise and disruption of its use.

Examining events that threatened the common property
and two court victories that upheld members rights

The original plot plan of the Point Vivian Park Association (PVPA) of 1877 shows an elegant, practical layout of the 40 residential lots with integrated elements of "common property" designed to maximize each owners access to and use of the beautiful St. Lawrence River. The design included river front and off-river owners, (back lots). Most all of the original lots were sold for $12.50, with or without river front.The value of the off river lots were enhanced by the designation of Common Property with access to the river. All lots had an equal ownership share in the common property such as the "Public Square", 6 access strips to the river, plus the roads, which eventually lead to boathouses, "Carriage houses", (garages), an Icehouse and Steamer dock.

Over the years many of the 40 original lots have been sold, divided or consolidated. The Dock house and Pavilion were built as common property for the enjoyment of all Point Vivian residents, as they housed the Post Office, a Store, and were a gathering place for all social and commercial activities.

An attempt to organize a Capital Stock Corporation in 1884 was never legalized, nor renewed. The Association did organize a system for managing its business, in the early years, and did include a governing body, some by-laws and revenue from dues. In 1961-62 the PVPA was officially incorporated, with New York State, as a membership association. Presently it is listed as a Non- Charitable Corporation, with a governing board of 6, President, Secretary, and Treasurer.

Point Vivian is and has been a lovely, Historic Community on an exceptional portion of the St. Lawrence River.

Over time lack of documentation and an informal attitude towards the Common areas led to several contentious disruptions to the use of Common property:

  • A 1909 case of rebuilding a boathouse after the Hotel fire
  • The Seaway construction leading to the collapse of the Steamer Dock
  • Czerwinski boathouse on Hungerford Avenue
  • Laidlaw-Randall bulkhead on Glen Alpine Road
  • Holliday-Hooning claim on the South Street Extension

Latest Documents

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Recent Commentary

Timeline 1877 - 2016

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Historic Maps

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This site and all content contained is published by Gus Murray. When provided, the original author's name is only provided for context.