Visitation Academy & Monastery Landmark Initiative Surpasses 100-Donor Fundraising Goal

November 5, 2026 | Bay Ridge, Brooklyn

The Visitation Academy & Monastery Landmark Initiative has surpassed its initial fundraising goal of 100 individual donors, marking another significant milestone in the growing grassroots campaign to preserve historic Monastery Square in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.

To date, 105 donors have contributed a combined $7,101 in support of the initiative's efforts to secure landmark designation for the property.

The campaign, launched to demonstrate broad community support for preservation, emphasized participation over contribution amounts. Each donation, regardless of size, represents an individual commitment to protecting one of Bay Ridge's most historically significant properties.

The milestone comes just five days after the launch of the initiative’s fundraising campaign and only two weeks after its grassroots preservation efforts were made public. In that short time, its Facebook page has generated more than 120,000 views, its website has recorded more than 1,600 sessions, and its community action group has grown to more than 220 members.

These figures reflect the expanding public interest in the future of Monastery Square and strengthen the initiative's call for the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission to formally consider the property for designation.

Preserving Monastery Square

Located at 8902 Ridge Boulevard, Monastery Square encompasses approximately 7.5 acres of historically significant buildings and landscaped grounds. Originally developed in the nineteenth century as the Kings County Inebriates' Home, the property became the permanent home of the Sisters of the Visitation in 1903.

For more than 120 years, Visitation Academy served generations of students and families. The property includes two nineteenth-century institutional buildings, Sacred Heart Chapel, a century-old enclosure wall, mature trees, and a historic lake.

On October 1, 2026, the initiative submitted a comprehensive 430-page Request for Evaluation to the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, seeking designation of the entire Monastery Square property as an Individual Landmark.

Community Rally Scheduled for November 14

Building on the momentum of its successful fundraising campaign, the initiative will host a public rally on Saturday, November 14, 2026, at 11:00 a.m., in front of Sacred Heart Chapel at 8902 Ridge Boulevard.

The event will bring together alumnae, former faculty, families, neighborhood residents, preservation advocates, and community leaders to demonstrate support for landmark designation. The program will include remarks from speakers and community participation activities.

The initiative encourages all who value Bay Ridge's architectural, cultural, and religious heritage to attend.

“Reaching 100 donors represents more than a fundraising achievement. It demonstrates that the landmark designation of Visitation Academy and Monastery is a matter of substantial public interest, supported by a growing community committed to advocating for its preservation,” said Caroline Cardillo, Founder and Chair of the Visitation Academy & Monastery Landmark Initiative.

To donate vist https://gofund.me/5fcd8df2a

For additional information about the landmark initiative and the November 14 rally, visit LandmarkVisitation.com.