Southampton Arts Center Opens Paulson Family Gardens After $3.4M Renovation

The Southampton Arts Center has unveiled the Paulson Family Gardens, a 2.7-acre landscape restoration on Jobs Lane funded by a $3.4 million gift from the Paulson Family Foundation. Designed by Christopher LaGuardia of LaGuardia Design Group, the project transformed the grounds originally conceived by Grosvenor Atterbury for collector Samuel Parrish at the turn of the 20th century. The Parrish Art Museum relocated to Water Mill in 2012, and the Southampton Arts Center moved in the following year. The renovation took nine months from approval to completion, preserving existing trees and adding new plantings, florals, and layered greenery. Accessible pathways accommodate strollers and wheelchairs, a landscaped perimeter supports children's programming, and an open-air performance space expands outdoor events. SAC Chairwoman Simone Levinson thanked Mayor Bill Manger, the Architectural Review Board, board members Siamak Samii, Paul Travis, and Rob Vahradian, and the Paulson Family. Inside SAC, the exhibition "The Story of America: 1776–2026, A Celebration of Freedom and Independence" is on view through July 18, featuring objects from the Wright Family Collection at the Museum of Democracy, including the original flag flown at George Washington's inauguration.