|
 |
|
|
|
|
| |
> Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Interior
Albany, Albany County
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
As the lengthy exterior restoration project continues on this Patrick Keely-designed Cathedral, the Awards Jury felt that it was fitting to recognize the completion of the interior restoration effort. After a century and a half of continuous use, the ornate interior has been returned to its former glory.
Contributing to the success of this project were Reverend William H. Pape, Rector, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception; Elizabeth Simcoe, Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany; Laurence F. Wilson, Lynn Webster, Robert N. Pierpont and Katherine Onufer, Mesick Cohen Wilson Baker Architects; Richard Zandri, Geoff Miles, and Ed Kaczynski, Zandri Construction Corporation, A. Curtis Wilsey, P.E., Quantum Engineering Co. PC; Dennis Fleischer, Ph.D., MuSonics; Naomi Miller, FIESNA, FIALD, LC, Naomi Miller Lighting Design; and Jack C. Healy, P.E., Ryan-Biggs Associates, PC.
The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, completed in 1852, is an excellent example of Gothic Revival architecture. The building’s grand interior features a ribbed vaulted ceiling with ornate cast plaster bosses and robust clustered columns creating a series of archways throughout the space. Last painted in 1946, the interior was a monochrome brown. Close inspection revealed that much of the plaster work was in need of repair, and water-damaged walls, ceilings, and cracked and gouged moldings were visible throughout the structure. The interior restoration is part of a decades-long effort to restore and rejuvenate the Cathedral to ensure that it continues to serve as a landmark of architectural excellence for the city of Albany.
According to William H. Pape, Rector of the Cathedral, “The restoration brings to life many of the architectural details that were hidden by the last painting of the interior more than 60 years ago. The color palette was painstakingly researched, and is based on the completed interior of 1892. The historic terra-cotta colored faux-stone scheme is frequently perceived by visitors as real stone. The base color and hand-applied glazing is warm, welcoming and maintains a sense of awe. ”
top ^
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
> The Franklin Building
watertown, jefferson county |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
This project presents an excellent case study for one of the League’s signature programs in New York State – Enhancing Main Street: Making Upper Floors Work Again. By assembling a team of experts in the fields of historic preservation, project development, financing and New York State building codes, Neighbors of Watertown ably demonstrates that once-vacant floors above street-level commercial space can offer attractive housing options.
Contributing to the success of this project were Neighbors of Watertown, Inc.; Watertown Local Development Corporation; Randall T. Crawford, Crawford & Stearns / Architects and Preservation Planners; and Robert Reddick and Roy Perry of Con Tech Building Systems, Inc.. Project funding sources included National Development Council; NYS Homes and Community Renewal; NYS Housing Trust Fund Corporation; City of Watertown; National Grid; Watertown Local Development Corporation; and Neighbors of Watertown, Inc.
The Franklin Building was constructed circa 1905 as the Franklin Arcade, a retail venture extending from Watertown’s Public Square through to Franklin Street. It was acquired by the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) c. 1919 and substantially remodeled with the addition of a gymnasium, swimming pool, activity spaces and sleeping rooms.
By 2003, however, The Franklin Building was failing structurally, and had been a blight on downtown Watertown for a number of years. A major wall at the Franklin Street gym wing was now rotting and collapsing, and water infiltration at the Public Square portion resulted in floor heaving, mold growth and plaster failure. According to Gary Beasley, Executive Director of Neighbors of Watertown (NOW), “We worked with Watertown Local Development Corp., municipal officials, contractors and the architect to clean out water-soaked debris, brace the second floor, and prove to the community that the building was sound enough to proceed. Now, with 16 apartments and 9,000 square feet of retail space, this successful rehabilitation is a point of pride for Watertown and all of the North Country. We are truly honored to receive this award on behalf of the public-minded developers, municipal leaders, state agencies, architects, designers and contractors who worked together to reverse decades of decline and contribute to the revitalization of our community.”
top ^ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
> The Knox Building
New York City
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
The re-introduction of details to the front facade and of curved glass sidelights to the 5th Avenue entry has returned this building to its Beaux-Arts glory. With strict attention to history, materials and practice, Platt Byard Dovell White Architects has positioned the structure for use long into the 21st century.
Contributing to the success of this project were Samuel G. White, FAIA, LEED AP, Anne Holford-Smith, AIA, LEED AP, Beau Woodrum, LEED AP and David Kent, LEED AP of Platt Byard Dovell White Architects; Nelson Gallegos, Jones Lang LaSalle; Mark Haynes and Terrence Fagen, Nicholson & Galloway, Inc.; Chris Anastos and Anthony Chrisomalis, Anastos Engineering Associates; Mary Jablonski, Jablonski Building Conservation, Inc.; Kate Allen and John Allen, Allen Architectural Metals, Inc.; Ian Carlevarini, Skyline Windows, LLC; and Ed Hughes, Koenig Iron Works.
The Knox Hat Company was on the forefront of the trend to popularize Fifth Avenue as a retail corridor when it moved its headquarters to 452 Fifth Avenue. The 10 story building, completed in 1902, is one of New York’s finest examples of Beaux-Arts style commercial architecture. After undergoing alterations in the 1920s and 1960s, the recent restoration brings the building closer to its original appearance than it had been for 90 years.
According to Anne Holford-Smith, Senior Associate with Platt Byard Dovell White Architects, “We relied heavily on historic photographs to reproduce the building’s missing features. In the restoration of this Beaux-Arts landmark, undertaken for owner HSBC, we utilized construction methods and materials on a scale not often found in contemporary restoration projects, and turned back the clock on the Knox Building. We are deeply gratified to receive this award.”
top ^ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
> New York Public Library Exterior
new york city
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
This is yet another exemplary project from Wiss Janney Elstner Associates, demonstrating the methodical approach the firm takes to preservation and restoration. Careful consideration of technical, theoretical, aesthetic and practical issues makes this a model project that sets a high standard for other practitioners.
Contributing to the success of this project were The New York
Public Library; Wiss Janney Elstner Associates, Inc.;
Conservation Solutions, Inc.; Elena Charola; RBA Group; GCI Environmental Advisory, Inc.; Slocum Consulting, Inc.; Claude R. Engle, Lighting Consultant; Wesler Cohen Associates; URS Corporation; Nicholson & Galloway, Inc.; B&H Art-In-Architecture Limited; Milner + Carr Conservation, LLC; Lasca Technologies, Inc.; Stuart Dean; Rheim Plumbing; York Scaffold Equipment, Inc.; Birdmaster; Wilson Conservation, LLC; Landscape Techniques, Inc.; and Hellman Electric.
The New York Public Library’s Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, originally known as the Central Library, is considered a significant example of the Beaux-Arts style and is the most important work of the firm of Carrère and Hastings.
According to Timothy Allanbrook AIA of Wiss Janney Elstner Associates, “Patience and Fortitude, the iconic marble lions facing Fifth Avenue, have always welcomed researchers, visitors and tourists alike to the front plaza of the New York Public Library. Unfortunately, until recently, what awaited them was a soiled, pigeon-infested structure with missing and crumbling stonework shrouded in safety netting. Now, in time for the Centennial of the original opening, the facades have been restored to their original brilliance. We are very pleased to receive this award from the Preservation League.”
top ^ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
> Pierpont Morgan's 1906 Library Interior
New York City
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
As one of the Awards Jurors noted, “this project is impressive because it is subtle.” Others remarked that this was a great project of highest quality, with new systems to make the historic spaces in this significant museum and library complex more accessible. We are pleased to have the opportunity to honor the magnificent work undertaken at this National Historic Landmark, New York City Landmark and Interior Landmark.
Contributing to the success of this project were Richard Southwick, FAIA, LEED AP, Frank Prial, AIA, LEED AP, and Cleary Larkin, AIA of Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners LLP; Scott Hughes, Robert Silman Associates; Eugene Gagliano, JFK&M; Stephen Saitas, Stephen Saitas Designs; and Richard Renfro, IALD, IES, Renfro Design Group, Inc.
The interior restoration of Pierpont Morgan’s library is the most extensive since the building’s completion in 1906. The Italianate library, designed in the spirit of the High Renaissance by McKim Mead and White, was created as the private domain of financier Pierpont Morgan. It ranks as one of New York’s great architectural and historical treasures, and its rooms are regarded as some of the most beautiful in America. The Library stands as Charles McKim’s masterpiece and is familiarly known as the McKim Building.
According to William M. Griswold, Director, The Morgan Library & Museum, “This historic preservation project pays tribute to the lasting legacy of Pierpont Morgan and Charles McKim. Sensitively incorporating new exhibition elements within the Library’s historic context, this restoration facilitated the display of more than 300 items from the Morgan’s permanent collection of rare books and art—a tenfold increase over what was previously displayed. The McKim building is, in many ways, the heart and soul of the Morgan. Now the balance between new and old is where it should be.”
top ^ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
> 1844 Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct
Camillus, Onondaga County
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
High quality restoration work aside, the narrative of this project is breathtaking in the scope and scale with regards to collaboration. The all-volunteer Camillus Canal Society’s unyielding dedication to the restoration of this portion of the canal is truly commendable. The restoration of the aqueduct and re-watering of a portion of the prism are most ambitious and appropriate.
Contributing to the success of this project were Vector Construction Company, Senator John DeFrancisco, Assemblyman Hal Brown, and a dedicated corps of volunteers and professionals who donated countless hours to the restoration.
The 1844 Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct is the only restored navigable aqueduct in New York State, one of 32 constructed in the first enlargement of the Erie Canal, of which only seven remain intact. The aqueduct – a water-filled bridge that carries canal boats over rivers, streams or valleys – is the centerpiece of the Camillus Erie Canal Park which is the midpoint between Albany and Buffalo. Four stone arches made of fine Onondaga limestone quarried from Split Rock support the towpath.
According to Dr. David Beebe, President of the Camillus Canal Society, “In 1990 a group of people began to seriously study how to restore the aqueduct to operating condition. In 1996, the Camillus Canal Society was formed, enabling us to seek funds from local, state, federal and private sources. The impact of the restoration project has been quite significant: we are able to bring boats over the aqueduct and extend our narrated historical trips for an additional mile. We have seen a great increase in visitors with the opening of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, and according to a recent study, the 1844 Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct is one of the most utilized sites along the Canalway Trail. We are a key to economic growth in the region, and are truly honored to receive this recognition.”
top ^ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
> Montour House
Montour falls, schuyler County
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
The Montour House was once a conspicuous white elephant in the Finger Lakes region. For over two decades, residents, Cornell students, architects, developers and planners tried unsuccessfully to put the building back to use. At long last, the right combination of partners has been assembled, and this anchor building is bringing new life to the village. The League has been honored to play a role in this mixed-use project, which we are pleased to offer statewide recognition.
Contributing to the success of this project were Julie Chevalier, Community Progress, Inc.; Gene Beautz, E.S. Beautz Architect; Kurt D. Schrader, Attorney at Law; Barbara Nelson, Chuck Perry and Maggie Martin of Nelson Development Group; Mayor Donna Kelly, Montour Falls; J. Kelsey Jones, Schuyler County Partnership for Economic Development, Tim O’Hearn, Schuyler County Administrator; and Kevin McLaughlin, Empire State New Market Corporation.
The Montour House was built by Charles Cook as a hotel to accommodate travelers on the nearby Chemung Canal, and is said to be one of the finest examples of the Greek Revival style in western New York. In later years, the building housed professional offices, a restaurant and private club, and a bed and breakfast. Once considered a candidate for demolition, the property now has 10 occupied housing units, and has revitalized the village’s once-desolate Main Street with the addition of ground-floor physicians’ offices, a bank branch, a popular coffee house and wine bar, and administrative offices for the regional hospital.
According to Bruce Nelson, President of Nelson Development Group, “Years of neglect left mountains of debris, but their removal revealed a property that still retained most of its original fabric. During the project, local contractors were put to work, and regionally-sourced materials were used whenever possible. Each of the buildings 110 wooden windows was restored in a shop located on the property, and high efficiency heating and cooling units were installed. The restoration of The Montour House is a source of great pride for local residents, and we are truly honored to receive this recognition.”
top ^ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
> Center State Corporation for Economic Opportunity
Syracuse
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
CenterState CEO, the successor organization to the Syracuse Metropolitan Development Association, has reinvented itself by reaching beyond the roles of a traditional economic and business development organization. The group’s recognition of the key role preservation plays in redevelopment opportunities at the local level and support of New York’s Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit has been instrumental in securing adoption of this legislation.
CenterState CEO was a driving force behind successful and ongoing historic preservation projects in Syracuse, including the Landmark Theatre in the 300 block of South Salina Street, adjacent to Armory Square, and the Pike Block project, also located along Syracuse’s primary commercial corridor. Recognizing the importance of green and sustainable industries in revitalizing Central New York, CenterState CEO also sponsors The Clean Tech Center, which provides for the incubation, acceleration and retention of companies in the clean technology sector.
Assemblymember Sam Hoyt (D-Buffalo, Grand Island), a 2010 recipient of an Excellence in Historic Preservation Award, said: “CenterState CEO most clearly represents the all-important links among historic preservation, economic development, Smart Growth, sustainability and downtown revitalization. CenterState CEO has been an indispensable part of the statewide preservation movement in New York, providing essential leadership in the business community in our successful efforts to pass a strong historic rehabilitation tax credit in New York and subsequently to improve upon that legislation. I was pleased and honored to nominate CenterState for this prestigious award.”
top ^ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
> Uncovering the Underground Railroad, Abolitionism, and African American Life in Wayne County, NY: 1820-1880
by judith wellman and marjory allen perez |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Uncovering the Underground Railroad, Abolitionism, and African American Life in Wayne County: 1820-1880 by Judith Wellman and Marjory Allen Perez is just one manifestation of a long and productive relationship between the Preservation League and this region. In fact, a Preserve New York grant supported the cost of the countywide Cultural Resources Survey that led to this report. The survey identified the homes, churches, business places and other sites significant to the lives of freedom seekers and their sympathizers throughout the county. Further, the survey resulted in National Register nomination of Alasa Farms in Sodus, which was also listed on the League’s 2010 ‘Seven to Save’ endangered properties list.
Prior to this report, each of the counties adjacent to Wayne County had completed some level of survey or study exploring the themes of abolitionism and the Underground Railroad. All agreed that Wayne County was a key to understanding the Network to Freedom that existed in Central New York. Starting with the facts known and a desire to further explore dozens of oral histories passed along over two centuries, funding was sought from Preserve New York, a grant program of the Preservation League and the New York State Council on the Arts.
According to Peter Evans, Wayne County Historian, “The importance of this project cannot be overstated. Over the course of 14 months, members of the research team visited cemeteries where African Americans and former slaves were buried, climbed the bluffs along Lake Ontario where Freedom Seekers signaled to passing lake schooners to pick them up, climbed through abandoned buildings where former slaves had lived, visited churches that had split apart over the issue of slavery, and searched for sites where anti-slavery presentations were made by the likes of Frederick Douglass. As a result of the survey, nearly 80 structures were verified as key locations within the Network to Freedom and in the lives of African Americans in Wayne County. Local residents can feel pride in discovering the sites that existed and continue to exist in the region – and the people and events associated with them. We are so pleased to receive this recognition.”
top ^ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
> Dr. Howard Kirschenbaum
Adirondack Park |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Given the growing concern about the economy and the environment, about jobs and sustainability, historic preservation is more relevant now than ever. Howie’s name is synonymous with preservation in the Adirondacks. In addition to his work with the famed Great Camps, his leadership of the not-for-profit organization Adirondack Architectural Heritage has helped make it a statewide model of an effective preservation advocacy group. An outspoken supporter of Camp Santanoni, including years of work alongside the Preservation League, his book about the Camp’s significance remains an important resource.
“Through his personal initiative, partnerships with others, and wide-reaching educational work, many nationally-significant historic buildings have been saved,” said Steven Engelhart, Executive Director of Adirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH), who nominated Dr. Kirschenbaum. “As a result, public awareness of the region’s architecture and the necessity of its protection have been elevated. As a founder and first board president of AARCH, Howie has been a passionate advocate for the region’s built environment for more than 30 years. His work has enriched all of our lives, and I am pleased that the League will honor his efforts.”
According to Dr. Kirschenbaum, “In virtually all my historic preservation projects, I’ve had wonderful partners, including the Preservation League. These partners deserve much credit for what we’ve accomplished in saving endangered buildings, restoring historic structures, and making many of them accessible for public education and enjoyment.”
top ^ |
|
|
JOIN our mailing list Preservation League of New York State : 44 Central Avenue, Albany, New York 12206-3002 : Telephone 518-462-5658