PLNYS: Preservation League Programs

The formerly abandoned Public School 70 is an important part of the urban fabric of Bedford-Stuyvesant, and for too long, it stood as a dangerous symbol of neglect in the neighborhood it once served. The quality of the restoration of this once-derelict building and the sensitive new addition, along with the return of this historic building to academic use, is truly exemplary.

James W. Naughton’s 1880 gauged red brick and brownstone school building was abandoned in the late 1970s after a major fire. Uncommon Schools, a non-for-profit organization known for developing urban college preparatory charter schools in the northeast chose the site for its academy in Brooklyn – Excellence Charter School – after an exhaustive search.

“The lowest-risk strategy would have been to demolish the charred shell of the building,” said David Saltzman, Executive Director of the Robin Hood Foundation and a trustee of the Excellence Charter School. “It required the extraordinary vision of Robert A.M. Stern Architects to reincarnate this lost treasure as a new charter school.”

Key Participants
Uncommon Schools; Excellence Academies Foundation; Excellence Charter School of Bedford-Stuyvesant; New York City Department of Education; New York City School Construction Authority; Civic Builders; TLM Group; Robert Silman Associates; MGJ Associates, Inc.; Leonard Strandberg Associates; S. DiGiacomo & Son; Robert A.M. Stern Architects; Existing Conditions Surveys; Testwell Laboratories; JAM Consultants; Skyline Consultants; Pillori Associates; Cline Bettridge Bernstein Lighting Design; Fisher Dachs Associates; Shen Milsom & Wilke; Pentagram; Construction Specifications, Inc.

The rebirth of Saratoga’s former School No. 4 at 112 Spring Street offers a model solution to a challenge facing communities across the state. It demonstrates that historic neighborhood schools can provide modern business amenities without sacrificing a community’s treasured landmark or sense of place.

Spring Street School No. 4 was designed in 1911 by Saratoga-area architect Newton Brezee. It is an important component of the East Side National Register District, which contains a large concentration of late 19th and early 20th century residences in an intact neighborhood setting. School No. 4 was closed in the late 1950s, but remained in use as School District offices and vocational classrooms until 2003. Now restored, the building houses several land conservation and building preservation non-profits; its shared conference rooms and meeting rooms provide a setting for collaboration and synergy among these groups.

Linell Lands, Inc., a small company dedicated to preserving historic buildings for contemporary use and to integrating environmental conservation priorities into land development projects assembled a talented team to complete the project.

“Spring Street’s School No. 4 is a survivor,” said Carrie Woerner, Executive Director of the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation, whose office is in the building. “As neighborhood schools are abandoned in favor of larger regional schools, surplus school buildings present a challenge to many communities. For Saratoga Springs, because of the vision of Barbara Linell Glaser and her company, Linell Lands, School No. 4 now enhances the character of the neighborhood and increases its economic vitality.”

Key Participants
Linell Lands, Inc. ; Bast Hatfield Construction Co., Project Manager; David W. Roberts Construction Management; Rich Torkelson, Torkelson and Associates, Saratoga; John Inman, architect, Saratoga; John Onderdonk, architect, Saratoga; Elan Planning and Design; Matt Chinian, Matt’s Old House

What was once an abandoned 19th century brick warehouse has been combined with new construction and re-programmed to provide 65 individual residential units, ground level retail spaces and a restaurant. The careful renovation of the remaining historic fabric and linkage with a new structure, which preserves the Tribeca loft warehouse archetype, is a winning combination.

The landmarked Washington Street warehouse provided a significant structural challenge. For years it had been surrounded by scaffolding and a “dry moat” (where sidewalk vaults had collapsed) to keep passers-by out of the range of falling debris. A multi-year review process led to a clear and yet compatible delineation of old and new, with the restoration and conversion of the five-story warehouse complemented by the construction of a new 12-story adjacent residential building.

“Through architecture and urbanism, this project brings new life to the block,” said Zack McKown, FAIA, partner at Tsao & McKown. “It provides Tsao & McKown with great satisfaction that all parties involved came away from the project happy – from the developer to the local community. Many locals point to both the new and restored buildings with pride as an example of successful neighborhood revitalization.”

Key Participants
Tsao & McKown Architects P.C. ; Ismael Leyva Architects PC; Page Ayres Cowley Architects LLC; Building Conservation Associates; Boymelgreen Developers

New York’s Historic Armories: An Illustrated History (SUNY Press, 2006) by Nancy L. Todd is a handsome catalog of some 120 armories built in New York State between 1799 and 1940 to house local units of the state’s volunteer militia, the National Guard. Although some have been lost, many historic Armories remain, and this book – an outgrowth of a 1992 state-wide inventory of armories – is truly a reference for all time.

Of the nearly 120 armories built in the state, about half survive; of the survivors, about half still house National Guard units. Approximately 30 armories now serve a variety of purposes: some are owned by local governments and house community education and/or recreation services; some are privately owned and house commercial enterprises or residential units. Together, all extant armories chronicle the history of the volunteer militia from its emergence in the early days of our nation, through its heyday in the Gilded Age as the backbone of the American military system, to its early twentieth century role as the nation’s primary armed reserve force.

“The cooperative efforts at the state and local level that made this publication possible were bolstered by support from all sorts of communities, regions, groups, organizations and civic entities,” said Ms. Todd. “I am honored to accept this award on behalf of all those who work to preserve and protect the outstanding legacy of New York’s citizen soldiers.”

Contributing to the success of this effort was Major General Joseph J. Taluto, Adjutant General, New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs.

This project illustrates that with careful planning and cooperation, historic architecture can be re-used in imaginative ways that add to the vitality and economic well-being of our state’s cities and towns. Montauk Playhouse Community Center is truly a celebration of a caring community’s efforts to save an irreplaceable landmark.

The Montauk Playhouse was named to the Preservation League’s Seven to Save endangered properties list in 2002 after being abandoned in the 1970s. Just four years later, the 1929 building reopened as a Community Center, and now enables the Town to provide programs and recreational and cultural services to residents of all ages in a setting that is truly “Montauk.”

“I am proud of the East Hampton Town Board members who committed to this restoration project,” said Maureen Rutkowski, Project Director for the Montauk Playhouse Community Center Foundation, Inc. “They could have opted to knock down the Montauk Playhouse and build a sterile, municipal structure no different than those found in so many other communities. Instead, they chose to preserve our history and resurrect a building that many thought to be unsalvageable. It has been extremely rewarding to participate in something that touches so many in our community.”

Key Participants
East Hampton Town Board -- William McGintee, Supervisor; Debra Brodie Foster; Pete Hammerle; Brad Loewen; Pat Mansir
Montauk Playhouse Community Center Foundation, Inc.; William Schlumpf, P.E., Island Structures Engineering; John J. Petrocelli, J. Petrocelli Contracting , Inc.

Long neglected as ‘just another state office building’, the comprehensive restoration of this structure has returned the public spaces of the building to their Art Deco glory, while its upper floors now meet the modern office needs of several diverse state agencies.

The Smith building was constructed between 1927 and 1930, providing Albany with its first skyscraper. The building is a historic and culturally significant part of the City’s skyline, complementing the State Capitol and the State Education Building. When the restoration began in 2002, the building had fallen into disrepair. Now, the sculpted elevator doors, decorative painting, plaster and marble finishes have been restored, and the main lobby’s ceiling mural – depicting some of New York’s famous historical figures as painted by David Lithgow – have all been meticulously restored.

“This project illustrates that a public government workforce – supplemented by New York State’s first class community of private sector architectural and engineering consultants, building contractors and suppliers – make preservation efforts in the Empire State achievable,” said Michael Convertino, AIA, the project architect for the New York State Office of General Services (OGS). “This project offered the Design and Construction Group within OGS an opportunity to support local preservation efforts here in Albany with the hope of inspiring other state agencies and cities to continue this tradition.”

“We at OGS are honored to have these prestigious awards from the Preservation League bestowed upon us. I commend all of the men and women who worked on these two projects for their diligence and dedication to preserving these two historic landmarks in our great Capital City.”

New York State Capitol, Albany County

The careful cleaning and restoration of the largest staircase in the Capitol, popularly known as the ‘Million Dollar Staircase,’ provides a fitting complement to the earlier restoration of the skylight and laylight which crowns the stairwell. This project was unique in every way – in scale, complexity and the thoughtful merging of technology and preservation. This effort has established best practices that should serve as a model in historic buildings around the state and country.

The Great Western Staircase, completed in 1899, is the largest staircase in the Capitol at 119 feet tall. The staircase features detailed carvings of hundreds of famous and unknown faces, and was one of the first large-scale public installations of electric lights. The elaborate carvings and finely wrought light fixtures had been darkened with soot from early coal-burning furnaces, cigar and cigarette smoke, the great fire of 1911, and more than a century of constant use.

“Guided by The Master Plan for the New York State Capitol (1982), OGS and its highly qualified team began by cleaning the masonry itself,” said James Jamieson, Capitol Architect. “The use of a latex spray-on, peel-away product from Belgium, Arte Mundit, loosened the surface soiling without damaging the stone. We were pleased to be the first to specify and use this product and technique, and the results speak for themselves.”

Key Participants
New York State Office of General Services (OGS); Mesick Cohen Wilson Baker Architects, LLP of Albany; Building Research Establishment of Watford, England
Quantum Engineering Co., PC of Selkirk; Monaco Restorations of Southbridge, MA
Aurora Lampworks of Brooklyn; LaCorte Companies of Troy; West Branch, Inc. of Saratoga Springs

for organizational excellence
Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation

Since its founding in 1980, the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation has been dedicated to the preservation of the architectural heritage and cultural history of Greenwich Village and the East Village. Their efforts to build grassroots support, and to monitor and inform the decisions of New York City agencies should serve as an inspiration to other preservation organizations.

The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation recently achieved a number of preservation goals that for decades had proved elusive. From the implementation of measures to protect the historic buildings and character of the Far West Village and Greenwich Village waterfront, to the designation of the Gansevoort Market Historic District, once-endangered buildings are now protected.

“Several fragile historic properties in the Far West Village and Meatpacking district which were threatened with, or vulnerable to, demolition have been preserved and are now being restored,” said Andrew Berman, Executive Director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation. “Now that these historic buildings are no longer facing the wrecking ball, this honor from the Preservation League will help inspire us to expand our energies into other urgent preservation needs in our service area.”

for individual excellence
Donald Fenner, Otsego County

For four decades, Donald Fenner has been a true leader, working to maintain and restore the oldest building in Herkimer County, the Fort Herkimer Church. His stewardship and dedication has not only preserved this icon of the past, but positioned it to play a role in the future as a centerpiece of a town park along the Mohawk Valley Heritage and Canalway Trail System. Through this award, the Preservation League hopes to encourage and support the efforts of countless other community preservation leaders across New York State.

The Fort Herkimer Church is one of the oldest churches in New York State. Construction on the building began in 1753 and was completed in 1767. Mr. Fenner’s involvement with the Church began in 1966 when he was elected president of the Church’s Board of Commissioners. At that time, occasional services were held in the building, yet deteriorating conditions threatened public access. Mr. Fenner began his work as restoration chairman, project director, and restoration coordinator.

“In this day and age, it is very uncommon that an individual remains in one place, with one occupation or with a single organization,” said David Staley, who nominated Mr. Fenner for the award. “The ultimate success of historic restoration projects often depends on the long-term dedication of volunteers, and Fort Herkimer Church is a perfect example. With Don Fenner’s guidance, its restoration has not only been completed, but accomplished within a framework of craftsmanship and appropriate preservation techniques and practices. Because of his efforts, generations to come will continue to enjoy and appreciate the historic Fort Herkimer Church.”

Awards Jury
Barry G. Bergdoll, Chair; Matthew Bender IV; Katherine Cary;
Dorothy Twining Globus; Marilynn G. Karp; David R. Sloan;
Arete Swartz Warren; Samuel G. White, FAIA

Preservation League Awards

2007 Excellence in

Historic Preservation Award Recipients