Confessions of a Preservationist

Siding for your historic house - Assessment • Treatment • Maintenance

landmarkblog@gmail.com (The Landmark Society of Western New York) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:20:00 +0000

Second in Your Old House Workshop Fall’ 09 Series

On Nov 2’09 Landmark Society had its second session for Your Old house workshop. The speaker for this session was Mr. Peter Trieb, a preservation consultant with over 30 years of experience. He has his own company named Preservation Matters in Lima New York. Peter’s love for the field of preservation began when his family bought a historic house in Lima almost 35 years ago and ever since, he has been fascinated with historic buildings and has devoted his life to the practice of preservation.

Peter started his talk by giving an overview on how to do a comprehensive survey of a building to look for possible causes of deterioration. He said that time and moisture are the two main enemies of the building. According to him, the best approach to follow in preservation projects is minimal intervention. He believes “less is more” in preservation.

From here he delved into different replacement siding materials including vinyl, aluminum, sheet goods like plywood (T-111), pressboard and masonite. He tried to unravel the myths associated with Synthetic siding such as synthetic siding “protects your property” or is “maintenance-free”. He mentioned that covering the historic building with replacement siding is never a solution instead it further invites more problem, as it becomes a trap for moisture.

He then talked about different siding types including horizontal and vertical siding and mentioned about their properties. With this brief description, he talked about the installation process and what does it involve. He gave us a detailed description of each part and issue involved in the installation of siding covering topics like preparation, house-wraps, ventilation, flashing, membranes, caulking and painting.
He greatly emphasized the significance of historic buildings and mentioned repeatedly that old houses should not be treated like new houses. One must be extremely cautious when using new materials on historic buildings and should carefully assess their effects.

He also talked about different maintenance strategies such as reactive maintenance, unfocussed maintenance and efficient maintenance. He said that a pro-active approach takes one a long way in the care and maintenance of their historic house.
This was a very extensive talk but Peter made it look very simple and easily do-able. He answered many questions during the talk including the use of new materials like hard board cement clapper boards. It was an extremely informative session and all our attendees thoroughly enjoyed it.

A special thanks to Peter for his lovely presentation, Morse Lumber for providing their space for the session and all of you who attended the session.

Posted by Nimisha Thakur, Preservation Associate

Providing Comfort Heating and Cooling for your Historic House

landmarkblog@gmail.com (The Landmark Society of Western New York) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:14:00 +0000

First in Fall Your Old house Series

On October 19, Landmark Society began its fall series of Your Old House Workshops. The first presenter for the series was Dave Feldman- owner of Feldman Heating and Cooling Inc, a locally renowned HVAC company for over 90 years. Dave brought with him an interesting blend of practice and education to his session. He is an adjunct faculty on the MCC’s HVAC program.

Mr Feldman started his talk with a brief overview of different methods of heating a historic house including wood fireplace, coal stoves, coal fired steams, gravity hot water and warm air. He talked about the advantages of different methods and mentioned that steam has much better distribution and was the premium system till early 1900s. By that time the trades were in place where pipe fitters did plumbing work and sheet metal workers did roofing and architectural sheet metal.

He mentioned about the modernization and the changes due to new technological developments. By mid 1930’s electrification allowed for circulating pumps on hot water systems, electric stokers on coal fired systems and vacuum steam systems. Vacuum steam was a big improvement as it speeded steam distribution and more importantly it allowed the steam temperature to be controlled. Many houses on Sandringham and Ambassador St had this system. After WW II Rochester had many homes converted from coal to either oil or natural gas.

With this background on historic systems, Mr Feldman transitioned into the current heating systems and talked about condensing furnaces, boilers and steam pumps. He stated that the fossil fuel costs have risen in the last few years and the combination of a heat pump and a fossil fuel furnace have proven to increase efficiency.

As for air-conditioning older homes, he cited that comfort cooling is not a matter of temperature reduction. It requires removal of humidity from the air at the same time as the temperature is reduced. Comfort cooling systems may be central, like a traditional ducted forced air system. They could also be specialty ducted such as Unico or Spacepac, or spot cooling may be provided with ductless air conditioning systems such as those from Mitsubishi and Sanyo.

Overall it was an extremely informative session and the interactive nature of the workshop made it all the more engaging. Mr Feldman answered numerous questions from the audience and most attendees enjoyed that. Some questions touched upon important issues like district heat and fuel cells.

Landmark Society would like to thank all the people who attended the session and would encourage them to attend the next sessions too! A special thanks to Mr Feldman for his time, effort and most importantly his understanding, as we faced some technical difficulties during the session and he gracefully took it in his stride. Also not to forget, architects got 2 AIA CES credits for attending one session!

Posted by Nimisha Thakur, Preservation Associate

Confused about lead? We'll help you get the facts.

landmarkblog@gmail.com (The Landmark Society of Western New York) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:11:00 +0000

I have young kids, and I live in a house built in the 1920s. Naturally, I have wondered at times whether the lead that is undoubtedly in some of the paint used on my house before the 1970s is posing any harm to my kids. There seems to be conflicting information everywhere: I hear that the paint is safe as long as my kids don't eat it; that they are in danger if they touch a windowsill even if there's no visibly peeling paint; that the lead around my foundation is likely contaminated; that the best thing to do is leave it alone - or strip it - or keep my windows closed - or clean regularly - or replace my windows - or...

What's a parent to do? And what about people who don't have young kids at home - do they need to worry?

To get some answers, we asked the folks from the Coalition to Prevent Lead Poisoning to share their expertise on this issue. They'll help us sort out when and why lead paint poses a danger, and how to safely deal with it in ways that also respect the integrity of your historic house. This practical workshop will be held at the Finger Lakes Health Systems Agency, 1150 University Avenue, on Monday, November 9, at 6:30 p.m. The workshop is $25/advance, $30 at the door; or free with a new membership to The Landmark Society. You can register using our secure server. For more details, see the full schedule of Your Old House workshops or call (585) 546-7029.

Posted by Katie Eggers Comeau, Director of Preservation Services

Preserving REAL GREEN

landmarkblog@gmail.com (The Landmark Society of Western New York) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:45:00 +0000

Having read so much about how “green” it is to adapt and reuse old buildings, which I heartily support by the way, I thought it was time for me to add my perspective to the tide of articles dealing with eco-friendly practices.

Once upon a time George Ellwanger, noted horticulturist, planted (or so I assume) a Wier’s Cut-Leaved Silver Maple next to his mansion at 625 Mt. Hope Ave. This tree was introduced to the nursery trade by Ellwanger and Barry Nurseries and documented in their 1872 Mt. Hope Nursery catalog with the following words:

“We have the pleasure of offering for the first time this elegant novelty-one of the most remarkable and beautiful trees with cut or dissected foliage yet introduced. Its growth is rapid, shoots slender and drooping, giving it a habit almost as graceful as the Cut-Leaved Birch. The foliage is abundant, silvery underneath, and, on the young wood especially, deeply and delicately cut. The leaf stalks are long and tinted with red on the upper surface. We believe it will rank at once among the most interesting and attractive lawn trees, and may be easily adapted to small spaces by an occasional cutting back, which it will bear to any degree necessary, as well as a willow.”

The tree did grow rapidly and very large. It dominated one side of the house along with the purple beech tree planted nearby. Sadly, in 2006 when the new owner of the Ellwanger Estate hired a professional tree evaluation service to examine all of the trees on the property, the Wier’s Cut-Leaved Silver Maple was deemed a hazard to the house and slated for removal.

Now I had great affection for that tree having enjoyed its stature and its beauty for the many years I had worked in Ellwanger Garden. Many birds and animals called it home and its delicate, drooping branches formed a soft green backdrop for the vivid colors in the garden. So I when the saws and trucks arrived to take it down, I gathered some small branches from the crown of the toppled tree and delivered them to Oriental Garden Supply in Pittsford with a plea to try to propagate a replica or two.

Three years hence, after annual visits to my green charges so carefully tended by the folks at the nursery, I am delighted to report that there are five clones of the very tree that cooled the house at 625 Mt. Hope Ave. for over a century. And what clones! They started out as eight-inch cuttings and now stand almost seven feet tall. Springtime, 2010 will see a “Son of Wier’s Cut-Leaved Maple” growing on the Ellwanger Estate property and in a very few years the branches will gracefully sweep the sky.

And I am thankful to have helped preserve a piece of Rochester’s horticultural history “in the flesh” or should I say “in the bark”.

In the photo: Al Pfieffer, owner of Oriental Garden Supply, displays one of the seven foot tall "babies." Photo by Tom Ewart of Love Arboreal.

Posted by Beverly Gibson
Landmark Society Horticulturist

It is rightly said, adversity brings opportunity… so how many of us are ready to take the challenge?

landmarkblog@gmail.com (The Landmark Society of Western New York) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:28:00 +0000

Did you know you can you do the repairs around the house that you would normally not do…? It's true!

In these harsh economic times, each one of us is looking for ways to cut costs and save expenses. The Landmark Society feels your pain! With our Your Old House Workshops, we present you with a great opportunity to save money.

This fall’s workshops will arm you with effective, innovative and easily implemented tools to save you money by doing home repairs yourself instead of having to pay a contractor. The topics for this series rightfully address your concerns and are carefully chosen with the current dynamics of economic turmoil in mind. You will learn to do big repairs like fixing your siding, but at the same time will also learn how little things like installing programmable thermostats, washing clothes in cold water and drying them on a clothesline can help you lower your energy bills and have consistent savings over a long period of time.

Having emphasized the significance of low economic times, The Landmark Society helps you all the more by offering a free session worth $25 if you become a member. This is a great deal! Membership gets you lower prices for all our events year long, and your dollars go towards our mission work to actively engage in preservation and planning practices that foster healthy, livable and sustainable communities. This is a no –brainer! If you haven’t registered yet, do it now! To register, please use our secure server or call (585) 546-7029 x10.

To top it all, if you are an architect, you get 2 AIA CES credits for each session.

Schedule and program of classes:

November 2, 2009, Monday: Siding for Your Historic House - Assessment, Treatment and Maintenance
In this session you will learn about siding materials and installation procedures. You will also be able to investigate reasons for materials’ deterioration and understand repair and replacement methods. This will help you assess the amount of work required to do these repairs. You can choose to do it yourself or if not, at least make sure that a contractor does not fool you.
Instructor: Peter Trieb, Preservation consultant and owner of Preservation Matters
Location: Morse Lumber, 40 Jarley Road, Henrietta
Time: 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Cost: $ 25, $30 at door (or free with new membership in The Landmark Society!)

November 9, 2009: Monday: Identifying and Addressing Residential Lead Paint Hazards
This session will help you identify potential residential lead paint hazards and give you specific answers to what’s involved in getting tested and cleared for lead paint hazards. Most importantly it will give you a sense of the expected costs for remediation and help you understand lead safe work practices.
Instructors: Elizabeth McDade, Program Coordinator, Coalition to Prevent Lead Poisoning and Sue Kreiser, President, Jade Enterprises of Rochester, Inc.
Location: Finger Lakes Health Systems Agency, 1150 University Avenue, Rochester
Time: 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Cost: $ 25, $30 at door (or free with new membership in The Landmark Society!)

November 18, 2009, Wednesday: Green Systems and Practices for the Health of Your House
This session will help you understand benefits of “green” design and practices and how these principles can be incorporated into existing homes and home renovations. You will also learn about the key reasons, why your house is not energy efficient and solutions to improve it through mechanical systems and other ways.
Instructor: Jay Tovey, Tovey Building Co.
Location: Rochester Home Builders Association, 20 Wildbriar Road, Henrietta
Time: 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Cost: $ 25, $30 at door (or free with new membership in The Landmark Society!)

To register, please use our secure server or call (585) 546-7029 x10.

Posted by Nimisha Thakur, Preservation Associate

Saving Main Streets in Livingston County, NY

landmarkblog@gmail.com (The Landmark Society of Western New York) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:29:00 +0000

WOW, what a turnout Thursday October 29th at the Enhancing Main Street: Making Upper Floors Work Again program in the Village of Mt. Morris, New York (.pdf).

Approximately 90 attendees from 11 counties were represented! The program, provided by the Preservation League of New York State , has also been offered as part of The Landmark Society of Western New York’s Annual Preservation Conference (insert link to a save the date/more info coming soon page on LSWNY website?).

Cheers to the Livingston County Development Corporation , the Alliance for Business Growth , and the Empire State Development Corporation, as well as the Livingston County Planning Department , and the Association of Village Boards of Livingston County for their support and understanding of the business of historic preservation!

It was particularly exciting to hear the latest on the increased potential for historic preservation and rehabilitation projects with the enhanced tax credits program that will go into effect in NYS in 2010 ).

There was also some interesting buzz around a project recently completed by a group of concerned and, clearly organized, citizens in Perry, NY. The project discussion came up during the closing question and answer session and I hope to hear more about that initiative at The Landmark Society’s Annual Preservation Conference in Palmyra, NY in April 2010.

Historic preservation promotes job creation and serves as an effective economic engine for a more diverse, and subsequently, more stable, economy…something our upstate NY communities need! In fact, according to the 2008 National Trust for Historic preservation report, “Economic Development: A Vision for the Obama Administration”, historic preservation and rehabilitation of historic buildings produces a greater number of both temporary and permanent jobs. For every $1 million spent to rehabilitate a building, there are five more temporary construction jobs and 4.7 more permanent jobs created than with new construction projects alone.

Judging from the turnout, and the projects shared, this is something our upstate NY communities understand, are committed to and are working diligently towards!

Maranne McDade Clay
Landmark Society of Western New York

Is it really preservation? Let's call Midtown plan what it really is.

landmarkblog@gmail.com (The Landmark Society of Western New York) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:36:00 +0000

Our Director of Preservation Services, Katie Comeau, attended last week's press event where plans to proceed with the Midtown Plaza project were announced. We were excited to learn the tower structure will be re-purposed – that's a great 'green' strategy.

What struck us, however, was the variance in understanding of what constitutes the language of preservation and reuse, and the retention of historic fabric.

This proposal, in fact, still involves demolishing the atrium and clearing nearly all of a site deemed eligible for the National Register based on "exceptional significance," and will totally alter what is being saved (i.e. the tower will be brought down to the structural steel – retaining none of its historic fabric). Clearly the mall, as we know it is not being "renovated."

All of us, probably along with the entire western New York region, hope this project turns out to be great for the revitalization of the city, yet we remain conflicted when we know that we are losing some unique opportunities to redevelop the atrium in particular. And, as educators, we want to make sure that we all speak the same language and should not blur our understanding of what constitutes 'preservation.' Preservation of this site would mean keeping the structural bones of the complex of buildings and modifying them through a restoration or adaptive reuse that respects its historic integrity.

Let's call this exciting new project what it is – new construction that incorporates structural elements from a previous construction.

Posted by Joanne Arany, executive director

Charles Mulford Robinson

landmarkblog@gmail.com (The Landmark Society of Western New York) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:41:00 +0000

Imagine my pleasant surprise--combined with some mortification for not knowing sooner--when I learned that one of the pioneers in urban planning and planning education was a Rochesterian. Charles Mulford Robinson was not only a pioneering urban planner who took the lead on plans for several American cities, but was also a leading planning theorist, journalist, and writer. He also was one of the first teachers of planning and community design-- a Professor of Civic Design at the University of Illinois.

Certainly, some of Robinson's ideas unfortunately reflect the prevailing discriminatory views of his time, but even though I would disagree with and discredit some of his planning ideas as a result, I think raising his name from obscurity can serve as a great conversation-starter about community planning, design, and development--topics that more people need to be talking about more often!

A Wikipedia page for Robinson gives a decent overview:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Mulford_Robinson

And this excellent, detailed post from my former hometown of Charlottesville, Virginia gives a solid overview and critique of Robinson's ideas:

http://discoveringurbanism.blogspot.com/2009/08/charles-robinsons-planning-textbook.html

Robinson is buried in Rochester's famous Mount Hope Cemetery.

I have only once heard Robinson included in a list of prominent and important Rochesterians. Hence, I have a(nother) new crusade: to make sure Rochester and the planning profession know about Charles Mulford Robinson! Including him on oft-spoken lists of prominent Rochesterians would not only honor his work, but again, get people thinking and talking about important community planning and design concepts and issues!

I wonder if Robinson is included in the popular and fascinating Friends of Mount Hope Cemetery walking tours. I will find out...

Thankfully, there's no shortage of information about Charles Mulford Robinson and his work on that amazing universe we call the internet. Try a search...

by Evan Lowenstein

Evan is the Coordinator of the RochesterCityLiving program at the Landmark Society.

Historic Preservation is not just about landmark designation…..

landmarkblog@gmail.com (The Landmark Society of Western New York) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:27:00 +0000

It is environmental planning, sustainability and healthy living

Last week I attended the Monroe County Land Use Workshop on Historic Preservation for Municipalities. It was refreshing to see professionals echoing the same sentiments that we deal with in our office every single day!

To me, this workshop was fascinating as it reinforced my ideologies about preservation and how it is not just about preserving a beautiful building, but also is a commitment to protect our built environment through sustainable practices and philosophies.

We are often asked if we designate buildings and help the owners in getting a landmark status. It’s a common misconception that we are the prime authority involved in the designation of a building just because our name is The Landmark Society. Actually, this is a federal procedure! We can surely help the building owners achieve this designation through our expertise and guidance. We try to work with people in our community as often as we can. This is something that was echoed by both the speakers that preservation is a communal effort and how each one of can us contribute towards it.

Amy Facca, preservation planner in the Field Services Bureau of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (SHPO), was the first speaker. She talked about historic preservation as a field and its perception in the general public, as well as an identification of who’s who in the field and federal, state and local laws. It seems that many share similar first impressions of historic preservation – that we’re just a group of people appealing to save a building at the eleventh hour. Amy explained it’s extremely hard to understand the complexity and boundaries of preservation since it’s a new field in the United States. She shared that preservation is not just the work of a professional, but also the responsibility of every citizen who cares for his/her community and its character. I totally understood her sentiment as I deal with it on a regular basis…this is perhaps the reason we work with communities and their individual preservation boards.

As examples, Amy mentioned various case studies in NY where innovative methods and techniques have been used. Each project highlighted key principles ranging from grassroots approaches to highly-innovative marketing strategies to promote community and economic revitalization. She concluded with a quote from famous preservation economist Donovan Rypkema: “Any community can duplicate your community’s water lines, industrial park or tax rate; no community can duplicate your historic and other place- based resources.” I think this very well summarizes our advocacy efforts!

Jayme Breschard, senior planner with the Genesee/Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council presented an interesting perspective about the inter-disciplinary and multifarious nature of the field of historic preservation. I am very much in sync with this thought process as I feel preservation is inherently sustainable and all our efforts should be directed in promoting this awareness.

Her talk focused on local historic preservation legislation and three prime principles of preservation— green building, environmental planning and quality of life. She presented very novel case studies from the local communities of western New York and how they each incorporated historic preservation towards a common goal of protecting community resources.

One of the best examples she gave was the story of the Palmyra Elementary Walking Route to Education and Wellness. This project involved construction of sidewalks, installation of bike racks and educational materials to encourage walking/biking to school. She also mentioned the Green Brighton Task Force- an initiative taken by the Town of Brighton to consider regulatory amendments to incorporate green principles and incentives to protect the existing housing stock of the neighborhood.

She had a very fascinating case study about South Shore Bay Houses in Long Island, which were floating homes, traditionally used as a shelter for fishermen. They were remnants of vernacular architecture of the region and were intrinsic to the cultural value of this area. She explained how such a project could be a part of the larger goal of preservation. She concluded her talk with various strategies used by different communities towards historic preservation planning and reasons for their success.

Overall, it was a thought provoking session exemplifying how preservation is a part of our daily lives and how we breathe in our built environment every single day of our lives!

Posted by Nimisha Thakur, Preservation Associate

2009 Political Poll Results

landmarkblog@gmail.com (The Landmark Society of Western New York) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:02:00 +0000

In just a couple of weeks, we'll be heading to the polls. Wondering how your local candidates view historic preservation, downtown development, and other important issues? Check out our Candidate Questionnaire! We asked all candidates for county and city office, as well as for selected town offices, to answer a few questions about issues we think are especially important. Find out how they answered.

Posted by Katie Eggers Comeau, Director of Preservation Services

See the spirits for yourself...

landmarkblog@gmail.com (The Landmark Society of Western New York) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:41:00 +0000

The ghosts have voices!!

Check out this awesome photo/video slideshow done by CITY Newspaper's Kathy Laluk.

Ghost Walk continues this weekend, October 23 & 24. More information here.

Thanks Kathy and CITY!

Posted by Laura Keeney Zavala, Director of Marketing

My Nashville whirlwind

landmarkblog@gmail.com (The Landmark Society of Western New York) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:49:00 +0000

I'm back from Nashville, where I spent most of last week at the National Trust's annual conference. Despite the miserable weather, it was a great week of catching up with colleagues, meeting new people, seeing some of the sights of Nashville, and being inspired by what our counterparts around the nation are doing. I came back with lots of new ideas and look forward to putting some of my new knowledge to work!

A few highlights:

* Music everywhere! Nashville makes the most of its status as "Music City" - and when it comes to heritage tourism, music is a great theme that is relevant to their history, the present, and the future. The Trust integrated music into the conference, starting off the opening and closing plenary sessions as well as special lectures with musical performances. I especially loved hearing the Fisk Jubilee Singers before the closing plenary. (Left: The Fisk Jubilee Singers at the incredible, Egyptian Revival Downtown Presbyterian Church)

* Sustainability, likewise, was everywhere - the Trust is hard at work to ensure that preservation and sustainability become linked in everyone's mind, not just the minds of us preservationists. I didn't get to Nashville in time to hear about the "Nashville Challenge," which involves aligning the preservation movement with nationwide sustainability efforts, but will be checking out follow-up materials about it. Educational sessions, field visits, and special lectures on the topic throughout the week ensured that we all got the message!

* The Parthenon - what can I say about this unusual local landmark. I visited as part of my overview bus tour of Nashville, which was tremendously interesting and quite educational. Our wonderful guide, a longtime Nashville preservationist, shared her insights about about various zoning techniques used to protect many neighborhoods, and it was interesting to see how these techniques are playing out. We visited Fisk University, saw "music row" (the center of the business side of the music business), circled the magnolia-lined perimeter of the not-bus-friendly Vanderbilt University campus, toured revitalizing neighborhoods, and stopped at the Parthenon for a tour and snacks. In case you aren't familiar with this Nashville site, it is a full-scale replica of the Parthenon in Athens, constructed of plaster for Tennessee's Centennial Exposition in 1897 and rebuilt in concrete in the 20th century when the building had proved too beloved to be taken down with the other temporary exhibit buildings. Inside is a 42-foot statue of Athena, intended to replicate the one in the original Parthenon. (Left: The Parthenon, of course!)

* My session on local advocacy, held at 8:30 Saturday morning (yikes) was gratifyingly well attended for such a crummy time slot, and I thought it went very well. Rhonda Sincavage of the National Trust's policy department moderated; my fellow panelists were Mike Buhler of the Los Angeles Conservancy and Michelle Kimball of the Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans. Despite our cities' very different sizes, geographical locations, and challenges, we found a lot of common themes in our approaches to advocacy. It was an interesting discussion to participate in, and I hope our audience enjoyed it and learned something! (Left: Michelle Kimball, me, Mike Buhler, and Rhonda Sincavage)

* The Hermitage was one of three sites I visited on a tour highlighting "Preservation Leadership Case Studies." We saw three models: the Hermitage (Andrew Jackson's beloved home) is run by a very longstanding nonprofit organization; we visited 20th century historic house that was recently acquired by a greenways commission and will be rehabbed for a park use; and also toured an 1850s mansion owned by the city that is in need of some TLC and a more viable use. (Left: Visiting the Rachel and Andrew Jackson gravesite at The Hermitage)

* Laura Bush was the speaker at the annual Advocacy Luncheon; she talked about the Preserve America and Save America's Treasures programs, which she championed as First Lady. She told the assembled preservationists, "Whatever you're doing, you're making sure that future generations of Americans can enjoy the natural and historic treasures of our nation." (Left: Laura Bush at the Advocacy Luncheon)

* The Preservation Action auction and party, held at B.B. King's on Friday night, was fun, as always! I am a former PA intern and always happy to support this great cause. They are part of a coalition advocating for full funding of the Historic Preservation Fund, which supports critical preservation activities such as Section 106 review of federally funded projects, the National Register of Historic Places program, preservation grants, state preservation plans, and much more. Please read more about it and find out what you can do to help this important effort.

* The candlelight house tour featured East Nashville neighborhoods that reminded me of Corn Hill: wonderful 19th-century architecture; a legacy of terrible blight in the mid-20th century; renewal since the 1960s as houses have been rehabilitated. Unlike Corn Hill, they have also had to contend with an unusual string of disasters: a devastating fire in 1916 cut a wide swath through the neighborhood (its path visible today by the presence of bungalows rather than Queen Annes), followed by terrible tornadoes in 1933 and 1998 that similarly destroyed and damaged thousands of houses. (Left: One of the houses on the house tour)

* At the annual Preservation Awards Ceremony on Thursday evening, my favorite college professor, the incomparable Vincent Scully, received the Louise Crowninshield Award, the National Trust's highest award for lifetime achievement. As part of the ceremony, the speakers noted that many people were inspired to enter the preservation field by taking his classes, and I am one of those people. I took two of his classes, and could never get enough of his animated delivery, his incredible comparisons, and his awe-inspiring insights about architecture, nature, and humanity. It was a bittersweet moment, however, because Professor Scully was unable to attend due to ill health. (Left: The awards ceremony)

* Of course, it wasn't all tours and parties - I spent most of my time in educational sessions, which were informative and stimulating, as always. My favorite was a session titled "Preserving Housing in Low-Income Neighborhoods," where Brent Runyon, executive director of Thomasville Landmarks, and Amy Kissane, executive director of the Athens-Clarke Heritage Foundation, described programs in which v0lunteers rehabilitate houses in low-income historic neighborhoods. The programs are exciting, and the before and after photos are impressive! I also learned a lot in sessions on the recent past, the Trust's "Green Lab," providing effective field services, and more.

My trip was partially funded by a Partners National Preservation Conference Travel Grant, and I am so grateful for the National Trust for this assistance.

I brought back a huge pile of materials, notes, and brochures, and as I make my way through them, I hope to share more details on some of the most relevant information and ideas.

Posted by Katie Eggers Comeau, Director of Preservation Services

Live from Nashville

landmarkblog@gmail.com (The Landmark Society of Western New York) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 02:53:00 +0000

I'm in Nashville this week at the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Annual Conference. It's exciting to have a chance to visit a city I might never have been to otherwise, although truth be told, I haven't seen much of it yet! I arrived in the rain late yesterday afternoon, attended a reception in the hotel last night, spent the day (rainy again) in training sessions in the hotel, and finally ventured out late this afternoon to go to the Opening Plenary Session at the historic Ryman Auditorium, the "mother church of country music."

After a few songs by a local singer/songwriter, we heard some news about new and continuing National Trust initiatives, and then our two keynote speakers took the stage. Dame Fiona Reynolds, director general of the National Trust in England, spoke about her organization's programs in the sustainability arena, particularly their efforts to connect locally grown, seasonal food with a larger ethic of more sustainable living at their historic sites. She noted that western nations, whose lifestyles over the past 50 years have been so negatively impacting our global climate, need to change our ways and begin living in a more responsible, sustainable way, "and to help us, we have a recession." With the recession, people are finally starting to rethink the need to constantly buy more things, and are seeking out simpler, authentic activities to connect them with family and community - perfectly playing into our interests.

The second keynote speaker was author Bill McKibben, who talked about climate change and the need for immediate action to reduce emissions. He made the interesting point that climate threatens culture as well as the environment, in that our connection to past events and cultural patterns is certain to change. As an example, he pointed to Vermont, where he said forecasts indicate that by the end of the century there will be no more snow; how will we relate to Robert Frost's poetry about snowy New England woods when the New England woods have no more snow? He also showed us a short video from the Maldives, where the land is just a few feet about sea level; with rising sea levels, their entire country may cease to exist. Bill is involved in the organization 350.org, which is planning worldwide actions on October 24 to demand global action to combat this threat to our planet and our culture.

After the plenary session, I headed to the opening reception, held at an Art Deco post office converted into a gorgeous art museum, where I caught up with colleagues from the Trust and other organizations and met new people as well.

Tomorrow's schedule includes an overview bus tour of Nashville (I hope the skies clear so I can actually SEE Nashville by then!), the annual advocacy luncheon (Laura Bush is this year's keynote speaker), and afternoon sessions on sustainability and modern resources, followed by an evening candlelight tour of houses in East Nashville.

The National Trust is offering opportunities to be a "virtual attendee" of several sessions - check out their website to find out how!

Posted by Katie Eggers Comeau, Director of Preservation Services

(Photos: A view of Nashville "honkytonks," from the hotel; and the historic Ryman Auditorium after the plenary session.)

I've got sunshine on a cloudy day....

landmarkblog@gmail.com (The Landmark Society of Western New York) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:08:00 +0000

I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm not ready for winter's chill to be upon us. I suspect I'm not alone....? Yet sometimes, despite our best wishes, ol'Mother Nature decides to just do her own thing. (Was that hail/snow we saw outside of the Hoyt-Potter House this morning on the way into work? Oh, I sure hope not.) I'm wrapped up with an afghan as I type this, coveting the warm mug of coffee next to me. It makes a nice handwarmer!

This is simply a post to say hi and bring you some reminders of blue skies and warmer temps through the brilliance of sunflowers. Something about them just makes me smile! I took these snapshots this a few weeks back while out at our Stone-Tolan House Museum on a gorgeous day. They're part of the kitchen garden still growing out there with heirloom plants. Quite incredible, actually. You can read about Stone-Tolan here.

Just as we all need to add extra layers and get ready for the cold, so do our older homes. I'd be remiss if I didn't remind you about the wealth of resources we have available on our website to help you learn how to best winterize your home. There's also expert advice and experience for do-it-yourself care of your older home to be had at Your Old House workshops, starting next week!

So please keep warm and enjoy this hot cocoa weather. And if the gray skies and chill become a little too much, come back to look at photos of sunflowers. I bet you'll smile!

posted by Laura Keeney Zavala, Director of Marketing

“You got to know what you are selling”- Cynthia Howk

landmarkblog@gmail.com (The Landmark Society of Western New York) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:12:00 +0000

Marketing Historic Homes Successfully- GRAR class

How many times have we seen a real estate advertisement of a historic house with a style listed as colonial but it is actually a bungalow? In the words of Cynthia Howk, the architectural research coordinator with the Landmark Society of Western New York, “I can bet 9 out of 10 times.”

If you want to sell a historic house, you should know the history of the house, the place, and the style and have a genuine interest in learning about historic architecture and its intricacies. This was the crux of the realtor class “Marketing Historic Homes Successfully” organized by GRAR at their headquarters on September 24th, 2009. This class was a day long affair divided into two sessions before lunch, followed by a quick talk on “what style is it?” and a tour of the east side neighborhoods of the city in the afternoon. This is a semi- annual class organized by GRAR twice a year on two consecutive Thursdays in September and April. With this class, realtors can earn up to 15 continuing education credits.

The instructor for the class was our famed Cynthia Howk, with over 30 years of experience in local history and preservation planning under her belt. Interestingly enough, many participants have attended this class more than once; many of them mentioned that they learn something new from Cynthia each time they take the class.

Cynthia mentioned how Landmark Society was started by the efforts of Helen Ellwanger and since then for over 70 years has been instrumental in saving the landmarks of this area including Campbell Whitelesey house, City Hall, Roycroft Inn in East Aurora (a project with Landmark Society for 18 months but stretched to 8 years) and many more such jewels.. In addition, the Landmark Society offers professional services in the field of preservation planning including natio nal register nominations and historic resources surveys. Besides that we hold annual house and garden tour and many more educational events for the general public to create awareness about Rochester’s history and architecture.

After this primer, Cynthia took us on a whirlwind ride of the history of upstate New York. She suggested we all drop the word “Colonial” from our architectural vocabulary. We need use it only if we are talking about the period before 1783, when United States was a colony of Great Britain.
During the early 1800’s most Americans lived within 50 miles of a major water body. At that time there was only one main road in all of New York State. With the opening of the Erie Canal tens and thousands of immigrants came to Western New York making Rochester one of the first boomtowns in 19th Century America. In the 1830’s and 1840’s Rochester was known as the “Flour City” as it was able to transport the ground flour from its mills along the banks of the Genesee River to cities and towns near and far via the Erie Canal.

Cynthia talked about the metamorphosis of Rochester starting with Flour city to the Flower city in mid 1850’s with the rise of horticulture industry. Following the Civil War began the gilded age and the phenomenon of grand avenues in American cities. Ellwanger and Barry started their first trolley line in the 1860’s. Next in the line was the industrial revolution, with Rochester’s biggest employer being the Cunningham Company, maker of luxury carriageways. By the time Cunningham went out of business in the 1940’s there were new industrial giants like Bausch and Lomb, Eastman Kodak and Hickey Freeman. All these businesses and people defined the architectural and physical development of 20th Century Rochester and made the city what it is today.

Following Cynthia Howk’s presentation, Steve Jordan talked about doing a visual inspection of a historic house. Steve has over 30 years of experience in historic preservation, is a graduate of Cornell University and specializes in window restoration. He started his talk with macro issues like site planning and then got into details like materials, gutters, painting and siding. He showed wonderful slides of historic houses explaining common problems and ways to correct them.
After Steve’s talk, there was long lunch break and then Cynthia talked about 19th century house styles. She said style has nothing to do with the materials, number of storeys or the size of the house. Just like clothing or automobiles, buildings also have a style.
She spoke about styles in a chronological manner beginning with Federal style, Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, Italianate and Queen Anne. She also debunked the myth associated with the use of the word “Victorian” when discussing architecture. There is no “Victorian” style, rather it is a period of history that refers to the reign of England’s Queen Victoria from the 1840s to the early 1900s.

After this enriching talk was the much awaited bus tour of various east side neighborhoods of the city with a narration by Cynthia. We started with the mansions of East Avenue and then headed into Downtown.

Our first stop was much acclaimed Rochester Savings Bank, designed by the preeminent architecture firm of the early 20th century McKim, Mead & White with the local architect J. Foster Warner. After that we rode along Andrews Street, the old clothing district of Rochester and then on to the various residential districts of the city.

Next stop: Corn Hill, the city’s oldest neighborhood with its interesting mix of Greek revival, Italianate and Italianate villa styled houses. We also visited many other interesting neighborhoods like Upper Monroe and the funky Park Ave neighborhood’s “A-B-C” streets. Cynthia mentioned how fascinating it is to learn how the streets got their names and what they can tell us about the history of the community.

She also pointed us to the one and only Frank Lloyd Wright-designed house in Rochester as well as the Neighborhood of the Arts and the Grove Place neighborhood. At Grove Place we explored the eclectic mix of contemporary townhouses and beautifully crafted historic townhouses along Selden Street. The second part of this class was held on October 1st and involved follow up talks on 20th century architectural styles, how to research your historic house and an overview on landmark designations. In addition, University of Rochester professor emeritus Jean France spoke about the architects of Rochester. A bus tour of the remaining neighborhoods of Rochester completed the session and the class until next spring.

If you missed the class this Fall, be sure to register for next session in spring as it is the most educational class you will ever attend. This program was extremely informative, fascinating, one of a kind experience for anyone interested in the local history of our area.

Posted by Nimisha Thakur, Preservation Associate

Finally - Get money for rehabbing your house!

landmarkblog@gmail.com (The Landmark Society of Western New York) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:17:00 +0000

Last night, I attended the first information session on the new NYS Residential Rehabilitation Tax Credit program, hosted by Assemblyman Sam Hoyt and a slew of preservation organizations in Buffalo. Staff from the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (also known as SHPO) presented information about how the credit works, who can take advantage of it, and the process to do so. We'll have a similar session in Rochester soon, but in the meantime, I thought I'd pass along the basics.

First, who qualifies? This is a program for owner-occupied housing only - no rental properties. The house must be listed in the National Register of Historic Places (either individually listed or in a district) and must be located in a census tract where the median income is at or below 100% of the State Median Family Income. It doesn't matter what the homeowner's personal income is, just what the average is for the tract. I have a list of census tracts in Monroe County that qualify and can also find out whether your house is listed in the National Register; so far I know that parts of Maplewood and Browncroft qualify, as well as all of the Susan B. Anthony District. I haven't seen a map yet, but I suspect parts of the South Wedge and Mt. Hope neighborhoods will also qualify. There are other neighborhoods in the city that are eligible for the National Register but have not yet gone through the designation process, and would be able to take advantage of the credit if they did so.

Most of the rest of Monroe County does not qualify under the income requirement, but large portions of the other counties in our service area do. At last night's workshop, SHPO displayed helpful maps that illustrated exactly which areas are eligible, and we'll make that available for Rochester as soon as we can.

To take the credit, it isn't enough just to live in the house - you have to do at least $5,000 worth of work. SHPO staff must review the proposed work in advance to let you know if it meets the standards. At least 5% of that work has to be on the exterior; that can include roofing, painting, chimney work, and many other projects (but not landscaping or fences). Interior work can include almost anything from floors to ceilings. One type of project that would not qualify would be installation of vinyl windows; replacement windows could be covered if the existing windows are inappropriate, missing, or truly beyond repair, but the replacement windows would have to be appropriate to the building, and SHPO staffers were quite clear that vinyl windows would not be considered appropriate.

Keep in mind that this is a rehabilitation program, not a restoration program - the difference is that while restoration is about returning a building to its historic appearance rehabilitation has to do with keeping significant historic features while adapting the building to modern use. This means that you won't be required to bring back missing features or turn your house into a museum!

The credit will cover 20% of the cost of the rehab - so for a $5,000 project, you'd get to take $1,000 off of your state income taxes. The credit maxes out at $50,000 per project, so if you are spending more than $250,000 on your project, you'll only (!) get to take $50,000 - but note that this is per project; SHPO staff seemed to think a project could be broken up into multiple projects so that homeowners can take the credit more than once. Homeowners may spread the credit out over multiple years if their tax liability is not high enough for them to get the credit, or owners whose income is less than $60,000 can take the credit as a rebate.

One of the most interesting questions at the workshop last night had to do with a house that, in its current condition, would not be considered National Register eligible. This homeowner would like to take the credit for work such as porch repairs, asbestos siding removal, and window repair that would return it to its historic appearance. When the property is complete, it should be eligible for National Register designation, but can this homeowner take the credit given that the property is not now eligible? SHPO staff couldn't answer definitively, but I certainly hope that they will be able to work with owners in this situation, since this is exactly the type of project that this program should support. Removal of vinyl siding and/or reversal of other inappropriate alterations from one house can be a catalyst for similar projects throughout a neighborhood.

The process for obtaining the credit is pretty simple. There is a three-part application: part 1 asks the homeowner to list basic contact information and the location of the house, as well as answer a few simple questions that will help SHPO staff determine whether the house qualifies. In Part 2, the homeowner describes the house and any past alterations, describes the proposed work, and provides photographs of the house, as well as drawings of any new construction or alterations. Part 3 is completed after the work is done, and certifies that the work was completed as proposed. The owner must provide photographs of the completed work.

Projects can't be complete until January 1, 2010 (projects now underway that won't be done until January may qualify - contact SHPO to discuss) and the program is scheduled to sunset in 2014.

SHPO has a brochure about the credit and the application form online.

This program has the potential to be a great tool for revitalization, both in our existing National Register districts and in those that qualify but have never been designated. If you'd like more information about how to get started on your own project, get your community to qualify, or spread the word in your neighborhood, please give me a call!

Posted by Katie Eggers Comeau, Director of Preservation Services

Geva and Landmark Team Up To Celebrate Rochester's 175th Anniversary

landmarkblog@gmail.com (The Landmark Society of Western New York) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:14:00 +0000

Did you know that the building housing Geva Theatre Center was once a hospital? Did you know that as the Convention Hall, the building played host to prima ballerina Anna Pavlova, opera legend Enrico Caruso and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, to name a few? There were even dog shows at the former Convention Hall, as shown by the lovely woman to the right.

Geva Theatre Center and its employees are very proud of the fact that they reside in a building steeped in so much local history. And, of course, The Landmark Society is proud to fulfill our mission of sharing local history with the community and celebrate this rich legacy. We've teamed up to celebrate Rochester’s 175th Anniversary with a free lecture/discussion!

Cynthia Howk, Architectural Researcher for The Landmark Society and much sought after local lecturer will present The Historic Armory Building and the Washington Square Neighborhood on Saturday, October 3 at 11 a.m. in the Nextstage at Geva. Tickets are free, but must be reserved in advance by calling the box office at (585) 232-Geva or online here by clicking the "buy now" button.

(Photo courtesy of the Albert R. Stone Collection, RMSC)

A wealth of weatherization resources

landmarkblog@gmail.com (The Landmark Society of Western New York) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:22:00 +0000

Our beautiful September weather (in Rochester, anyway) has just turned blustery and cold! As the weather changes, you may be thinking about making your house more energy efficient. The National Trust recently put together an excellent Weatherization Guide for Older and Historic Buildings to help homeowners with this very topic. Here you'll find practical information on a variety of topics, including:

How and why to start with a home energy audit
Windows, windows, windows: why they matter, how to identify window types, how to decide when to repair or replace, how to make simple and low-cost repairs, and more
A guide to the various incentives for weatherization
A nifty illustration of the features of old houses that provide protection against cold weather (those 19th-century builders knew what they were doing!)
Tips and strategies for specific parts of your house, including the roof, insulation, and mechanical systems
And for any other questions, a very thorough "Whole House Resource Guide" with case studies, articles, and much more.

Of course, we have plenty of resources here in Rochester as well! Check out our publication Rehab Rochester, especially Chapter 6: Energy Conservation. You'll also want to attend our "Your Old House" workshop series, coming up in October and November. This fall's topics include sensible (and sensitive) options for heating and cooling old houses, sustainable and green practices to make your house more energy efficient, siding repair, and lead-safe work practices.

Posted by Katie Eggers Comeau, Director of Preservation Services

Fulsome Frank Lloyd Wright Frenzy

landmarkblog@gmail.com (The Landmark Society of Western New York) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 21:12:00 +0000

Landmark Society’s Day tour

This past summer, I was a part of Landmark Society’s day tour to Buffalo for Frank Lloyd Wright’s legacy. Being an architecture graduate, I always wanted to visit these places and see the wonders of his thought and to determine, if what we were taught was really true or just exaggeration! I must admit, I was completely enthralled!

I have always been awed with FLW’s work, to me he is not only one of the father’s of modern movement, but somebody who laid the foundation of American architecture with his path breaking philosophies and designs for his time and age. Our tour started with a mystery bonus stop at the Boathouse, a project designed by FLW as a boathouse for University of Wisconsin, but could only be constructed in 2007, now the headquarters of West Side Rowing Club. It was fascinating to see, how FLW had the ability to make architecture which was timeless, after more than 100 years later, this piece looks so modern and appropriate even today. Unfortunately we could not go inside the building, but we got a sneak peek from the bus.

Our next stop was Darwin Martin house complex; we took an hour long tour of the facility and were fortunate enough to see another architectural marvel by one of the contemporary architect Toshiko Mori. This beautifully constructed glass box is an interpretive center where you can see the state of the art film on Darwin Martin, the businessman and the greatest architect of America, Frank Lloyd Wright. For me, visiting this house was very special as in my modern architecture class, I always learnt about the principles of Wright’s organic architecture, merging the interiors with exteriors, breaking the box and his itch for Beaux Arts style. Now I could see all these principles such beautifully tackled at the Darwin’s house. It was also fascinating to learn stories about his quirky nature and how he ruled his designs. It was interesting to learn that how obsessed he got with details and even designed the movement pattern in the house, with lowering the heights and narrowing the doorways.

We had a lunch stop at the famed Roycroft Inn in East Aurora, the unique Arts and Crafts community in upstate New York. It was interesting to learn that Elbert Hubbard, the original owner of the inn was Darwin Martin’s brother- in-law and hence was also related to Frank Lloyd Wright. The building was a great example of Arts and Crafts style but to me, the most fascinating aspect was the stature of this place in the history. I was so pleased to see that the building was saved with advocacy efforts by the Landmark Society and how it adds to the architectural and historical splendor of the area.

Our last and final stop was Graycliff, summer home of Isabelle and Darwin Martin in Derby. It is believed that Isabella never liked her house in Buffalo as the large eaves of the house could never let enough sunlight in and for this house she wanted Wright to design a house of sunlight. I have not yet been to falling waters, to me this house truly exemplified the philosophy of organic architecture, designing from the site and deriving inspiration from nature. The house stands on a 60’ high cantilevered cliff above Lake Eerie. He tried to recapture nature by merging the interiors with the exteriors by cantilevered, floating second floors, and corner glass window with uninterrupted views of the lake.

This tour is a must for all Frank Lloyd Wright’s admirers and we would like to thank everybody who could be a part of the trip. We have this tour next year as well, so sign up, before you miss it!

Posted by Nimisha Thakur, Preservation Associate

Reclaim some asphalt

landmarkblog@gmail.com (The Landmark Society of Western New York) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:28:00 +0000

PARK(ing) Day returns to Rochester this Friday!

PARK(ing) Day is an annual, one-day, global event where community artists, activists, organizations, and citizens collaborate to temporarily transform metered parking spots into “PARK(ing)” spaces: temporary public parks. Since 2005, the project has blossomed into a worldwide grassroots movement: PARK(ing) Day 2008 included more than 500 “PARK” installations in more than 100 cities on four continents, including several in Rochester!

(Ours last year was a blast. Hammocks, sidewalk chalk, books, relaxation and good conversation. A perfect way to spend a Friday!)

Creating these temporary parks allows an additional place for rest, respite, and socializing. This year's site, also at RoCo, will reflect the missions and current work of Rochester Contemporary Art Center(RoCo), RochesterCityLiving and The Landmark Society, affording visitors an opportunity to see what’s been lost to asphalt in this community, and to envision how this asphalt can be beautifully and productively reclaimed, thus illuminating the need, importance, and value of such spaces in our communities.

Come out on Friday to RoCo at 137 East Avenue and check out our park. This year's park is being created with a partnership of RoCo, the RochesterCityLiving program of The Landmark Society, School Without Walls, the City of Rochester, and Barthelmes Manufacturing Company, Inc.

Make your own! Let us know where you'll be. Anyone can participate in PARK(ing) Day, though it is strictly a non-commercial project, intended to promote creativity, civic engagement, critical thinking, unscripted social interactions, generosity and play. It was started in 2005 by Rebar, a San Francisco art and design collective.

For more info on International PARK(ing) Day, see www.parkingday.org

posted by Laura Keeney Zavala, Director of Marketing

Save the gas station? Vote today!

landmarkblog@gmail.com (The Landmark Society of Western New York) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:46:00 +0000

An unusual, early 20th-century gas station in Geneva, NY is the topic of an online poll in the Finger Lakes Times today. (Scroll down to find the poll on the left-hand side of the page.) The Gigliotti Gas Station was named one of the Preservation League of New York State's "Seven to Save" sites in 2007. Read more about why it was so honored on the League's website, then take a moment to vote in the poll!

Posted by Katie Eggers Comeau, Director of Preservation Services

More tax credit workshops!

landmarkblog@gmail.com (The Landmark Society of Western New York) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:06:00 +0000

Last week I posted a piece about two rehab tax credit workshops planned for September 22. If that's not enough education for you, you can also attend seminars in Syracuse and Buffalo (the latter includes a session on the tax credit available to owners of historic houses), as well as a conference in Schenectady on the broader issue of sustainable development. I've posted the list of events on our website, and will add to them if I hear of any others!

Posted by Katie Eggers Comeau, Director of Preservation Services

Many "Who Knew?" and "Wow!" moments await you at the 2009 INSIDE DOWNTOWN TOUR

landmarkblog@gmail.com (The Landmark Society of Western New York) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:20:00 +0000

Mark Twain famously said something like "the reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated" after his obituary was erroneously published in the New York Journal in 1897. This quotation has enjoyed wide usage in the ensuing century, employed by those needing to express that a certain expire did not actually transpire.

I succumb to the temptation to use this famous quote to describe downtown Rochester, to point out that in fact downtown is not only alive, but kicking rather auspiciously and enthusiastically. I must add that these are not the kickings of something clinging to life, but those of a group of energetic, enthusiastic, talented, and dedicated people responsible for downtown's progress and potential!

One great way to disavow any of your own grim notions of downtown's state--or similar notions planted into your head by others--is to join our upcoming, exciting INSIDE DOWNTOWN TOUR.

This annual tour, with tour opportunities on both Sept. 25 and 26, will be sure to provoke "Who Knew?" moments, and (re) invigorate your opinions and feelings about the present and future of our downtown.

This year, the tour focuses on the High Falls and Cascade Districts, where excellent urban living/working/playing is taking place within an array of beautiful renovated spaces and places, such as the Parry and Parazin Buildings, the Daily Record Building, and Buckingham Commons (whose rooftop terrace is by itself worth the price of the tour ticket). In addition, the tour will include a look at the Mills at High Falls, a handsome, brand-new residential development-- featuring 17 different floor plans--that's risen on the site of an old surface parking lot. The tour also includes a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the Frontier Field complex, a marquee piece of the High Falls and Cascade Districts!

On the evening on Friday, September 25, the tour invites you to High Falls to see fabulous office spaces of several firms that have made High Falls their home.

Some of you might remember that we featured High Falls just three years ago on our Inside Downtown Tour. Why do it again, you might wonder? Well, so much remarkable new development has occurred in just that time, that we felt strongly behooved to invite you back for another inspiring inside look at our impressive downtown.

Downtown is the core of the city that is the core of our region. It is an important place, and an increasingly interesting and exciting place to live, work, and play. Join us September 25 and 26 to witness the important and inspirational development ongoing in this core of the core!

by Evan Lowenstein

Evan is Coordinator of RochesterCityLiving at the Landmark Society.

Learn more about the NYS Commercial Rehab Tax Credit

landmarkblog@gmail.com (The Landmark Society of Western New York) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 21:16:00 +0000

September 22 must be NYS Commercial Rehab Tax Credit day - there are two fantastic, free opportunities to learn more about this newly improved program.

Nixon Peabody LLP is hosting a free morning seminar at its Rochester office from 8 to 11 a.m. that day, cosponsored by the Preservation League of New York State, The Landmark Society of Western New York, Reznick Group P.C., and MacRostie Historic Advisors, LLC. A description of the program and online registration can be found here.

In the afternoon, Cannon Heyman & Weiss, LLP, is presenting a webinar on the commercial tax credit from 1:30-3:00 p.m. Learn “just the facts” from CHW about the Federal Historic Tax Credit and the newly expanded New York State Historic Tax Credit including a discussion of practical issues, monetizing credits to supplement other development sources, and the SHPO application and approval process. Conveniently log in on your desktop computer from the comfort of home or work. Questions may be submitted in advance or live during the Webinar.
For more registration information, contact Amanda McCrady at amccrady@chwattys.com.

Note that both of these educational opportunities will cover the commercial credits only (those available for income-producing properties, including rental residential, office, industrial, or retail buildings) - there will be no discussion of the residential credits available to private homeowners. For more on those credits, now available to thousands more homeowners in our region, stay tuned - we will be working with our partners at the state level to present workshops as the implementation details come together.

Posted by Katie Eggers Comeau, Director of Preservation Services

Rollover Rochester

landmarkblog@gmail.com (The Landmark Society of Western New York) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 19:17:00 +0000

Although I am quite delinquent in writing this blog, but so much happens at Landmark Society that sometimes it takes you very long to write about them. In early June this year, I was a part of the annual conference organized by Association of Community Design. I was fortunate enough to attend the key session on “shrinking communities” where three speakers talked about different approaches to utilize vacant land in Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Flint, Michigan. They talked about innovative ways to utilize vacant land through reinvesting in the edge, urban ecological design and productive landscapes with agricultural and community gardens.

The one concept which stayed with me from these presentations, was the notion of “pop up city”. It is a design initiative started by the faculty of Kent State University in Cleveland where they develop ideas for temporary uses for vacant buildings and sites. Some of those uses were temporary market (Bizarre Bazaar), winter wonderland (Leap Night), group walks (Pop up dog park) and performances under the bridge (Bridge Mix).

Sometimes it is strange how two different concepts from completely different sources can come together and benefit from each other. I recently heard on NPR about how recession woes have afflicted the fashion industry and NYC’s Port Authority- the transportation center is opening its first Month long Pop Up Retail Outlet, where you can buy designer brands at 50% discount—there you go, another version of pop up city.

“The Fashion Center Business Improvement District has teamed up with the Times Square Alliance and the NY Port Authority to create a 2500 square foot exhibition space for fashion designers and artists. The vacant space in the ground floor of the Port Authority will host rotating designers and provide a platform to showcase their works. To make this project accessible for young indie designers, they will only be charged for the utilities plus a monthly rent of just one dollar!” I think it is an incredible idea which promotes sustainability by not building new places and recycling vacant properties, helps lower rental rates, supports local artist groups and bring the community together.

This is a brilliant concept and can be used all over the world. Rochester has many vacant properties which could be brought to some use and would encourage community get- together from the entire demographics of the city. Some ideas for uses could be an art bazaar, music shows, food festival, farmer’s market, community design show— the possibilities are endless! As for the sites, they are endless too! Some of them are as follows:

1) Western end of the Frederick Douglas under Bridge
2) McCurdy's Store in Midtown Plaza
3) Sibleys store now MCC campus
4) Bee Bee power station
5) Industrial buildings on W Main St
6) Meat packing plant on King St. and Silver St.

For more information about Pop up City, you can go to: http://www.popupcleveland.com/
http://www.39thandbroadway.com/nyc-port-authority-fashion-hot-spot/

Posted by Nimisha Thakur, preservation Associate
Photo courtesy; Dan Palmer