Architecture

1849 Christmas In Burnt Hills’ New Gothic Church

December 24, 2021 by Guest Contributor 1 Comment

Christmas is a time for great celebration, but 1849 was a year of a very special celebration for the new members of the congregation of Calvary Episcopal Church in Burnt Hills, Saratoga County, NY.

December 25, 1849 was the first time they were all able to meet together in their own church building, a carpenter gothic style edifice which had just been constructed at a cost of $2,500 The building was located right in the heart of Burnt Hills and situated on Lakehill Road, a street that in later years was renowned for its overarching trees that formed a canopy above the street. [Read more…] about 1849 Christmas In Burnt Hills’ New Gothic Church

The Haverstraw Brick Museum (Podcast)

December 22, 2021 by Clare Sheridan Leave a Comment

On the December 2021 episode of “Crossroads of Rockland History,” host Clare Sheridan interviewed Rachel Whitlow, the acting Executive Director of the Haverstraw Brick Museum and Center for Historic Preservation.

They discussed the Museum’s new innovation series of exhibitions; interesting collaborations with organizations, including the Pratt School of Architecture; and the museum’s goal to engage the community through history, STEAM education, and hands-on living history experiences. [Read more…] about The Haverstraw Brick Museum (Podcast)

Whitcomb’s Garage in the Adirondacks Wins Historic Preservation Award

December 1, 2021 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

Whitcomb’s Garage in the Adirondacks has won a 2021 Excellence in Historic Preservation Award from the Preservation League of NYS.

The renovation and repurposing of this disused service station and garage has created space for new businesses in an economically challenged rural region. [Read more…] about Whitcomb’s Garage in the Adirondacks Wins Historic Preservation Award

Elmira Rehabilitation Project Wins Historic Preservation Award

November 28, 2021 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

The Arbor Gerard Block & Carroll Street Warehouse Rehabilitation Project in Elmira, Chemung County, NY, has won a 2021 Excellence in Historic Preservation Award from the Preservation League of NYS.

Arbor Development’s adaptive reuse of three historic industrial buildings into affordable housing is a boon to the Elmira community. The three-story buildings at 118-126 Lake Street and 414-418 Carroll Street went from being vacant to providing 28 residential units, 5 storefronts, 8 artist studios, and an art gallery. [Read more…] about Elmira Rehabilitation Project Wins Historic Preservation Award

Preservation Buffalo Niagara Recognized By Preservation League of NYS

November 27, 2021 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

Preservation Buffalo Niagara has won a 2021 Excellence in Historic Preservation Award from the Preservation League of NYS.

The Landmark Society of the Niagara Frontier and the Preservation Coalition of Erie County merged in 2009 to become Preservation Buffalo Niagara (PBN), building on their 30-year history to ensure that the Buffalo region would have a strong, effective, and professional preservation organization. [Read more…] about Preservation Buffalo Niagara Recognized By Preservation League of NYS

Mycelium Brick & Fungal Homes: Much Room, No Mushrooms

November 26, 2021 by Paul Hetzler 1 Comment

For some reason, mushrooms have spawned more than their fair share of puns. As a kid I learned that they’re all fun-guys, and that the only rooms you can’t enter in a house are mushrooms. The last one might not work these days, as entire buildings are now being made of fungus.

Given that mold inside our homes can make us ill, you wouldn’t think that being surrounded by the stuff would be a great idea. But just like so many other things in life, “it depends.” As a building material, fungus is cheap, ubiquitous, and a renewable resource. But that’s not the best part. By dry weight, walls made of fungus are stronger than concrete and have better insulation value than polyurethane foam.

They are weather-proof, practically non-combustible, and oddly enough, resist getting moldy. [Read more…] about Mycelium Brick & Fungal Homes: Much Room, No Mushrooms

Steven Engelhart Recognized With Historic Preservation Award

November 26, 2021 by Editorial Staff 1 Comment

Former Adirondack Architectural Heritage Executive Director Steven Engelhart has won a 2021 Excellence in Historic Preservation Award from the Preservation League of NYS.

For 27 years, Engelhart served as Executive Director of Adirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH), the nonprofit historic preservation organization for New York’s 6 million-acre Adirondack Park and surrounding region, which comprises 12 counties and 102 towns and villages. [Read more…] about Steven Engelhart Recognized With Historic Preservation Award

Albany’s Clinton Ave Historic Apartments Wins Preservation Award

November 25, 2021 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

Albany’s Clinton Avenue Historic Apartments have won a 2021 Excellence in Historic Preservation Award from the Preservation League of NYS.

The Clinton Avenue project involved the careful rehabilitation of 70 historic rowhouses spread across a one-mile span in Albany’s Clinton Avenue and Arbor Hill Historic Districts. The development includes 3 studios, 123 one-bedrooms, 68 two-bedrooms, and 16 three-bedrooms – a total of 210 apartments.

Tenants include households who earn from 50%-90% of the area median income, providing much-needed affordable housing in the city of Albany. Supportive housing has also been included, with 40 units reserved in partnership with DePaul, who provides services under contract with the Office of Mental Health. [Read more…] about Albany’s Clinton Ave Historic Apartments Wins Preservation Award

Proctors Theatre Collaborative Wins Historic Preservation Award

November 22, 2021 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

The Proctors Collaborative of Albany and Saratoga Springs has won a 2021 Excellence in Historic Preservation Award from the Preservation League of NYS.

The 28,000-square-foot industrial building in Albany’s Arbor Hill neighborhood that is now home to Capital Repertory Theatre (theRep) and the formerly condemned church that is now Universal Preservation Hall (UPH) represent very different preservation projects. [Read more…] about Proctors Theatre Collaborative Wins Historic Preservation Award

Green-Wood Cemetery’s Historic Chapel Wins Preservation Award

November 21, 2021 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

Green-Wood Cemetery’s Historic Chapel has won a 2021 Excellence in Historic Preservation Award from the Preservation League of NYS.

The Historic Chapel, located just down the hill from the Cemetery’s main entrance in Brooklyn, is an icon of Green-Wood’s landscape. Designed in 1911 by the architectural firm of Warren & Wetmore, the Neo-Gothic design features 41 carved window openings, filled with figurative stained glass. [Read more…] about Green-Wood Cemetery’s Historic Chapel Wins Preservation Award