I'll show you walkability...

A few weeks ago I started walking to and from work a few days a week. Per http://www.mapquest.com/ this is a round trip of about 4.4 miles which means that walking to and from work 2.5 times equals one pint of Ben and Jerry's Strawberry Cheesecake or Willie Nelson Peach Cobbler ice cream; walking 3 times equals a pint of Ben and Jerry's Phish Food ice cream...wait a minute...what was I talking about? Oh yeah...walking...I started doing this for a number of reasons - I live close, no reason to not walk, save a little gas, save a little coin, get some exercise. So far, other than the light rain this morning and no umbrella, I have really enjoyed it. I get to start my morning with an extra dose of Highland Park, follow it up with Mt. Hope Ave and Mt. Hope Cemetary, Ford Street Bridge and the Genesee River and then beautiful and historic Corn Hill. I arrive to work more alert than if I sleep-driven in and feeling pretty good about life. This walk allows me to enjoy the old stone sidewalks along Mt. Hope, the statue of Frederick Douglas - looking north towards freedom, or Charlotte - to enjoy the Ellwanger Berry built homes and to generally notice all of the details that you fly past in a car.

In fact, I have so enjoyed my walks that I have started walking to other meetings as well - this past week was a short trip down South Ave to the NeighborWorks headquarters for a Home Buyer Orientation, to represent The Home Room and The Landmark Society. The funky little shops, bars, restaurants, parks, sculptures and houses. What a feast for the senses South Ave is. I noticed a turn of the century house with crazy mid century addition on the front that I have driven past a million times and have never seen before. What fun.

I encourage every to walk one place this week that they would normally drive to. Tell me what you see along that way that you don't see from your car...

posted by Rebecca Rowe, Preservation Program Coordinator

I know my vote for next year's conference Keynote Speaker....

So tonight I get to do something I previously only thought about in my wildest dreams....

I get to post a blog about two of our favorite office topics of conversation as of late - preservation (we always talk about this, it's what we do) and Edward Norton (we always talk about this when we're taking a mental break from what we do. It's what he does for us).

Now, I know you're likely scoffing and thinking "what is that crazy woman talking about?" Yes, I know, hot actors and preservation aren't usual bedfellows. They don't mix, much like Dick Cheney and West Virginians, Dick Cheney and rifles...hell, Dick Cheney and anything for that matter...but stick with me here. I promise by the end you'll see that Ed Norton and preservation really go hand in hand.

Now, for those of you not familiar with actor Ed Norton, he's in the upcoming release of The Hulk and has starred in such films as American History X, Fight Club and The Painted Veil, directed by Rochester's own John Curran.

This is a photo of him, his head obviously filled with dreams of being in Rochester.



And, just because I enjoy sharing, here is Ed holding his hand in the shape of an "L" which coincidentally is what my name starts with...



But I digress. This isn't the blog of my Ed Norton thoughts, although that might be fun. This is about preservation and other things.

I wasn't aware that Norton is on the board of Enterprise Community Partners. The non-profit organization was founded by his grandfather, James Rouse, who is a well-known developer known for his work in Baltimore's Inner Harbor, among other projects. One of Enterprise's main concerns is sustainable low-income housing. To that end, Norton recently appeared before the US House of Representatives Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming to ask for a commitment on behalf of the federal government for green construction.

He asserted that whether you believe in global warming or not, there are some serious steps that have to be taken to protect the Earth and climate change, and the fastest way to do that is to reduce energy waste in buildings.

"The most cost effective ways to do that are by retrofitting existing buildings, while the deepest energy and greenhouse gas reductions can be made in new buildings as they come online," Norton testified. "We must address existing and new buildings and in each case major gains are achievable by applying what we know today."

Norton, along with several other leaders and dignitaries such as San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, addressed the panel. Newsom talked to the benefits of implementing LEED energy conservation standards to San Francisco’s building stock. He also asserted that non-green buildings may becoming "obsolete" in the future.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation released comments related to this, which said that "older and historic buildings are not considered 'obsolete' simply because of their age and condition because they are already 'green buildings' based on the embodied energy contained within these existing structures." These comments, not surprisingly, were in line with their sustainability initiative. (which Katie did a fantastic article on in our Summer Special Landmarks newsletter. You may read the article online here. )

This whole thing excited me to no end...and no, not just because of Ed Norton. Also, I am, of course, completely simplifying the entire Congressional hearing to serve the purpose of this post. However, this is a roundabout way to get people to think about the new "green" initiatives in a different light and realize our missions really do overlap quite a bit. Preservation isn't on the outside - we're right in the middle of it all. See, our job is not just about preserving the past for the sake of history - it's about creating a sustainable future while not destroying where we came from. Sounds like the same mantra all the neo-environmentalists are fashionably waving about, doesn't it?

But then again let's also remember this is a thread about Ed Norton. Lest you forget, worlds are colliding, people! I'm not just talking 'greenies' meeting preservationistas here....this is personal. What we have here is a political junkie and a film nerd who works in preservation whose main celeb crush Ed Norton is now testifying to Congress about something that has to do with her job?!

It's a sign. Obviously.

So Ed, babe, call me. We clearly have a lot to discuss. Over dinner. And wine.

Posted by Laura Zavala, Director of Marketing

Summer Time - My Favorite Things!

Summer school break is approaching, which means my days at Rush Henrietta High School are almost finished for the school year. But that doesn't mean I'm done teaching! Besides my work for the RH School district, I'm also the lead teacher for the Landmark Society's summer history day camp, Pioneer Days. I really look forward to spending time at the Stone-Tolan House Museum, surrounded by my favorite things.

One of the things I like best about Pioneer Days is that it mixes two of my favorite things: History and Teaching.

Okay, three things: History, Teaching and Kids.


Okay, four things: History, Teaching, Kids, and Crafts.

I just love getting to spend the warm part of the year outside walking kids through what I am passionate about. There is nothing like helping a group of kids piece together a part of history whether they are physically doing so with an artifact or mentally doing so as they make a realization about history that hits home with them.




The great thing about Pioneer Days is instead of just a small chunk of class time, I get to spend a whole week with a group of kids. This gives us a chance to dive into parts of pioneer life that we wouldn’t get an opportunity to otherwise. In school or even during a field trip, kids can get an overview of what life might be like. But, at Pioneer Days, we have much more time to spend on what the kids are interested in. We get to dig in the dirt, put artifacts together, come up with stories about what life might have been like, and make smaller versions of what they used in their homes.

Another great aspect is life at camp is very flexible. If a group of campers a particular week are interested in anthropology, we spend more time working with artifacts; if they are interested in domestic skills, we spend more time sewing and learning about how to run a house 19th century style; if they are more interested in how a whole homestead worked, we spend more time working with tools. Each week the program varies just as the campers vary.

If you know a kid that’s currently in 3rd through 6th grade, it’s not too late to register for Pioneer Days. We’re offering five different weeks of fun. Check out all the details on our website at www.landmarksociety.org. Just scroll down on the home page, and you’ll find the Camp article.

Just be warned, that kid may come away with a list of favorite things similar to mine: history, teaching, kids, crafts – and Pioneer Days!

Posted by Anna Worden, Lead Teacher, Pioneer Days Camp

Ellwanger Garden's glory

I had the pleasure of working at Ellwanger Garden last Thursday. I arrived about 8:45 a.m. and read my morning paper in the sunshine, sipping coffee and enjoying the garden's gorgeous scenery.

As much as I loathe the Rochester winters, nothing beats the glory of a Rochester spring!

Here are some photos I snapped as I walked around.

View Album

Get your own

What a way to start the work day, eh? No complaints here. If you haven't experienced this living museum, owned and maintained by The Landmark Society, you really owe it to yourself to check it out. It's fabulous!

posted by Laura Zavala, Director of Marketing

Congratulations to a former trustee!

At the Preservation League of New York State’s Historic Preservation Awards Ceremony/Annual Meeting in New York City on May 15, former Landmark Society trustee Trude Brown Fitelson was recognized for her long-time preservation efforts in the Thousand Island Park, Jefferson County. A seasonal resident of TIP since childhood, Trude spends most of her time there (in the family’s restored 1880s cottage) as “preservationist-in-residence,” coordinating, coaxing, cajoling, encouraging, patrolling, negotiating, educating, promoting, regulating, advising …… and any other task you need to keep preservation activities before the public/residents/administrators of this “northern Chautauqua” summer colony. Her idea of “summer in TIP” means a 7-day work week addressing the preservation needs there (in addition to maintaining her real estate office commitments). Trude has worked with LSWNY staff for over 20 years, frequently consulting us about specific projects, problems & preservation board needs at TIP.

Trude was the only person honored in the category of INDIVIDUAL EXCELLENCE. Congratulations, Trude, on this well-deserved honor!

Other categories/honorees were:

PROJECT EXCELLENCE

Webb Lofts, Buffalo, Erie Co.

MacNaughton House Stabilization, Newcomb, Essex County

U.S. Post Office & Courthouse, Cadman Plaza, Brooklyn, Kings Co.

Downtown Revitalization Program, Canajoharie, Montgomery Co.

Eldridge Street Synagogue, Lower East Side, NYC, New York Co.

Proctor’s Theatre, Schenectady, Schenectady Co.

Hotel Kirkland, Kingston, Ulster Co.

Model Development Blick, New Rochelle, Westchester Co.

ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE

Hudson Valley chapter of the American Society of Home Inspectors, Wappingers Falls, Dutchess Co.

SPECIAL CITATION

“Preserving New York: Winning the Right to Protect a City’s Landmarks” by Anthony C. Wood

Posted by Cynthia Howk, Architectural Research Coordinator

Taking Architectural Review too Far in San Francisco?

Normally I read an article title like "San Francisco's Difficult Path to Home Renovation" and immediately think - yeah right, someone isn't going to get to pull out their original wood windows and put in vinyl and they are upset about it, give me a break. I am pretty unforgiving on my stance that when you buy a historic home, a home in a preservation district, a home with great historic features that you know going into the purchase that you have a responsibility to maintain that character and to be a good steward of the property. Especially if you are buying in a preservation district - find out the rules and follow them, no excuses.

Okay, blah blah blog.

After reading the article I have to say I was less able to defend the city's preservation planners than I expected to be. As a former (and I say former with much relief) preservation planner for a municipality I was confused by a few of their decisions. Specifically their interpretation of the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation regarding additions. Standards 9 read as follows:

9. New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction shall not destroy historic materials that characterize the property. The new work shall be differentiated from the old and shall be compatible with the massing, size, scale, and architectural features to protect the historic integrity of the property and its environment.

The key concept - the controversial concept - is the differentiation between the old and the new. Many preservation professionals take this to mean that an addition should not be an exact replica of the original, that you should be able to tell the old from the new without the benefit of professional training. The second part of the concept is that the addition still must be compatible - presumably compatible materials, design, etc. Not an exact copy, more of an homage. It is a fine line to design and to review.

I have seen some additions that utilize the same materials as the original structure but simplify the ornamentation. Or, on an interior space, where the original woodwork was able to be retained it was left stained but where replacement pieces were used it was painted. Is this too subtle a difference? Would the casual observer even understand what they were looking at?

At the heart of the article is whether the need for differentiation is being taken to the extreme in San Francisco. One local architect expresses a concern that the way this Standard is being implemented is leading to "architectural chimera," a reference to the mythological creature with a lion's head and a goat's body. We have all seen historic buildings that have an...let's say...unfortunate addition. Another architect was quoted as saying, "The focus is on a stylistic separation that clearly defines the old versus the new, and it comes at the loss of congruity for the structure." He further referred to a recent addition to a stucco-Marina style house as George Jetson in nature. Here is the house and the addition -
Certainly one of the first questions has to be is the original structure historic? What is its existing integrity? Then move on the question of the appropriateness of the addition. What do you think?

Another issue was the remodeling of a carriage house for an apartment. Based on the pictures included in the article I am completely with San Francisco's preservation planners on the decision to not allow that remodel.

posted by Rebecca Rowe, Preservation Program Coordinator for The Landmark Society

It's easy being GREEN!

We are accepting donations of ink cartridges, toner, cell phones and all their accessories and pda’s. Recycle It will donate the proceeds from these items to us because we are a non-profit. We have a drop off box here and there is free parking here too! If your company has been tossing these out and filling up landfills, call us (585-546-7029 x10) and we can have a collection box set up at your work place. It is easy and GREEN!

Recycle It was recently featured on Channel 13 with Norma Holland, check it out here.

Posted by Carole Lombard, Finance Officer

Fake vacation?

Do you plan to go to any “real” places on your summer vacation?

I just returned from 5 days in what many historic preservation enthusiasts might consider a destination with the Devil – Las Vegas. After all, what other vacation spot offers the chance to purchase DVD’s of multiple building implosions as a souvenir? It must certainly be the least likely place for visitors to gain an appreciation of architecture or history.

And yet – I witnessed many visitors from across our country oohing and ahhhing over the architectural wonders in Vegas. They marveled at the many columns, pilasters, heavily ornamented pediments and porticos of Caesars Palace. They gasped at the faithful recreation of St Marks Square, the Doge’s Palace, and the campanile tower at The Venetian. They snapped many photos of the Arc de Triomphe and rode to the top of the Eiffel Tower at Paris. They strolled across the Brooklyn Bridge and paid tribute to the fallen heros of 9/11 in front of the Statue of Liberty at NYNY.

What about history? Although “Elvis has left the building” (and this worldly existence) he has not left Las Vegas. Numerous Elvis tribute artists offer performances in shows across town. You can also enjoy a recreation of The Rat Pack with performances by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., and Joey Bishop; meet Caesar and Cleopatra, and tour Mobster Vegas with one of Bugsy Siegel’s “associates.” Vegas visitors actively seek out the opportunity to re-live other eras.

Does it matter that they are fake? The columns’ capitals may be carved from foam, the Elvis impersonator has glued on sideburns? Can an appreciation for the real stuff grow from the fake?

In some ways, I think that Las Vegas’ “fake” environments are more honest than an historic house museum or village environment. No one at The Venetian Casino and Hotel thinks they are really in Venice, no matter how convincing the Grand Canal. But what do visitors think when they visit Colonial Williamsburg – or Monticello – or the Stone-Tolan House Museum. Many of them believe they are seeing things “as they really were in the old days.” Of course those buildings are “real” – and we strive to make interpretation as accurate as possible. But until a time machine is invented, we can never really know how accurate –or real – our portrayal of the past is at these sites. We must make compromises for our current time and place (ie a nice lawn at Stone-Tolan in suburban Brighton, fire extinguishers and burglar alarms in our house museums, etc.)

I’m sure some are shocked that someone like me, working in the historic preservation/history field, chooses to visit Las Vegas. Yes, I actually go there of my own free will! But I see much in common between the Las Vegas experiences and historic site experiences. They are both designed experiences, with a goal of eliciting responses from the visitor. They are both authentic, within their own parameters. And both can be enjoyable and educational ways to spend your vacation time

What are your vacation plans? Will you be seeking out “real” experiences? What does a “real” experience mean to you?

posted by Cindy Boyer, Director of Museums and Education

Ten ways to turn your old building green

The new issue of the Landmarks Observer, the newsletter of Greater Portland Landmarks, Inc., has a helpful article on sensible, sensitive things owners of older houses can do to make their homes greener. The article appears on page 2 of the newsletter, available as a pdf.

If they can do it in Maine, we can do it here!

Posted by Katie Eggers Comeau, Advocacy Coordinator

I can't believe I get paid to do this!

Friday morning (5/16) I had my breakfast on the steps of the Stone Tolan House, The Landmark Society's 1790/1820 house museum in Brighton. It was about 7 am as I sipped my coffee and watched 45 people pile onto the bus to go to Buffalo to tour the Darwin Martin House and Graycliff, both designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. To this point I had only ever driven past/through Buffalo on the highway and was excited to see something of the city. As far as Frank goes, I have been to Taliesin West and driven past the Boynton House in Rochester, but had never been inside any of his commissioned houses. Cap the day off with lunch at the Roycroft Inn and I was in for an exciting day.

The Darwin Martin House was indeed spectacular. Not only because of the architecture but because of the story of survival and resurrection of the complex. The main house was constructed in 1905 and abandoned in 1937, other buildings on the site - such as the carriage house - were demolished in 1962 for construction of apartments, the University of Buffalo owned the structures for a while, and finally the site was turned over to the Martin House Restoration Corporation in 2002 and reconstruction of the demolished buildings began soon after. The neglect is still apparent in the main house as windows are undergoing repair, flooring is missing and inappropriate treatments are being dismantled and removed. The long, horizontal lines of the building, the Roman brick courses, the concrete Purple Martin houses (where Purple Martin have never lived) are stunning. A $50 million restoration effort is underway, something that preservationists have only ever dreamed about. To be able to view this progress was tremendous.

A short bus ride later we were in East Aurora having lunch at the Roycroft Inn, home of the Arts and Crafts movement in America. The Landmark Society was instrumental in preserving the Inn and seeing it restored and brought back to service years ago. It was a happy partnership to contemplate as we listened to a history of the complex and the town. Lunch was delicious.

We spent the afternoon at Graycliff, the summer home of the Darwin Martin family overlooking Lake Erie. This home is also in the middle of a substantial and inspiring restoration. On the deck off the bedroom on the second floor the numbers can still be seen on the stone work from the meticulous dismantling and reassembling that took place. The tour guides were all animated and knowledgeable with great stories of Frank Lloyd Wright's ego driven design versus Isabelle Martin's needs and desires for form and function in her home. It was a satisfying, educational and inspirational day.


Then on Saturday morning (5/17) I walked over to Ellwanger Garden to spend a few hours "working" in the Garden. It was sunny off and on and rainy off and on but in just a few short hours Beverly Gibson and I had seen 90 people through the Garden. The tree peonies, tulips and lily-of-the-valley are stunning. I couldn't help thinking as I was leaving that afternoon - I can't believe how lucky I am to get to do these fun things for a living, to get to spend time in such beautiful places, to see this history preserved and enjoyed.

What a great weekend.

written by Rebecca Rowe, Preservation Program Coordinator for The Landmark Society