On Friday, an old college acquaintance stopped by to tour the house. She’s been following the blog with special interest because she is currently working toward an M.A. in Historic Preservation and Planning at Cornell University. I was completely fascinated with the idea, the degree program, and her take on how preservation can impact a community.
To my great relief, she said that most preservationists understand that you can’t always do the ideal restoration, nor do you always want to. Using materials or techniques that may not have been around 100 years ago isn’t a sin as long as it doesn’t destroy the building’s original design and purpose. In other words, our recent roof decision was ok in her book. Good to know ;)
We ended up talking in-depth about the upstate New York area. We both grew up here, and have chosen to stay despite a struggling economy and an abundance of snow. We have high hopes for a turnaround, and there are signs of life. She plans to stay in the area and use her degree to make a difference here. That is very admirable, and I can’t wait to see what she cooks up.
Our conversation reenergized me, and had me thinking about a neighborhood preservation group again. You housebloggers are awesome, but having a face-to-face group to chat with would be great too. Anyone out there interested? Anyone? Bueller?
If you’re interested, you can visit http://www.crp.cornell.edu/programs/mahpp.mgi to find out more about Cornell’s Historical Preservation and Planning graduate program. Also, check out PreserveNet, a resource site established by two Cornell professors – their links section has all sorts of useful stuff!
Comments, Thoughts, and Feedback
Ah yes, a former client of mine was the Landmark Society of Western New York.
I learned a lot about the importance of historical buildings and restoration, particularly in a city that was once home to people like Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony.
http://www.landmarksociety.org
Sounds like a great program. Having a group face to face would be great, but we’re all the way over here in Seattle. It reminds me of the groups they have for new parents to get together and share their highs and lows and to ask questions, etc. It would be fun!
Gee, that person sounds awesome!
Just kidding… It was great to see you and I want to know when I can move in. Also, I will get those Sanborn maps to you soon. It also occurred to me that if you have a neighborhood preservation group interest, it might be worthwhile for you to also contact the state SHPO. I think Christine Capella-Peters would be your contact (http://nysparks.state.ny.us/shpo/state/map.htm). I’ve spoken with her in the past and she’s great. I think she lives in Syracuse.
(fyi – I redesigned the PreserveNet site last year… It hadn’t been overhauled previously since 1999 and was all black and white. Frightening!!!)
Stef – Thanks for the contact! Great job on the PreserveNet site – its simple to navigate, and has some great content ;)
Also, Becky – we’re members of the Landmark Soceity. We were given free membership for spending over $50 at Historic House Parts (www.historichouseparts.com) in Rochester.
They send out a great bulletin full of information, and plan regular outings in the Rochester area. For anyone living out that way, I highly recommend the membership.
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