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Sessions and Speakers

Friday, April 17, 2015
Conference Sessions

 

SESSION BLOCK 1: 9:30-10:30 AM

1A: [expand title=”Industrial Evolution: Adaptive Use Strategies for  Historic Industrial Buildings“]The Preservation League of New York State will present an overview of their Industrial Heritage Reuse Project, initially focused in the Capital Region to jumpstart historic industrial building restoration and adaptive use. The Preservation League worked with a consultant, the Troy Architectural Program, to create feasibility studies for five vacant or underused historic industrial buildings in a four county region. The feasibility studies included an initial professional assessment of existing building conditions, adaptive use options, building code guidelines, permitting requirements, and available forms of financial assistance.[/expand]

[expand title=”Erin Tobin, Director of Preservation, Preservation League of New York State”]

Erin Tobin serves as the Preservation League’s Director of Preservation and has been with the League since September, 2007. Erin serves as the League’s principal preservation program staff, working directly with local communities, organizations, individuals and elected officials on all aspects of historic preservation and community development. Erin also directs the League’s grant and assistance programs. Erin Tobin holds a Master of Science degree in Historic Preservation from the University of Pennsylvania. She lives in Albany with her husband and three children.[/expand]

1B: [expand title=”The Arts & Adaptive Reuse: Case Studies in Historic School Buildings”] Approaching its 15th year of successful operation, The Niagara Arts and Cultural Center (NACC) remains one of the country’s best examples of combining the arts and culture with historic preservation for neighborhood revitalization. Now home to nearly 70 artists and arts organizations, it is hard to believe that this huge former high school that was a Preservation League Seven to Save almost did not happen. Hear from two of its founders, Paul Dyster, now Mayor of the City of Niagara Falls, and City native and architect Clinton Brown, how they returned to the city and worked with a dedicated group to overcome all the odds against them to create The NACC.

Many developers have converted old school buildings into apartments but often find they have space that can’t be converted reasonably—the old school auditorium!  Explore a case study in action—how did the process start, what are the issues, organization, funding, community reaction. The Fort Hill Apartments in Canandaigua is a work-in-progress; how close are we, will it succeed, can it be a model?  Only time will tell.[/expand]

[expand title=”Paul Dyster, Mayor, City of Niagara Falls”]

Paul Dyster was born and raised in Niagara Falls. He has a PhD in International Relations and Law from Johns Hopkins University, and spent the first half of his career as a college professor. He directed the Catholic University of America’s International Affairs Program, and worked on arms control negotiations for the State Department in Geneva, Switzerland. Since 1992, he has been co-owner with his wife Becky of Niagara Tradition, a distributor of supplies for beer and winemaking. Perhaps the only Mayor in America with beer credentials, he served as president of the board of the Niagara Arts and Cultural Center, where the Art of Beer is an annual fundraiser event.[/expand]

[expand title=”Clinton Brown, FAIA, Co-Founder, The Niagara Arts and Cultural Center”]

Niagara Falls native and architect Clinton Brown, FAIA, founded Clinton Brown Company Architecture, pc., the leading full service historic preservation architecture and grant writing firm. A graduate of Franklin & Marshall College, the Institute for Architecture and Urban Studies and the University of Virginia School of Architecture, he is a member of the Board of the Richardson Center Corporation that is rehabilitating the former Richardson Olmsted Asylum Complex in Buffalo; a member of the New York Cultural Heritage Tourism Network; a Commissioner of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Commission; and Vice President of the Board of the Willowbank School of Restoration Arts.[/expand]

[expand title=”Paul Minor, Architect”]

Paul Minor, a graduate of Syracuse University, has been in private architectural practice for over 42 years, much of that time in Massachusetts; he opened a secondary practice in New York in 2005. His primary passion has been work with existing buildings – churches, commercial, and residential, and loves the dynamics of boards and committees. In the early 70’s he became involved in community theater, both in renovation and then behind the scenes – producing, set design, set construction – and realized that architecture is much like producing …in fact he once considered that as an alternative career![/expand]

[expand title=”Holger Stave, President, Finger Lakes Symphony Orchestra”]

Holger Stave has been involved many aspects of the performing arts since High School. He graduated in theater from Hanover College and then earned his Master’s degree at Syracuse University in set and lighting design and the design of theaters. For the next almost 20 years, Mr. Stave taught theater and designed major productions in Idaho, Cleveland, and Syracuse. In the early 80’s he founded J.R. Clancy, later Hoffend & Sons, launching the next 20 years in the engineering field of theater and performing arts machinery. With his expertise in production, theater management, and knowledge of technological options, Mr. Stave is focusing on solutions that provide needed answers while preserving the nature of the original space.[/expand]

[expand title=”Eileen Broderick, Conifer Realty”]

Eileen Broderick is the Director of Commercial Property for Conifer Realty, LLC a full service real estate company specializing in the development, construction, management and ownership of high-quality, affordable housing communities.

Eileen began her career in Property Management in 1986 after graduating from college with her BS in Accounting. During her 29 years of managing real estate her portfolio has contained Condominiums, HOA’s, Apartments, Shopping Centers, Professional Office Buildings, Strip Centers and Regional Malls.

In her current position her responsibilities include Managing a division of Conifer that is responsible for overseeing any properties that are strictly commercial in nature or properties that are Residential but also contain commercial aspects.

Her daily day is comprised of juggling many balls in the air and ensuring that all land smoothly, efficiently, economically and in the direction that Ownership has intended that particular piece of real estate to land.[/expand]

1C: [expand title=”Getting to Know CRIS: An Introduction to the Division for Historic Preservation’s Online Cultural Resource Information System”]In 2008 NY SHPO set out to continue its vision for advancing historic preservation throughout the state by utilizing web-based geospatial technologies. As part of this process SHPO completed a business needs analysis, successfully converted and migrated program legacy data, including over one and a half million pages as well as developed a custom, web-based, enterprise Cultural Resource information System (CRIS) that is available online and can be found at: https://cris.parks.ny.gov.

SHPO will demonstrate through the CRIS web application how users can leverage the most advanced search tools and other geospatial technology to locate, identify and generate reports on cultural resources, including those properties and districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places, all other buildings and structures that have been evaluated for their eligibility to the National Register, archaeological resources as well as areas that have been subjected to some level of cultural resource investigations.[/expand]

[expand title=”John Bonafide, Director, Technical Preservation Services Bureau, Division for Historic Preservation, NYS Parks Recreation & Historic Preservation”]

John holds a B.A. in Fine Art and an M.A. in Public History from the University at Albany.  He has been with the State Historic Preservation Office since 1987.  He worked in the National Register of Historic Places program for 15 years before heading up the development of the New York State Historic Preservation Office’s web site and on-line resources program.

In 2004 he was named the Coordinator of Preservation Services where he managed New York‘s Technical Review and Archaeological Units and oversaw the state’s Preservation Compliance and Investment Tax Credit programs.  In 2011, he was named as the Director of the newly formed Bureau of Technical Services in the State’s Division for Historic Preservation.

John is also an adjunct in the University at Albany’s history department and is on the Board of SUNY’s Center for Applied Historic Research.  He has served as a local municipal historian and is a trustee with a local historical society.[/expand]

[expand title=”Michael Schifferli, Program Analyst, NYS Parks Recreation & Historic Preservation”]

Michael Schifferli has been a Historic Preservation Program Analyst for the past 15 years at the NY State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), serving as the Division’s GIS Coordinator & Project Manager for the Cultural Resource Information System (CRIS) Application Development and legacy data conversion and migration Project.

Before beginning at SHPO, Mike worked for a cultural resource management firm in Buffalo where he was involved in the preliminary archeological investigations at the Buffalo Inner Harbor or western terminus of the Erie Barge Canal. It was Mike’s trowel that was the first to uncover the remnants of what later would be identified, preserved and interpreted as Lloyd Street. Prior to that Mike served as an Archeological Technician for the National Park Service at Grand Canyon National Park, AZ, as well as for the Eastern Mimbres Archeological Project, nearest Caballo, New Mexico.

Mike lives with his family in rural Saratoga County and spends his free time at his family’s home on the Great Sacandaga Lake.[/expand]

1D: [expand title=”Work Preserve: Combining Preservation, Job Training and Life Skills”]Historic Ithaca creatively engages new audiences in historic preservation through Work Preserve, its 4-year-old job training program for youth and young adults with barriers to employment. The program is based at Significant Elements, Historic Ithaca’s non-profit architectural salvage store. This year, over 20 participants will learn basic job and life skills, retail skills, and traditional trade and craft skills through hands-on work at Significant Elements. Support and feedback from a diverse network of community partners and funders helped shape a program that succeeds with youth who have had little prior success in education, employment, or classroom-style training programs.[/expand]

[expand title=”Alphonse F. Pieper, Executive Director, Historic Ithaca”]

Alphonse Pieper was Historic Ithaca’s Preservation Director in the late 1990s before moving on to start his own architectural salvage business in Homer, New York. He rejoined Historic Ithaca in mid-2008. Alphonse has an M.A. in Historic Preservation Planning from Cornell University.

As Executive Director Alphonse has realigned the organization to focus on its core mission of historic preservation and promoting its value in Tompkins County; initiated the Work Preserve Program, which provides training in traditional trade and retail skills to youth and adults with barriers to employment; reorganized Significant Elements so that it generates steadily increasing sales; and established the organization’s role in Ithaca’s Southside neighborhood which has gained Historic Ithaca recognition as a community-based development organization.[/expand]

[expand title=”Sara Johnson, Work Preserve Program Manager, Historic Ithaca”]

Sara Johnson joined Historic Ithaca in 2007 for an internship that continued through September 2008. In 2010 she rejoined the organization as a Preservation Associate and transitioned to the role of Work Preserve and Significant Elements Manager in May 2011. Sara received a B.S. in Urban and Regional Studies from Cornell University and in 2009 completed her Master of Arts Historic Preservation Planning coursework at Cornell.[/expand]

[expand title=”Karen Coleman, Work Preserve Education & Outreach, Historic Ithaca”]

Karen Coleman brings to Historic Ithaca three decades of experience in working with children and youth. As a program management specialist at Tompkins County Youth Services, she focused on youth employment and saw a need to offer hands-on training opportunities to young people who have not succeeded in school or work environments. She joined Historic Ithaca in January 2012 after learning about its unique Work Preserve program.[/expand]

SESSION BLOCK 2: 10:45-11:45 AM

 2A: [expand title=”New Tools, Old Buildings: How to Address Vacant and Abandoned Properties”]Preservationists working in rightsizing cities large and small are dealing with daunting issues of vacancy and abandonment in the built environment. To confront the issues, citywide preservationists must be equipped with effective strategies and tools. Alignment with colleagues in city planning, government, and community development to tackle these issues is critical to ensuring preservation has a seat at the decision-making table. This session will provide a brief primer on rightsizing as it relates to communities of all sizes and then dive into six of the most prevalent policy tools that cities are using in their strategies to address abandoned properties: data collection, code enforcement, receivership, mothballing, land banking, and strategic demolition. Attendees will leave with examples of how each of these tools have been effectively utilized on the ground and how they might be deployed in their own communities.[/expand]

[expand title=”Maggie Smith, Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson (JMT)”]

Maggie Smith is an Architectural Historian for Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson (JMT) where she primarily completes work under Section 106. She recently graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a Master of Science in Historic Preservation and an Urban Redevelopment Certificate. Her thesis explored the various tools cities are using to address vacant and abandoned properties. With this knowledge, she also serves as a research assistant for the Rightsizing Cities Initiative through PlaceEconomics.

Before living in Philadelphia, she attended Hobart and William Smith Colleges. She studied architecture, history, and sociology, while working closely with the community to help revitalize the downtown. If you have any questions about the hosting city, please feel free to ask her![/expand]

[expand title=”Emilie Evans, PlaceEconomics”]

In April, Emilie Evans joined PlaceEconomics as the new Director of the Rightsizing Cities Initiative. For the last two years, Evans worked jointly for the Michigan Historic Preservation Network and the National Trust for Historic Preservation as the Detroit Preservation Specialist, focusing on the issue of rightsizing. There she led the Detroit Historic Resource Survey, which assessed nearly 18,000 historic properties in two weeks using smartphones to inform strategic demolition decisions.

Prior to Detroit, Evans resided in New York City where she worked at the Brooklyn Navy Yard and as an Adjunct Associate Professor at Columbia University teaching Oral History and the Built Environment. Evans holds masters’ degrees in Historic Preservation and Urban Planning from Columbia.[/expand]

2B: [expand title=”Is My Building Worthy?  Top 10 Feasibility Factors Facing Historic Tax Credit Projects in Upstate NY”]This session will discuss various threshold feasibility issues facing HTC projects (including National Register-eligibility issues, design and code challenges, investment hurdles, environmental legacies, etc.) and strategies for successfully navigating those roadblocks.[/expand]

[expand title=”Jason Yots, Principal, President, Preservation Studios, LLC”]

Jason Yots is an historic preservation attorney, consultant, developer and teacher based in Buffalo, NY.  As President of Preservation Studios, Jason helps developers and sponsors understand, access and monetize rehabilitation tax credits for adaptive reuse projects.[/expand]

[expand title=”Michael Puma, Principal, Project Manager, Preservation Studios, LLC”]

Mike Puma is the Project Manager and Director of Technical Services at Preservation Studios. As the Director of Technical Services, Mike assists developers and their architects on appropriate design and creative design solutions within the Department of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. Whether it’s a church complex, former factory, grandiose office building and everything in between, there is always a way to make the project work within the Standards.
[/expand]

[expand title=”Derek King, Principal, Architectural Historian, Preservation Studios, LLC”]

Derek King is an architectural historian, consultant, and board member living in Buffalo, NY. As the Director of Architectural History services at Preservation Studios, Derek helps developers, communities, and organizations determine the eligibility of a building or district, complete nominations to the National Register of Historic Places, and submit applications for rehabilitation tax credits for adaptive reuse projects.
[/expand]

2C: [expand title=”Lafayette Lofts: A New Model for Religious Properties”]The congregation at Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church in Buffalo faced a serious problem.  A community of 100 with a 60,000 square foot facility.  They knew they could not continue under the increasing financial strain.  After more than five years of challenges and setbacks, the property is reborn as Lafayette Lofts, a mixed-use facility of residences, assembly space, commercial office and meeting space, a culinary center as well as the church.  This is the story of how a community of faith faced and overcame these challenges to create a new vibrant addition to the neighborhood.[/expand]

[expand title=”Murray F. Gould  (Project Manager/Developer) Port City Preservation LLC”]

Murray F. Gould served as the overall project manager for the Lafayette Lofts project.

He is the founder of Port City Preservation LLC, a consulting, advisory and development firm with offices in Syracuse that specializes in the adaptive reuse, restoration and rehabilitation of historic properties.  Port City Preservation has participated in a wide range of successful projects that include historic homes, mills, industrial facilities, hospitals, downtown buildings, schools, sacred places and public buildings.  The common factor in all of these projects is that they have been highly challenging, particularly as it relates to financing.

Prior to founding his first consulting and advisory firm in 1995, Mr. Gould, served as the chief tax executive of Carolina Power & Light Company for thirteen years.  He brings more than thirty-eight years of sophisticated financial, tax planning and project management experience to his clients.  During the past thirty-one years, Mr. Gould has served in a wide range of roles related to historic preservation – investor, lender, developer, owner, property manager, project manager, grant writer and consultant.  He has participated in and been associated with more than 100 historic preservation projects.[/expand]

[expand title=”Mark Kostrzewski (Church Building Committee Chair), MBK & Associates”]

Mark B. Kostrzewski serves as the chair of the Building Committee at the Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church and was the leading voice to transform the property for new uses in order for the church to survive.

Mr. Kostrzewski is the President of MBK & Associates, Inc., a business planning, tax consulting and insurance advisory firm in Buffalo.  A graduate of Cornell University,   he is the President of the Buffalo Scholastic Rowing Association.[/expand]

[expand title=”Carly Battin (Financing Partner), Elmwood Village Association”]

Carly Battin is the Executive Director of the Elmwood Village Association (EVA).  As Executive Director, she is responsible for the leadership and management of the EVA, a community-based non profit established in 1994. Ms. Battin works closely with the EVA Board, staff and community members to create and implement programs and events affecting residents and business owners.

Prior to joining the EVA in 2012, Carly served as Promotions Manager and directed marketing, promotions and community involvement at The Buffalo News.  Carly graduated from Fredonia State and subsequently earned an MBA from the University of Buffalo with a concentration in Marketing.[/expand]

2D: [expand title=”The ABC’s of Fundraising for Historic Sites”]

Learn how to chart a course of action to identify the preservation needs of your site AND find the money to restore and repair all!  Ann Salter, formerly of the Landmark Society of Western NY and now a freelance consultant, together with Virginia Searl, senior architect at Bero Architecture PLLC, will share how they worked with the trustees of the Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse to preserve and restore America’s oldest surviving lighthouse on Lake Ontario and generate the thousands of dollars needed to make it possible.  This session is geared for small to mid-sized historic sites and/or historical societies that occupy a historic structure.[/expand]

[expand title=”Ann Salter, Preservation Consultant”]

Ann Salter is an urban historian/preservationist by training who specializes in historic site management and preservation issues. She has served on the staff of The Landmark Society of Western New York, Genesee Country Village & Museum, and (now)serves as a freelance consultant to organizations like the Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse Historical Society.[/expand]

[expand title=”Virginia Searl, Bero Architecture, PLLC”]

Virginia Searl is an architect and co-owner, with John Page, of Bero Architecture PLLC. Over her nineteen years at Bero Architecture she has provided architectural services for many privately and publically funded grant projects. She has prepared condition reports used as supporting documentation for grant applications, prepared construction documents successfully reviewed by the New York State Historic Preservation Office for appropriateness and adherence to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation, and served as a partner with owners in navigating the grant administration project.[/expand]

SESSION BLOCK 3: 1:15-2:45 PM

3A: [expand title=”Training the Next Generation of Preservationists”]Professors from Alfred State – SUNY College of Technology will showcase how students in their Architecture & Design program are using digital technology to learn about adaptive reuse and historic preservation. A case study will take attendees through a typical semester project that includes research and investigation, documentation of a historic residential structure, and a proposed addition onto that same building. Participants will learn how students can effectively use digital technology to comprehend the importance of sound investigative skills, historic precedents, and cultural traditions in preserving and sustaining historic homes and neighborhoods.

The future of the art of preservation is being designed and built at the Willowbank School of Restoration Arts and its Centre for Cultural Landscape. Hear how students of all backgrounds are shaping—with their minds and hands—our relationship with the natural and built environment with a cultural heritage perspective. Third year student Angela Garvey, who recently presented her work to the ICOMOS Triennial conference in Florence,  will be your guide to this new world. Willowbank Board member and heritage architect Clinton Brown, FAIA, will connect this work to our Erie Canalway Region.[/expand]

[expand title=”Joy Carlson, AIA, Professor, Alfred State – SUNY College of Technology”]

Joy M. Carlson, a professor of the Architecture and Design Department at Alfred State College since 1988, is a licensed, registered architect in Pennsylvania and New York. She currently teaches Architectural History I, Design Fundamentals I, Construction Technology II, and the junior studio of Historic Preservation and Adaptive Reuse. She is the founder of and advisor to WINS (Women In Nontraditional Studies) Club at Alfred State, which was established in1993. This Student Senate supported organization fosters a venue for any student wishing to participate in professional development activities, and the club has taken on a community service component in the past 15 years. In addition to building various parts of three houses, she maintains a residential practice. Receiving both a Bachelor of Architecture and a Master of Science in Architecture, Joy embraces any opportunity to share her love of historic buildings.[/expand]

[expand title=”William Dean, AIA, Professor, Alfred State – SUNY College of Technology”]

William C. Dean, AIA, NCARB, LEED® AP is a Registered Architect and Professor of Architecture at Alfred State – SUNY College of Technology.  He teaches technology, professional practice and design studio courses, including the Urban Design Studio, and holds both B.P.S. and Master of Architecture degrees from the University at Buffalo.[/expand]

[expand title=”Terry Palmiter, Professor, Alfred State – SUNY College of Technology”]

Terry Palmiter is an Assistant Professor of Architecture at Alfred State – SUNY College of Technology.  He teaches both upper- and lower-level design studio courses, including the third-year studio focusing on adaptive reuse and historic preservation.  Professor Palmiter holds a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Colorado and a Bachelor of Architecture from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.[/expand]

[expand title=”Theresa Felicetti, Student, Willowbank”]

Theresa Felicetti is a graduate from the University of Guelph with a degree in English and currently a student at Willowbank School of Restoration Arts. She is also a member of the Niagara Falls Heritage Committee. Theresa has enjoyed the interdisciplinary program provided at Willowbank which has allowed her to understand and learn about built heritage from a hands-on and theory based perspective.[/expand]

[expand title=”Angus Affleck, Student, Willowbank”]

I grew up in rural Ontario outside of Ottawa. After high school I decided to travel for several years prior to attending The University of Guelph for History. After university I began to sculpt professionally. I sculpted puppets for the Canadian broadcasting corporation and Sesame Street before getting involved in Bronze work. I worked in bronze for several years primarily working in churches and doing monument work. After a series of coincidences, I learned about Willowbank. A different kind of school that focused on the interdisciplinary aspects of the Heritage field. A place where I could gain a more through understanding of people and place and how they interact. It felt to me like a culmination of my diverse past and an opportunity to gain knowledge of a field I had been interested in for many years. Since attending Willowbank my interests have evolved. I now find myself immersed in the study of urban design and planning with an emphasis on building strong communities from a grassroots level.
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[expand title=”Clinton Brown, FAIA, Board Vice President, Willowbank School of Restoration Arts”]

Architect Clinton Brown, FAIA, founded Clinton Brown Company Architecture, pc., the leading full service historic preservation architecture and grant writing firm that renews historic places. A graduate of Franklin & Marshall College, the Institute for Architecture and Urban Studies and the University of Virginia School of Architecture, he is a member of the Board of the Richardson Center Corporation that is rehabilitating the former Richardson Olmsted Asylum Complex in Buffalo; a member of the New York Cultural Heritage Tourism Network; a Commissioner of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Commission; and Vice President of the Board of the Willowbank School of Restoration Arts.[/expand]

3B: [expand title=”Main Street Revival: Putting the Love Back in Gloversille and Saving a Village Icon in Hamburg”]From the 1970s until 2012, Hamburg’s once-beloved Kronenberg Building sat empty at the heart of the village’s Main Street commercial district. By 2014, the building was once again an economic engine, home to two commercial spaces and four sought-after second-story apartments. This successful outcome was the result of years of proactive effort and creative partnerships between village officials, a developer, and consultants. Learn from members of the team how they navigated the preservation planning process from survey through rehab tax credit applications, transforming this typical village building back into a Main Street jewel.

Like many small cities in upstate New York, Gloversville’s downtown served as the hub for cultural, commercial, and civic life for generations. This beautiful, historic area survived urban renewal efforts in the 1960s and big box development in more recent years and is on the cusp of a rich revitalization. This session will look at the past, present, and future of Gloversville’s downtown.[/expand]

 

[expand title=”Gregory Young, Supervisor, City of Gloversville”]

A lifelong resident of the City of Gloversville, Gregory is in his first term on the Fulton County Board of Supervisors.  Young also teaches at the College of Saint Rose in Albany.  He holds volunteer and leadership positions in a variety of causes and community organizations, including membership in Smart Growth America’s Local Leaders Council.  Young holds bachelors (summa cum laude) and masters degrees from the College of Saint Rose in history and political science and is currently completing a PhD from the University at Buffalo.[/expand]

[expand title=”Katie Eggers Comeau, Bero Architecture PLLC”]

Katie Eggers Comeau is the architectural historian at Bero Architecture PLLC, where her preservation planning projects include historic resource surveys, National Register nominations, tax credit applications, and other research and documentation projects.  She speaks to many groups on topics including Rochester’s Olmsted park system, 20th century architecture, and preservation planning.[/expand]

[expand title=”Damon Ayer, Chair, Village of Hamburg Preservation Commission and Owner, Mason’s Grille 52″]

As chairman of the Village of Hamburg Historic Preservation Commission, Damon Ayer has spearheaded the commission’s recent efforts to revitalize Hamburg’s Main Street.  He is also owner of a Main Street business, Mason’s Grille 52.[/expand]

3C: [expand title=”Of Cupolas, Clapboards & Quilts: Rural Preservation Strategies”]The Town of Clarence is the oldest municipality in Erie County, founded in 1808. Since 2000, Clarence has become increasingly aware of the importance of retaining the wide open spaces and agricultural uses that are an integral part of its character and were the engine of its economy for over 150 years. To date, Clarence has set aside over 1,300 acres of land to remain forever free of large-scale development. The newest dimension of the Town’s efforts is a recognition of the importance of the unique historic agricultural structures that still remain prevalent throughout the Town, many of them dating from the 19th century, some as early as the 1820s. A historic survey of barns and agricultural structures just completed provides the next step as the Town looks to unlock the economic potential of these structures and leverage it as part of the Town’s future.

In 2012, the Town of LeRoy celebrated its Bicentennial. The LeRoy Historical Society initiated a barn quilt trail that brought the community together to discover its heritage and rural landscape. Today, LeRoy has over 100 barn quilts and has the largest barn quilt trail in New York State and the project continues to grow. The project brought together school students, service groups, farms, commercial businesses, the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce, and local farm markets. These unique, one-of-a-kind barn quilts have attracted national recognition and have drawn visitors from across the country. The Historical Society provides step on bus tours for groups who are interested in exploring the countryside.  This session will discuss the nitty gritty of painting barn quilts and what to expect if your community decides to initiate a similar project. [/expand]

[expand title=”Lynne Belluscio, Director, LeRoy Historical Society and Town & Village of LeRoy Historian”]

Lynne Belluscio, Executive Director of the LeRoy Historical Society and Town and Village Historian; Born in Rochester and has lived in LeRoy since 1969. Graduated from SUNY Geneseo – degree in Elementary Education and Industrial Arts. Former teacher in Rochester and Special Events Coordinator at Genesee Country Museum. Served as President of the Association of Historic Farms and Agricultural Museums; has served on the Committee of Affiliates for AAM; former chairman of the Western New York Association of Historical Agencies; also affiliated with the European Outdoor Air Museum Association.[/expand]

[expand title=”Jonathan Bleuer: Junior Planner, Town of Clarence”]

Jonathan Bleuer began his career with an Environmental Education firm in Downtown Buffalo and had experience with natural resource management and built environment mitigation strategy.  Mr. Bleuer continued his career in the field of environmental management and land use planning and has been with the Town of Clarence since 2013. Education in the field of Environmental Design and Urban Planning provided Mr. Bleuer a unique approach to preservation of key physical assets within the built environment as well as strategic planning for sustainable community development.[/expand]

[expand title=”Courtney Creenan-Chorley, Assoc. AIA : Flynn Battaglia Architects”]

Ms. Creenan-Chorley is a Project Coordinator at Flynn Battaglia Architects with experience in historic preservation, adaptive reuse, and planning projects.  She holds a Masters in Architecture and a Masters in Urban Planning from the University at Buffalo where she focused on the interaction of everyday places and spaces formed by regulatory actions.  She is currently the project manager of the Richardson Olmsted Complex, an adaptive reuse project converting a Kirkbride hospital into a hotel and conference center.  She is an active board member of the Buffalo Architecture Foundation and has participated in the Architecture and Education program with Buffalo Public Schools.[/expand]

[expand title=”LaLuce Mitchell, RA, LEED BD+C : Flynn Battaglia”]

Mr. Mitchell is a registered architect in New York State. He has experience in both preservation planning and the technical aspects of preservation architecture. He has been involved in many of the Flynn Battaglia Architect’s recent historic preservation and adaptive reuse projects and he is currently assisting in the restoration of the Richardson Olmsted Complex into a hotel and conference center. Recent projects have included the restoration of the 1827 Williamsville Water Mill in Williamsville, NY and the Historic Agricultural Structures Survey in Clarence, NY. He is an active member of the Association for Preservation Technology (APT), spoke at its 2010 national convention, and was part of a team that lobbied successfully for it to hold its upcoming 2018 convention in Buffalo.[/expand]

3D: [expand title=”Out of the Gallery and Onto the Streets: Community-Based Art Initiatives”][/expand]

[expand title=”Maarten Jacobs, Director, Near Westside Initiative, Syracuse”]

Maarten Jacobs, MSW, is the Director of the Near Westside Initiative (NWSI), a nonprofit organization working to combine the power of art, technology, and innovation with neighborhood values and culture to revitalize Syracuse’s Near Westside.   In that role over the past four years, Maarten has worked diligently to ensure that the neighborhood residents of the Near Westside are actively engaged in the revitalization taking place in their neighborhood and ensuring that the community’s best interests are always represented.  Similarly, with a personal passion for the arts, Maarten has pushed the Near Westside Initiative to be a truly place-based initiative with a focus on implementing creative placemaking as a fundamental strategy for economic and community development.

In addition to his work with the Near Westside Initiative, he teaches Community Economic Development at the Syracuse University School of Social Work. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Sociology and a Master’s degree in Social Work with a concentration in Community Development and Social Action from the University of Maryland. [/expand]

[expand title=”Sarah C. Rutherford Artist, co-founder THE YARDS Collaborative Art Space”][/expand]

[expand title=”Erika Ruegemer, Co-founder, Director – One Dance Company”]

A native of Minnesota, Erika Ruegemer is co-founder and director of One Dance Company New York. She began her dance training at age five with Dyan Ferrell, a former Rockette, and son Michael Matthew Ferrell, choreographer of The Chanhassen Dinner Theatres. Erika received her BA in dance from the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point. She has danced with ARENADances (Minneapolis, MN), PUSH Physical Theatre (Rochester, NY), FuturPointe Dance (Rochester, NY) and gloATL (Atlanta, GA). Erika actively contributes to Flower City Ballet, THE YARDS collaborative art space, WALL/THERAPY, The Possibility Project, and Hochstein School of Music and Dance. She is inspired to awaken Rochester, New York one community at time.[/expand]

[expand title=”Erich S. Lehman, WALL\THERAPY, 1975 Gallery”]

Erich S. Lehman is co-curator and lead organizer for the WALL\THERAPY mural project, based in Rochester, NY. He is also the owner and curator of 1975 Gallery and a member of the Sweet Meat Co. art collective. At his core, Erich is an artist/designer/tech geek/workaholic who simply finds the world far too interesting to sit still for long. [/expand]

SESSION BLOCK 4: 3:00-4:00 PM

4A: [expand title=”Power of Preserved Public Spaces”]An examination of how we engage with public preserved spaces that subtly surround us in our daily lives. This presentation examines Ray Oldenburg’s “Third Place” concepts and how we (the public) adopt these places in and across New York State. The presentation draws a connection to the fact that many of our adopted “third places” have inherent character – places that still have a spirit about them.The presentation will be to assist local business owners who have already made a commitment to historic spaces to bring social innovation and education to the spirit of their place to learn how to program, market, and successfully develop their business. We will also feature local business owners who have dedicated themselves to physical and social transformation to make their historically preserved and adaptive reuse spaces vibrant.[/expand]

[expand title=”Benjamin Woelk, Founder Slow Road Consulting”]

Benjamin Woelk is the Principal and Founder of Slow Road Consulting a Marketing, Public Relations, and Placemaking firm created in 2013 that specializes in businesses and project development rooted in local advocacy and community development.

Ben­jamin grad­u­ated from the Rochester Institute of Technology in May of 2011 with an M.S. in Pro­fes­sional Stud­ies with con­cen­tra­tions in Public Policy, Tourism, and Mar­ket­ing.

Benjamin was featured as a TedXFlourCity Speaker in June of 2013, and was recently named one of “17 Visionaries who are fueling our region’s future” in the September 2014 issue of 585 Magazine.[/expand]

[expand title=”Kathy Turiano, Owner Joe Bean Coffee Roasters”]

Kathy Turiano founded Joe Bean Coffee Roasters in 2004 as a community coffee shop in Webster. After 3 years, she closed the doors to radically re-work the business model. In 2010 the new Joe Bean emerged in the city of Rochester. Joe Bean is Rochester’s first coffee roaster to utilize the “profile roasting” technique; and their coffee bar introduced the region to artisan-brewed coffee and hands-on coffee classes. Prior to coffee time, Kathy worked as a systems programmer at Citibank and later joined her husband in the family advertising business. Concurrently, she spent 15 years volunteering as a youth pastor for her congregation where she focused on raising up next-generation leaders.[/expand]

[expand title=”Seth Eshelman, Principal STAACH”]

This young Furniture, Ceramic, Lighting, Graphic, and Concept designer was exposed to architecture, design and carpentry at a very young age. Through his schooling in the United States and Scandinavia he has improved his skills and refined design concepts by experimenting beyond contemporary limitations and philosophies. Now, after co-founding STAACH, a collaborative design group adhering strongly to a sustainable design manifesto, he is creating new pieces that not only influence others that share in this same philosophy but help to create a sustainable, holistic way of life.[/expand]

4B: [expand title=”Historic Tax Credits: The Basics of Federal & New York State”]If you are embarking on a historic rehabilitation project, come to this session and learn the basics of how to structure a project using the New York State and Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credit programs. Partners from the law firm of Cannon Heyman & Weiss, LLP and staff from the New York State Historic Preservation Office will cover the basic requirements and common pitfalls to avoid. Topics will include: the application process, how the program works, applying the Secretary of the Interior Standards, qualified rehabilitation expenses, how to prevent recapture, and other tax rules and requirements.[/expand]

[expand title=”Steven J. Weiss, Partner, Cannon Heyman & Weiss, LLP”]

Steven J. Weiss is one of the founding partners of Cannon Heyman & Weiss, LLP and concentrates his law practice in the areas of affordable housing and community development law and corporate finance transactions using Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC’s), New Markets Tax Credits, Historic Tax Credits, and other tax incentives. He has testified before the United State House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee and before the New York State Assembly Committee on Housing and regarding the LIHTC program. Prior to forming his own law firm, he was a partner and served as Chair of the Corporate Department and the Multi-Family Housing and Community Development Group, of a large Buffalo, New York law firm. Mr. Weiss participated in Leadership Buffalo’s class of 1997, and was named to Business First of Buffalo’s “40 Under 40,” He was born in Buffalo, New York on March 28, 1965 and is admitted to practice in New York. Mr. Weiss received his education at the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Management (B.S. 1987, M.B.A. 1988), and the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law (J.D., 1991). Mr. Weiss is a member of the American Bar Association Forum on Affordable Housing and Community Development Law, the New York State Bar Association Real Estate Committee, Board Member and Chair of the Public Policy Committee for the Preservation League of New York State, and General Campaign Chair for the Jewish Federation of Western New York. Previously, Mr. Weiss was a Board Member of the Jewish Community Center, Temple Beth Zion Board and Hillel Foundation, and Trustee and former Board Chair of Preservation Buffalo Niagara. Mr. Weiss served on the Housing Transition committee for New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and was nominated by Governor Cuomo to serve on the Board of Directors of the New York State Housing Finance Agency, which nomination was confirmed by the New York State Senate, and he currently serves as Vice Chair of the Agency and Chair of its Governance Committee. Mr. Weiss is currently serving as an adjunct professor with the State University of New York at Buffalo Law School.[/expand]

[expand title=”Timmon M. Favaro, Partner, Cannon Heyman & Weiss, LLP”]

Timmon M. Favaro is a partner at the law firm of Cannon Heyman & Weiss, LLP and received his law degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo.  He concentrates his practice in the areas of community development and affordable senior and multi-family housing development law, utilizing various tax driven development incentives including, among others, the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, the New Market Tax Credit, the Federal and New York Historic Tax Credit.  Mr. Favaro represents developers (for-profit and non-profit), lenders, and investors in the development, financing, planning, structuring and closing tax credit transactions.

Mr. Favaro has represented qualified active low-income community businesses in obtaining, structuring and deploying over $300,000,000 million in NMTC qualified low-income community investments, developers and investors in over 100 LIHTC transactions with LIHTC equity generated in such transactions aggregating many hundreds of millions of dollars and stand-along HTC transactions with equity raised from the syndication of such past HTC transactions amounting to over $100,000,000.[/expand]

[expand title=”Julian Adams, Director, Community Preservation Services Bureau, NYS Parks Recreation & Historic Preservation”]

Julian Adams is the Director of the Community Preservation Services Bureau for the New York State Historic Preservation Office.  A native of Georgia, he holds a Masters of Historic Preservation from the University of Georgia at Athens.  He started New York State service in 1988, when he took a job in the SHPO’s Technical Services Unit, overseeing rehabilitations and restorations across New York State under federal and state programs.  During a sabbatical from the SHPO in 1995-1996, he worked with the Historic Natchez (MS) Foundation, overseeing low income housing development in historic neighborhoods, working with the local preservation commission and planning department, and assisting in heritage education.  In 2000 he was named head of the Technical Services Unit.  In 2005 he took a position as Sr. Architectural Historian/Historic Preservation Specialist with a nation-wide environmental consulting firm based in Dallas, Texas, working with military bases in their responsibilities under Federal Historic Preservation law.  He returned to state service in 2006, and in 2013 was named Director of the Bureau of Community Preservation Services, overseeing several state and federal programs, including the Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credit, Certified Local Government program, National Register, Survey, and Capital Programs review within the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, assisting communities, municipalities and the agency across New York State with preservation issues.[/expand]

4C: [expand title=”Case Studies in Religious Building Repairs”]Regular maintenance and repairs required by deferred maintenance are some of the most common challenges faced by houses of worship.  Balancing the cost associated with historic buildings and mission can be difficult.  Case studies presented will discuss the identification of recommend or required work, development of construction projects, and their completion.  Case studies will be presented by trade/building area and systems.[/expand]

[expand title=”Virginia Searl, Bero Architecture, PLLC”]

Virginia Searl is an architect and co-owner, with John Page, of Bero Architecture PLLC.  In her nineteen years at Bero Architecture, Virginia has completed existing condition surveys used as supporting documentation for grant applications and the development of construction projects.  She also designs and administers the implementation of the resulting repair projects.  Recent church projects include St. James Church in Batavia, Christ Church, First Universalist Church, and First Unitarian Church in Rochester, Trinity Church in Geneva, and St. James Church in Skaneateles.[/expand]

[expand title=”Valerie O’Hara, Pike Stained Glass Studios”]

Valerie O’Hara is the third generation owner of Pike Stained Glass Studios, Inc., which was founded in 1908 by her Great Uncle, William Pike. Valerie has been designing new and restoring antique stained glass windows since 1976. She has provided condition reports for long range planning in the maintenance and repair of stained glass for many upstate New York churches and institutions, such as: Christ Episcopal and Third Presbyterian Churches and the U of R in Rochester; First Presbyterian Church, Batavia; St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Dansville; the Galen Historical Society, etc.[/expand]

4D: [expand title=”Be It Ever So Humble:  Maintaining and Preserving Your Historic House”][/expand]

[expand title=”Randy Crawford, Crawford & Stearns, Architects and Preservation Planners”]Mr. Crawford is a principal in the Syracuse firm of Crawford & Stearns, Architects and Preservation Planners, and an architect licensed in New York, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut. He holds a Bachelor of Architecture and a Master of Architecture from Syracuse University and is qualified under Federal 36 CFR 61 standards to practice Architecture, Architectural History, and Historic Architecture. In private practice for nearly forty years he has provided consulting services for historic properties throughout New York and nine other states. He is currently a member of the State Board for Historic Preservation, the New York State Council on the Arts Design & Planning Studies and Capital Projects Panels, and the Trustees’ Council of the Preservation League of NYS.[/expand]

[expand title=”Beth Crawford, Crawford & Stearns, Architects and Preservation Planners”]Ms. Crawford is a Senior Associate with Crawford & Stearns, Architects and Preservation Planners in Syracuse and has been a Designer and Project Manager with the firm since 1983. She has participated in the preservation, rehabilitation, and adaptive use of hundreds of buildings across New York State. Her responsi¬bilities include project coordination, build¬ing documentation, and interior use planning and design. Beth is a frequent lecturer on the houses of women suffragists and abolitionists and has taught two courses relating to Historic Preservation in the Department of Design at Syracuse University (2006-2008). Beth recently completed 14 years on the board of the Preservation Association of Central New York.[/expand]

KEYNOTE: 4:45-5:45 PM

Cynthia Nikitin SQUARE

Placemaking: The Ultimate Art Form

In her keynote address, “Placemaking, the ultimate art form” Cynthia Nikitin will highlight projects that integrate placemaking and historic preservation and will demonstrate how placemaking leads to the creation vibrant public spaces in and around heritage buildings, districts, and downtowns; supports the rehabilitation of historic parks to increase use; fosters the senstive, adaptive and logical reuse of historic structures to meet community needs; helps restore the historic social functions of a building, park, or a heritage district; widens the overall impact of preservation projects; and builds a broader constituency for the preservation movement.

[expand title=”Cynthia Nikitin, Project for Public Spaces, Senior Vice President, Public Art Program Director”]

Cynthia Nikitin has earned a reputation as a persuasive advocate for “Placemaking” as an approach to city planning and urban design.  With a portfolio of more than 300 projects during her time at the Project for Public Spaces (PPS), Cynthia’s technical expertise stretches from the development of main street master plans and corridor enhancement projects to the creation of transit station area plans and public art master plans for major cities. This includes facilitating approximately 40 public workshops, visioning sessions, and public meetings annually. Cynthia is currently directing the Citizens’ Institute on Rural Design, a leadership initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts focused on providing technical design assistance to rural communities and small towns across the United States. She also heads the “Heart of the Community” program, providing Placemaking grants to cities through PPS’s partnership with Southwest Airlines.[/expand]

 

Saturday, April 18, 2015
Conference Sessions & Field Sessions

 

9:00-9:30 am [expand title=”Social Media Power Session”]Does your head spin when people talk about tweets, hashtags, and timelines? Maybe you know you need to get on social media but don’t know where to start. In this short and sweet 30-minute power session, digital and social marketing expert, Danielle Hueston, will provide an overview of the top social media outlets. She will explain how they can benefit your community or organization and provide some examples and practical tips for getting started.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to sign up for small group 15-minute consultations with Danielle immediately following the presentation.[/expand]

[expand title=”Danielle Hueston | Founder, Deelightful Studios”]

Danielle has spent her entire career at the epicenter of the ever-changing digital landscape. Working alongside the likes of Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter, she has developed brand strategies and integrated campaigns for the world’s largest brands.

Prior to founding Deelightful Studios, she was proudly a part of the team at Brand Networks, a leading social technology and services company. There she served as Vice President of Integrated Strategy developing all aspects of the company’s account management, business development, client education, and professional services efforts across content, media, data, and product development.

Danielle is also a recovering corporate citizen after holding a Director position at Xerox and as a former Brand Manager at North American Breweries. After graduating from Niagara University, Danielle started her career on the Client Services team at a full-service advertising agency and continues to bewilder some people by enjoying life in Rochester, NY.[/expand]

9:45-12:00 [expand title=”Crowd-Sourcing Your Community: A panel led problem solving session”]Two heads are better than one, right? Well, how about five? In this session, a panel of seasoned experts in the fields of historic preservation, urban planning, architecture, and small town revitalization will brainstorm solutions to challenges that you are facing in YOUR community. If your community is facing a stumbling block to revitalization, this session will provide practical tips and creative solutions that have worked in other communities across the state and the nation.

We’ll also hear from you, the audience. After the panelists offer their advice, we’ll invite you to let us know what has worked in your community.

Submit a challenge that your community is facing when you register online. We’ll select 4-6 for the panel and the audience to collaboratively problem-solve.[/expand]

Cynthia Nikitin, Project for Public Spaces, Senior Vice President, Public Art Program Director

Wayne Goodman, Landmark Society of Western New York, Executive Director

Ruth Pierpont, NYS Office of Parks Recreation & Historic Preservation, Deputy Commissioner for Historic Preservation/ Deputy SHPO

Roxanne Kise, Western Erie Canal Alliance, Executive Director

Rick Hauser, Partner, In.Site: Architecture

 

FIELD SESSIONS: 1:30-3:30 PM

Field A: [expand title=”Learning to See: Urban Sketching as Activism”]“Learning to See” is about creative vision, community engagement and the literal and figurative art of preservation. Participants will venture outdoors to hear a brief lecture by Dana Saylor, a Buffalo-based artist, activist and creative placemaker. Dana is known for her leadership of CITY of NIGHT, a one-night art festival at Buffalo’s grain elevators that has grown exponentially in the last three years. She is also a member of Painting for Preservation, a group which celebrates and promotes threatened historic sites through art.

After the talk, Dana will lead an art crawl around historic Geneva. Participants can draw, paint, photograph, or write and talk about, the places they encounter.

Dana will curate a later online art exhibition with any work submitted by participants.[/expand]

[expand title=”Dana Saylor, Principal, Old Time Roots Historic Research Services”]

Dana Saylor is a Buffalo-based artist, historian and creative placemaker. She is a founding member of Emerging Leaders in the Arts Buffalo, a member of Buffalo’s You g Preservationists, and an Advisor to the National Trust for Historic Preservation.[/expand]

Field B: [expand title=”Geneva’s Little Italy: Torrey Park”]In 1893 the Lehigh Valley Railroad built a new depot in the north end of Geneva. Previously undeveloped, “Torrey Park” became home to multiple industries, neighborhood businesses, and Italian immigrants. This session will discuss the neighborhood’s past and present while looking at examples of preservation and adaptive reuse.[/expand]

[expand title=”John Marks, Geneva Historical Society”]

John Marks is Curator of Collections and Exhibits at the Geneva Historical Society; he has a MA in Museum Studies from the Cooperstown Graduate Program. His previous work experiences include Great Camp Sagamore, Independence National Historical Park, and Fort Ticonderoga. He teaches Public History, and Introduction to Historic Preservation at Hobart & William Smith Colleges.[/expand]

James-Emery Elkin, Owner, Microclimate Wine Bar

Field C: [expand title=”Preserving Geneva’s neighborhoods through resident empowerment and action”]The tour will examine different approaches to preserving neighborhood character and improving Geneva’s housing market. Sage Gerling, Director of Neighborhood Initiatives for the City of Geneva, will provide a brief history of the strength-based neighborhood approach and take the group out into the three neighborhoods to see progress in action. Resident leaders will meet the tour along the way to share specifics on two public place making projects and one block-level housing revitalization project. Successes and lessons learned will be shared. Meet at the front steps of the First United Methodist Church, 340 Main St.[/expand]

[expand title=”Sage Gerling, Director of Neighborhood Initiatives, City of Geneva”]

Sage Gerling leads neighborhood initiatives and community development projects for the City of Geneva. Sage holds a Master of Landscape Architecture and a Master of Regional Planning from Cornell University. Prior to working in local government, Sage worked as a consultant with edr Companies assisting multiple NYS communities for urban planning and design projects.[/expand]

Field D: [expand title=”The Left Bank & Linden Street: Downtown Revival in Geneva”]Sophie Paillard Elkin, owner and operator of The Left Bank, will showcase the rehabilitation of this early 20th century bank building on Linden Street in downtown Geneva. Students from Hobart William Smith will help tell the story of this conversion with a student-produced documentary and photography exhibit. Successes, challenges, and failures along the way, including the owner’s ultimately unsuccessful attempt at LEED certification, will tell the story from start to finish and will show that there is life after “failure.”

This session will also cover the rehabilitation of the building in the larger context of downtown revitalization, specifically the ongoing revitalization of Linden Street, a small commercial block in the heart of downtown Geneva. Business owners on Linden St.—many of them young entrepreneurs—have collaborated to organize creative and engaging events such as the Rose Soiree. Meet at The Left Bank, 24 Linden St.[/expand]

[expand title=”Sophie Paillard Elkin, Owner, The Left Bank”]

Sophie Paillard Elkin is the owner and operator of The Left Bank in downtown Geneva. Formerly known as The Farmers and Merchants Bank, it is a striking example of early 20th century Beaux Art classicism and the only surviving bank building of the period in Geneva. Sophie recently completed a rehabilitation of The Left Bank into an elegant events venue and art gallery. She was born and raised in Reims, France, in the heart of the Champagne region and moved to Geneva in the 1980s where she has raised a family and been the steward of a historic farmstead. Sophie is also an artist, specializing in the art of painted finish on walls and furniture.[/expand]

 

AIAceslogo AIA/CES credits will be offered through AIA Rochester.

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