2022 Sessions and Speakers
thursday 9/22
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Pre-Conference CLG Training 10:00 AM - 2:30 PMPresented by National Alliance of Preservation Commissions (NAPC)
Required for CLG Scholarship recipients.
Marriott Syracuse Downtown (100 E Onondaga St.), Persian Terrace. Lunch will be served.
Information Resources for Commissioners:
Get an introduction to a variety of widely available, primarily online, resources Commissioners can use to gain training or advice in historic preservation-related topics from the National Register process to historic building technology to the availability of products suitable for appropriate rehabilitation. Commissioners often find familiarity with these resources can not only inform their understanding of programs and review of proposals but also increase their ability to assist and inform property owners and others with potential or proposed projects.
[1 LU]
Preventing Demolition by Neglect
Slow motion destruction is a common and frustrating fate for historic homes and buildings across the country. However, there are legal and community-based strategies that use both carrots and sticks to save these important places. Add effective tools to your preservation toolbox that can save endangered places through local government ordinances, targeted funding, and community-based intervention strategies that can assist low-to-moderate income residents.
[1 LU]
Main Street - A Proven Economic Development Strategy
Dollar for dollar, pound for pound, Main Street is one of the most effective economic development programs ever created. The Main Street four-point framework has a proven record of creating new jobs and businesses while also rehabilitating countless historic buildings and revitalizing thousands of main streets and disinvested commercial corridors.
[1 LU]
Effective Advocacy: Growing Support and Harvesting Results
Effective advocacy requires developing public support, utilizing constructive media techniques and understanding how to communicate with policy-makers.
[1 LU]
PANELISTS
Kim Trent serves as principal at Preservation Strategies where she works with commercial developers of historic properties to access financial incentives for their preservation projects. In addition, she works with non-profit preservation organizations to develop their capacity to save historic places across the country. Her background in historic preservation, community development banking, community organizing, and marketing provides valuable insights and long-term benefits for her clients. She formerly served as the Executive Director of Knox Heritage and has spent more than 25 years working in the field of preservation. She started as a neighborhood volunteer who led the effort to establish a local historic district in her Knoxville neighborhood. She went on to become board president of Knox Heritage and then became its first executive director. Working with a dedicated volunteer board and staff, they have changed the culture of the community to one that understands and appreciates preservation more than it ever has before and transformed Knox Heritage into one of the most effective and respected preservation organizations in the country. Throughout that time, she has worked cooperatively with the Historic Zoning Commission to protect Knoxville’s historic fabric. She served on the board of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and has spoken at National Trust and statewide preservation conferences multiple times over the last two decades. She has also mentored multiple preservation organizations across the country and shared her experiences with others across our field.
Catherine Barrier has a diverse background in preservation, having worked in the public and private sectors in New York, Los Angeles, New Orleans, and Little Rock, Arkansas, over the course of her career. She has a law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Masters in Preservation Studies from the School of Architecture at Tulane University. Catherine’s formal preservation work began in the Counsel’s Office of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. She has authored or co-authored design guidelines in the cities of New Orleans, Los
Angeles, and Riverside, California, among others. She worked to survey and evaluate new historic preservation overlay zones in the City of Los Angeles as a consultant and advocated for their designation as the Neighborhood Initiative Coordinator for the Los Angeles Conservancy, as well as consulting with the Getty Conservation Institute on planning for SurveyLA. Catherine has served both as a historic district commissioner and as historic district commission staff. She has also worked as a consultant on large-scale regulatory compliance surveys and National Register nominations. Catherine has taught preservation law, theory, and practice as an adjunct in the preservation program at Tulane. Catherine served five years as the state Certified Local Government Coordinator in Little Rock, Arkansas, her hometown. She most recently served as the Director of the Capitol Zoning District Commission.
Rory Hays is a sole Practitioner Attorney, specializing in public affairs and
administrative law for 27 years. Her practice is active in areas of government regulation, natural resources, environment, criminal justice and health care. Rory is a former Arizona Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Division. She has also served as a Caseworker in Phoenix and Washington, D.C. Congressional offices serving as liaison with federal and state agencies for constituent problems. Rory holds a B.A. in Political Science from Arizona State University and a juris doctor degree from Arizona State University School of Law. She is a former member and chair of the City of Phoenix Historic Preservation Commission and Personnel Board and has served on the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions board of directors. She is a member of the Governor’s Commission on Scenic Highways.
Ray Scriber is the Director of the Louisiana Main Street program with the Louisiana Division of Historic Preservation. He began work with Louisiana Main Street as the staff architect in 2003 and then became state director in 2007. He has also had oversight of Louisiana’s CLG program throughout his tenure with the Division of Historic Preservation. His primary professional experience prior to joining Main Street was in the banking and insurance industries and with Desmond-Cuddeback Architects. He holds a Master of Architecture degree with a concentration in historic preservation from Louisiana State University, a Master of Business Administration degree from Centenary College of Louisiana, and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Louisiana at Monroe. He is on the planning committee for the Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation’s annual statewide Louisiana Preservation Conference. He is an ex-officio member of the board for theRay Scriber is the Director of the Louisiana Main Street program with the Louisiana Division of Historic Preservation. He began work with Louisiana Main Street as the staff architect in 2003 and then became state director in 2007. He has also had oversight of Louisiana’s CLG program throughout his tenure with the Division of Historic Preservation. His primary professional experience prior to joining Main Street was in the banking and insurance industries and with Desmond-Cuddeback Architects. He holds a Master of Architecture degree with a concentration in historic preservation from Louisiana State University, a Master of Business Administration degree from Centenary College of Louisiana, and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Louisiana at Monroe. He is on the planning committee for the Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation’s annual statewide Louisiana Preservation Conference. He is an ex-officio member of the board for the Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation, is a board member for the Microbusiness Network of Louisiana and is a former board member and Treasurer for the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions. Ray also has been on several volunteer committees with the Baton Rouge Area Foundation’s Center for Planning Excellence, including the planning committee for the annual Smart Growth Summit, the Code Advisory Committee and the Toolkit Advisory Committee. In addition, he teaches a historic preservation class at the LSU School of Architecture.
Exploring Syracuse: Discover Downtown Walking Tour
Join us to explore and discover the history of some of downtown Syracuse's icon architecture, historic landmarks, and remarkable history as well as highlights of some of the notable rehabilitation and restoration projects along the way. Local history professionals will lead us on a walking tour through urban squares and historic districts to see what makes downtown Syracuse a special place at the crossroads of NYS. Make sure you wear your comfortable walking shoes!
[1.5 LU/HSW]
PANELISTS
Kate Elliot Auwaerter has over 20 years experience working in historic preservation and planning-related fields in the private, non-profit, and public sectors. Her work experience includes positions at the Ohio Historic Preservation Office, the New York Main Street Alliance, the Downtown Committee of Syracuse and the SUNY-ESF Center for Community Design Research. As Preservation Planner for the City of Syracuse, Kate oversees and advocates for the implementation of the City’s preservation program; advises other City departments on historic preservation-related matters; provides professional staff assistance to the Syracuse Landmark Preservation Board and administers the City’s Certified Local Government program. Kate has a degree in Historic Preservation Planning from Cornell University.
Beth Crawford is a Senior Associate with Crawford & Stearns, Architects and Preservation Planners PLLC of 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. Ms. Crawford has participated as a team member on numerous historic building condition assessments and historic structure reports. Beth is currently directing the rehabilitation of the nationally significant Arts & Crafts period home of Gustav Stickley in Syracuse. Beth previously served fifteen years on the board of the Preservation Association of Central New York and is currently Vice-President of the Arts & Crafts Society of CNY.
H.A. Moyer Factory Complex Hard Hat Tour
Constructed in stages from 1881 through 1917, the H.A. Moyer Factory Complex, known locally as ‘the building with the house on top,’ consists of four distinct, interconnected buildings encompassing almost an entire urban block in North Syracuse, NY. Significant for its association with the H.A. Moyer Company, one of the largest industrial employers in Syracuse at the turn of the twentieth century, and as a significant representation of late nineteenth and early twentieth century industrial architecture, the complex remains intact, in varied condition. While a series of non-historic additions and years of neglect have compromised the core of the complex, it is now undergoing a significant rehabilitation that will restore its buildings while simultaneously introducing new, affordable housing into its community. Lead by the owner, project historian, project architect, and general contractor, this tour offers an in-depth, multi-disciplinary look at the opportunities and challenges of a large-scale adaptive-reuse project. In addition, due to the range of historic construction and finish techniques utilized throughout the complex, paired with the severe condition of some of the complex’s buildings, the tour offers unique insight and grounded conversation on the balance of preservation, rehabilitation, and reconstruction.
PANELISTS
FRIDAY 9/23
1A | Telling the Rest of the Story: How to Update National Register Nominations
The National Register of Historic Places is “the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation.” That definition makes National Register listing sound final, unchangeable, and unerringly correct – but that’s not true. Old nominations may have left out a property’s significant ties to marginalized groups and histories. Old districts may have poor mapping and documentation. Can we fix it? Yes, we can! Has your organization’s interpretation of a historic house changed to include new, more inclusive stories? Join this session to learn more about the process for updating National Register nominations. Please bring your suggestions for possible projects for a discussion at the end of the session. With your help, we can make the National Register better reflect New York’s remarkably diverse history.
[1.25 LU/HSW]
Speakers
Jennifer Betsworth is a Historic Preservation Program Analyst in the Survey and National Register Unit at the New York State Historic Preservation Office in Albany. Her territory includes Long Island, Queens, Staten Island, and Columbia County. In this role, she has evaluated buildings for reviews under historic preservation laws, written and shepherded through nominations for traditional and underrepresented resources, and helped advance tax credit applications. She also is active in preservation in the Adirondacks through her work at Camp Santanoni and with Adirondack Architectural Heritage. She has a BA in History and Anthropology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a MA in Public History/Historic Preservation from the University of South Carolina.
Virginia Bartos has been with the New York State Historic Preservation Office for over 20 years. As a member of the Survey & National Register Unit, she currently works with preservation groups, consultants, and property owners in the Finger Lakes region to list properties on the National Register of Historic Places or for tax credit certification. Prior to joining the SHPO, she worked for the Buffalo Historical Museum and the Ontario County Historical Society doing educational program and exhibit planning. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Virginia has a B.A. in history from Cleveland State University, a Masters’ degree in history and museum studies from Case Western Reserve University, and a Ph.D. in U.S. Public History from the State University of New York at Buffalo.
1B | New Life for a Forgotten Theater
Gowanda’s Historic Hollywood Theater dates to 1926, a time when small town theaters were commonplace as the main form of entertainment. Gowanda, NY, located 40 miles south of Buffalo, NY, is home to a Leon H. Lempert & Son theater, originally designed for vaudeville and silent movies, which served the community until 1992 when it was closed and boarded up for 20 years. Gowanda’s small community rallied together to restore the theater for the benefit of the surrounding rural communities. A detailed Existing Conditions Assessment completed by Flynn Battaglia Architects revealed the financial impact of restoring the building’s historic details, updating original building systems, and completing alterations to meet building code compliance. A multi-phased restoration project approach implemented over a 20-year period resulted in new life for a neglected theater as a regional arts center in the Southern Tier region of New York.
[1.25 LU/HSW]
Speakers
Nancy Redeye is a Senior Project Manager with over 30 years’ experience with Flynn Battaglia Architects, restoring historic buildings for commercial, educational and community reuse. Along with the Hollywood theater, she has assisted other clients with building projects including the Irish Classical Theater, The Allendale Theater, The North Park Theater and the Sattler Theater, all in Buffalo, NY.
Mark Burr is the President of the Historic Hollywood Theater with decades of experience in the construction industry. A licensed civil engineer by trade, he lives in the Gowanda community and has guided the restoration of the theater from 2008 to present day as a devoted volunteer and organizer.
1C | The Foundations of a Strong Digital Community: Social Media Audience Building and Best Practices
In an increasingly digital landscape, social media as a tool for community building and driving calls to action is increasingly important, if not essential. This talk delves into the basics of establishing a strong digital community, from content creation to building followership and motivating audiences to take action online. During this presentation, Paige will cover the building blocks of a strong social presence – from creating and sourcing content to successfully managing digital communities. Often in museums, historic sites, landmark sites, etc., there isn’t a dedicated individual who can devote all of their time to social media. The talk will cover where to source your content and how to make the most of it, and how to empower digital audiences to take action and spread your messaging. It will also cover the basics of when to post and how often, crafting platform-specific content, tactics for audience growth, and more.
[1.25 LU]
Speakers
Paige Engard is the Director of Communications at Genesee Country Village & Museum in Rochester, NY. Paige has a Master’s Degree in American History from The College at Brockport, and has spent the last 10+ years in the field of non-profit marketing and social media. Prior to her current role, Paige has worked in social media and marketing at The Adirondack Museum, and Lollypop Farm, the Humane Society of Greater Rochester. In her current role at Genesee Country Village & Museum, NY State’s largest living history museum, Paige directs and informs the organizations’ communication strategy.
1D | Shifting Landscapes at the Roosevelt National Historic Sites: Three Decades of Preservation Planning and Education
Cultural landscapes have become widely recognized in historic preservation planning, but they require methods that differ from buildings. The evolution of these methods over the past three decades is reflected in the landscape preservation work at the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt national historic sites in Hyde Park. The Roosevelt landscapes include a variety of types, from designed grounds and gardens to farm fields, woods, and forest plantations. The session will provide an overview of ESF’s research projects in landscape history, inventory and evaluation, treatment planning, forest management, and digital modeling. These projects have educated future landscape stewards and provided the National Park Service with critical baseline documentation, best practices, and innovative techniques for preserving and enhancing the historic character of its nationally significant cultural landscapes.
[1.25 LU/HSW]
Speakers
John Auwaerter is Co-Director of the ESF Center for Cultural Landscape Preservation and an Instructor in the Department of Landscape Architecture. He also has a partner position as a Historical Landscape Architect with the National Park Service’s Olmsted Center for Landscape Preservation. Over the past two decades, John has worked with students on the development of numerous cultural landscape preservation planning projects at national park sites. John has a Master of Landscape Architecture degree from SUNY ESF, a MA in Historic Preservation Planning from Cornell University, and a BA in History and German from Middlebury College.
George W. Curry is Co-Director of the ESF Center for Cultural Landscape Preservation and has taught in the Department of Landscape Architecture for over forty years, focusing on urban design and cultural landscape preservation. In 1991, he established a cooperative agreement with the National Park Service (NPS) to undertake cultural landscape preservation research. Over the past three decades, this agreement has provided many opportunities for students to study the preservation of nationally significant landscapes and work with the NPS Olmsted Center for Landscape Preservation. George received a Master of Landscape Architecture degree from the University of Illinois, and a BS in Landscape Architecture and a BA in Economics from Michigan State University.
Sara Constantineau is a graduate student at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry pursuing a Master of Landscape Architecture degree. She studies how digital tools can be used to create new understandings of place and landscape. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs from Northeastern University.
2A Telling the Rest of the Story: How to Research Marginalized Histories
Preservationists have known for many years that National Register listings are not reflective of the full American experience. To try to address this gap, the National Park Service and State Historic Preservation Offices (including NY SHPO) have made a concerted effort to add new listings that represent Black, Latinx, Asian American, Indigenous, and LGBTQIA+ stories. Updating existing National Register nominations to include previously neglected histories is another way that we can help tell a more complete story of American history and place. While these are admirable and important steps, we must also recognize that the majority of preservation practitioners—that is, those advocating for, researching, and writing NR nominations—are white. As such, they may lack the cultural context and relationships to accurately tell the rest of the story. This session will explore how preservationists can approach this work in a non-extractive way, without doing further harm to marginalized communities. Panelists will discuss how to begin researching marginalized histories that, by definition, are generally not included in the “traditional” historical record; what other research sources and strategies we can look to; as well as the importance of storytelling and community engagement.
[1.25 LU/HSW]
Speakers
Dr. Georgette Grier-Key is the Executive Director of Eastville Community Historical Society. Georgette is a National Trust for Historic Preservation Diversity Scholar and an Arcus Fellow. Ms. Grier-Key is the President of the Long Island Historical Societies, under her leadership the organization has expanded its geographic territory from Montauk to Brooklyn. As a founding member and lead organizer of the Pyrrhus Concer Action Committee her continued work led to the purchasing of the Concer home lot. She has worked on preserving various historic structures on Long Island, such as the Fowler House with East Hampton Town. Sag Harbor Hills, Azurest, Ninevah and Subdivisions (SANS) in Sag Harbor recently achieved national and state historic designations to which she served as the lead advisor.
2B | Condemnation to Preservation - The UPH Story
Located in Saratoga Springs, Universal Preservation Hall (UPH) was designed in 1871 as a Methodist church. Historical figures such as William Jennings Bryan, Theodore Roosevelt, and Frederick Douglass gave speeches here. By the 1970s, the congregation had dwindled as many congregants moved away. They sold to a small Baptist congregation, but by 2000 the building was condemned. Preservationists stepped in to form a partnership with the church. The economy of Saratoga Springs had improved since the 1970s, and the building was stabilized to become a performance venue. That partnership saved the building. The Great Recession halted fundraising and further renovation. In 2015, the economic landscape had shifted again and UPH joined the Proctors Collaborative. After five years of planning and construction, UPH opened as a performance venue two weeks before the pandemic. Today, UPH is open again. This is the story of that journey.
[1.25 LU]
Speakers
As a nationally recognized expert in Historic Preservation, Mr. Thaler has been responsible for the renovation and restoration of some of our nation’s most significant landmarks, including buildings at Ellis Island, Valley Forge, the Washington State Capitol, and numerous colleges and universities across the country. He has written and lectured widely on many of the challenges which are encountered in their rehabilitation and his design solutions have been recognized with over two dozen design awards including an Honor Award from the national AIA, our profession’s highest honor. His collaborative working style enables holistic solutions that incorporate the best of what our past has to offer with what we dream for our future.
Teddy is the Director at Universal Preservation Hall (UPH). She joined UPH as a member of the Board of Trustees in September, 2006. In 2009, she was elected President and remained in that position until July, 2015.
In 2015, she formalized a partnership with Proctors Collaborative to bring UPH into their business plan as an affiliate. To further this mission, Teddy was hired by Proctors as Campaign Director for UPH and led the $14 million capital campaign needed to complete the restoration. UPH’s Grand Opening was in February, 2020.
Teddy has been honored as one of Saratoga Today’s Women of Influence; and as one of the Saratoga Twenty by Saratoga Living Magazine.
2C | When Bricks & Mortar Aren’t Enough
The East Harlem South/El Barrio Reconnaissance Level Survey is the first comprehensive historic/cultural resources survey in this part of East Harlem/El Barrio. In an area with few designated/listed landmarks and no historic districts, this survey prioritized social history, cultural impact, and place-based heritage. The neighborhood’s rich history has long been recognized; it may become the first official “Cultural District” in NYS under legislation introduced by Assemblymember Eddie Gibbs. With large-scale capital projects like the Second Avenue Subway taking place in the area, upzoning and redevelopment opportunities should prioritize cultural and historical preservation strategies that protect a neighborhood’s character. In this session, we will discuss the bricks and mortar of intersectional preservation best practices, cultural lessons learned, and opportunities for expanding this work to similar communities statewide.
[1.25 LU/HSW]
Speakers
Chris Cirillo is the Executive Director/President of Ascendant Neighborhood Development Corporation in East Harlem. Ascendant has preserved and developed over 800 affordable rental apartments with an additional 550+ in its pipeline. It has also expanded to include neighborhood planning, historic preservation and asset management. Chris has held positions at The Richman Group Development Corporation and at the NYC Department of Housing Preservation & Development. Chris graduated from Brown University with a B.A. in Urban Studies and Pratt Institute with an M.S. in Historic Preservation. He now teaches in the Historic Preservation and Real Estate Practice programs at Pratt. Chris is on the Board of Friends of La Marqueta and is a Vice President of the Board of the Historic Districts Council.
2D | Taking Action on Climate Change: Enhancing Resiliency in the Built Environment
When we think of communities impacted by climate change, many of us think of Miami and New Orleans. Until recently, it was easy enough for New Yorkers living outside New York City to think that climate change wouldn’t impact them or the built environment in their town, village, or city. However, several recent weather events, including Hurricane Sandy, made it clear that we too are at risk and must be prepared to address the impacts that climate change will have on our communities’ historic resources. In this session, panelists will present case studies showing how homes impacted by natural disasters were adapted to become more resilient.
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Speakers
2E | Behind the Scenes: A Tour of the Landmark Theatre
Pre-registration required.Tour will depart from Main Lobby at 11:15 AM. Built in 1928 and designed by architect Thomas Lamb, the Landmark Theatre is downtown Syracuse’s last surviving movie palace, designed in what Lamb referred to as the “European Byzantine Romanesque” style. By the 1960s, the theater had fallen into disrepair and was experiencing poor attendance. To save and preserve it, a group of citizens formed the Syracuse Area Landmark Theatre, or SALT, in 1976. Over the last 20 years, the theatre has undergone several extensive restoration projects. In 2000, Holmes, King, Kallquist & Associates managed the restoration of all of the theatre’s lobby walls and ceilings. In 2011, a $16 million stagehouse expansion project was completed, which included the demolition of the original stage house and dressing rooms, expansion of the stage, two stories of dressing rooms, chorus rooms, green room, offices and production support spaces, and related mechanical and electrical improvements. In the last several years, the theatre has replaced the original seating with more spacious seats, reusing original decorative side stanchions and armrests. In addition, the 1950s marquee has been replaced with a digital reinterpretation of the original 1928 marquee. Follow the theatre's project architect on an insider's tour of this 1920s gem.
[1.25 LU]
Pre-registration required, limited capacity. Tour will depart from hotel lobby at 11:15 AM.
Speakers
James F. Williams, AIA, LEED AP received his architectural education at Syracuse University, and has worked as an architect in CNY for over forty years, over twenty of them with Holmes•King•Kallquist & Associates. His areas of expertise include historic preservation, adaptive reuse, and hospitality. His most notable recent projects include the restoration of the Hotel Syracuse. In addition, he taught for over ten years as an adjunct instructor at Syracuse University, and has served the CNY community with various organizations for over thirty years, most notably the Central New York chapter of the AIA and the Landmark Theater, where his involvement began over forty years ago. He also owned and restored a Ward Wellington Ward bungalow in the University neighborhood.
3A | Bad Preservation: When Good Intentions Become NIMBY Nonsense
Historic preservation has an image problem. While tales of the power of preservation organizations and regulations are greatly exaggerated, that does not stop bad actors from attempting to co-opt preservation organizations as glorified homeowners associations and using preservation regulations to hinder necessary development in their neighborhoods. These actions rarely reflect the priorities and goals of preservationists, but somehow still define the field in the public imagination. What can preservationists do to change this perception? How can the field illustrate its commitment to housing equity and sustainability through utilizing our historic building stock? This session will consist of a presentation of common misconceptions and misuses of preservation followed by a working group discussion to brainstorm actionable ideas to change the perception of historic preservation to create a more just world.
[1.25 LU/HSW]
Speakers
Anna Marcum is an independent architectural historian and preservationist based in Brooklyn, New York. She holds a Master of Preservation Studies from the Tulane School of Architecture and a Bachelor of Arts in Art History from Barnard College of Columbia University. Anna Marcum has worked with the Vieux Carré Commission and Historic New England while also pursuing independent historic preservation projects in Los Angeles, CA, Houston, TX, Hammond, LA, and Foley, AL. Marcum presented her research about innovative site interpretation methods for New Orleans’ Canal Street at the 2019 Society of Architectural Historians Conference. She regularly contributes to Atomic Ranch and The Architect’s Newspaper. Marcum is currently the Director of Research and Preservation at Village Preservation.
Christopher Trevisani is Vice President of Business Development for Housing Visions Unlimited, Inc., a not-for-profit housing development company in Syracuse, New York. His work at Housing Visions has helped revitalize numerous neighborhood communities throughout New York State utilizing a multitude of financing vehicles such as Low Income Housing Tax Credits, Historic Tax Credits, Brownfield Tax Credits, and numerous federal and state resources to promote the creation and preservation of affordable and supportive housing. He has been involved in various sectors of real estate development and historic preservation projects across the county for over 25 years. Recent preservation projects include portions of the Phoenix Block in downtown Syracuse and the former Crescent Corset factory in Cortland, which received the 2018 PACNY Pat Earle Award. He holds a BS in Civil Engineering from Union College and a MS in Real Estate Development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Diana Jakimoski is Director of Development for Housing Visions Unlimited, Inc. a not-for-profit housing development company in Syracuse, NY. Her work with Housing Visions has revitalized neighborhoods throughout New York utilizing numerous funding streams including the Low Income Housing Tax Credits, both Federal and State Historic Credits, Brownfield Tax Credits along with numerous federal and state resources. Her work has spanned over 15 years and includes numerous developments in Connecticut that included historic preservation. Recent preservation projects included Moyer Carriage Lofts, Ethel T. Chamberlain House, which received 2020 Excellence in Historic Preservation Award from Preservation League of New York State and Chemung Crossing, which received an Historic Elmira Preservation Award.Diana Jakimoski is Director of Development for Housing Visions Unlimited, Inc. a not-for-profit housing development company in Syracuse, NY. Her work with Housing Visions has revitalized neighborhoods throughout New York utilizing numerous funding streams including the Low Income Housing Tax Credits, both Federal and State Historic Credits, Brownfield Tax Credits along with numerous federal and state resources. Her work has spanned over 15 years and includes numerous developments in Connecticut that included historic preservation. Recent preservation projects included Moyer Carriage Lofts, Ethel T. Chamberlain House, which received 2020 Excellence in Historic Preservation Award from Preservation League of New York State and Chemung Crossing, which received an Historic Elmira Preservation Award.
3B | What’s Up with Ward?
Our “Ward” panelists will provide insight on the latest Ward Wellington Ward restoration projects and historic resource surveys. As Upstate New York’s quintessential Arts & Crafts Movement architect, Ward designed over 120 homes in a variety of styles and utilized fine craftsman including Henry Keck and Henry Mercer to complement his designs. Architect Jamie Williams will review plans at the fabulous 1923 “WWW” designed Estabrook Conservancy in Fayetteville which will serve as a private residence, bed-and-breakfast, and event center. Curator Bob Searing will provide an overview of the Ward architectural collection at the Onondaga Historical Association. Newlyweds Erin & Luke Harrington will delight us with tales and tribulations of restoring their tiny 1915 Ward bungalow. Architect Christopher Brandt and historian Sam Gruber will share updates from Syracuse and Rochester on efforts to further document WWW’s houses and structures.
[1.25 LU]
Speakers
James F. Williams, AIA, LEED AP received his architectural education at Syracuse University, and has worked as an architect in CNY for over forty years, over twenty of them with Holmes•King•Kallquist & Associates. His areas of expertise include historic preservation, adaptive reuse, and hospitality. His most notable recent projects include the restoration of the Hotel Syracuse. In addition, he taught for over ten years as an adjunct instructor at Syracuse University, and has served the CNY community with various organizations for over thirty years, most notably the Central New York chapter of the AIA and the Landmark Theater, where his involvement began over forty years ago. He also owned and restored a Ward Wellington Ward bungalow in the University neighborhood.
Robert Searing is the Curator of History at the Onondaga Historical Association. In addition to his duties as Curator, which include exhibit creation, publishing articles for a variety of media outlets, presentations, and regular radio and television appearances, he also writes a weekly column for the Syracuse Post Standard. Bob graduated summa cum laude from Binghamton University with a B.A. in history, Phi Beta Kappa and received an M.A. and M.Phil. in American History from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University, where he specialized in Early American History. During his tenure as curator, OHA developed and opened the Regional Aviation History Museum at Hancock International Airport and the Brewseum at Heritage Hill Brewhouse.
In 2019 newlyweds Erin & Luke purchased the Ward Wellington Ward designed Zeigler House on Oak Street in Syracuse and have been painstakingly restoring the tiny “Ward” throughout the pandemic. As neophyte “old” house people Erin & Luke enjoy learning from other Arts & Crafts enthusiasts and experts and have built a large following of Instagram restorations friends who enjoy watching their efforts to respectfully restore their bungalow. Follow them on Instagram at @erinlindemann & @lukeylooo
Arlene is a recently-retired interior designer who specialized in projects involving commercial, residential and institutional historic structures. A graduate of Syracuse University, Arlene practiced preservation design for most of her career.
Samuel D. Gruber, is an architectural historian and founder of Gruber Heritage Global, a cultural resources consulting firm. Gruber serves as consultant to numerous organizations, institutions, private foundations, government agencies and individuals. As
3C | Preservation & Neighborhood Stabilization
In many New York State post-industrial cities, the concentration of vacancies and building shells often overlap with the city’s lowest income levels and highest crime rates, creating challenges for rehabilitation efforts and ongoing maintenance. Many of these buildings are historic — either located in historic districts or eligible for the National Register. This session looks at small but proactive ways the community can work together in partnership with the municipality to preserve these historic building assets and, in doing so, stabilize the neighborhood. The session highlights the role of Neighborhood Stabilization Coordinators as preservationists.
[1.25 LU/HSW]
Speakers
Preservationist Liz McEnaney is a co-founder of the Hudson Valley Collaborative, a design collaborative that creates research, design, planning and preservation projects in collaboration with communities in the Hudson Valley region and beyond. Previously she was Executive Director of the SS Columbia Project, which is re-activating a National Historic Landmark steamboat as a floating arts and culture venue. She began her work in the Hudson Valley by partnering with a coalition of nonprofits to organize community workshops aboard an historic barge, produce a documentary film about planning issues, and spearhead dock-building initiatives along the Hudson River.
Urban planner Naomi Hersson-Ringskog co-founded No Longer Empty, an organization that repurposed vacant buildings with large, creative, interim art exhibitions in NYC. In 2017, Naomi moved to Newburgh and founded Dept of Small Interventions to launch place-based planning and design work that focuses on the built environment, community engagement, and creative placemaking. Notable projects include Urban Archive-Newburgh, Frederick Douglass 150th Anniversary, 2020 Newburgh Arts & Cultural Study, and the implementation of ArtBridge/ArtePuente in 2022.
Samuel Wells is the Neighborhood Stabilization Coordinator for the City of Albany. He leads City efforts to track the number of vacant buildings with a focus on coordinating efforts to return these buildings back to productive use, and to eliminate blight more generally across the City. He led the City team that secured $1.25 million in grant funding from the NYS Attorney General’s Office for over a dozen blight elimination and prevention programs in the City of Albany in 2019 & 2020. More recently, he is leading the team that secured and is implementing the Love Your Block grant from Cities of Service. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Albany County Land Bank. He holds a MS in Urban & Regional Planning and BA in Environmental Design and Political Science from SUNY Buffalo.
Nick Edward is the Neighborhood Stabilization Coordinator for the City of Newburgh. He is continuing the development of the vacant and rental registries, documenting efficient property information and working Zombie/foreclosure properties. His aim is to d
3D | Preserving Little Manila: Diaspora, Care, and Creative Placekeeping
Cultural organizers Xenia Diente and Jaclyn Reyes from Little Manila Queens Bayanihan Arts will present their past and ongoing efforts to use art and creative placekeeping to advocate for the diasporic Filipino community in New York City's Little Manila. They will be presenting their current work, The Tandang Sora Project, alongside collaborators Princes Diane De Leon and Kimberly Tate. The Tandang Sora Project is a public memory initiative to build a monument to migrant care workers in Queens, New York.
Speakers
Jaclyn Reyes is a visual, performing and teaching artist, designer, and cultural organizer based in New York City. She engages in social practice, community-based art, and creative place-keeping interventions with Little Manila Queens Bayanihan Arts in Woodside, Queens. Her projects include the Meal to Heal initiative, the Mabuhay mural, the documentary and dance film We Are They, the 2021 Little Manila Block Party, and the Little Manila Avenue Street Installation. Her advocacy efforts include testifying before the NYC Racial Justice Commission and redistricting work with APA Voice.
Currently, she is a part of Re:Generation with The Monument Lab; a 2021-22 Mentor with the New York Foundation for the Arts Immigrant Artist Program; and a 2021-22 Art Commissioner with Queens Council on the Arts. She has been awarded opportunities from The Fulbright Program, The Laundromat Project, the Queens Museum, En Foco, Inc., Wave Farm, and the Asian Women Giving Circle. Her work has been highlighted in The New York Times, Gothamist, ARTnews, Art Forum, Business Insider, Public Radio International, PBS, Yes! Magazine, Nueva Luz, the Center for an Urban Future, and the Queens Memory Project.
She studied studio art at California State University Long Beach before transferring to Syracuse University where she received her BFA in Art Photography. In 2019, she earned her master’s degree in Arts in Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Xenia Diente specializes in the field of public art and lives in Woodside Queens, NYC. With twenty years of public service, Xenia currently serves as Public Art Deputy Director for the NYC Department of Design and Construction overseeing the agency’s public art program. She works extensively with emerging and established visual artists to design, fabricate and install public art in civic facilities and infrastructure for the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs Percent for Art Program and serves as a liaison to the NYC Public Design Commission. Other program areas include temporary art at construction sites, artwork conservation, Public Artist in Residence, and BUILT/NYC, a pilot program for furniture and industrial designers. In 2021, she was invited to serve on the cultural committee on the Urban Design Forums “Streets Ahead” Working group to advance ideas and proposals to envision a more vibrant, equitable streetscape. Xenia’s work as an artist ranges from social practice artist in residence led by Rick Lowe at the Atlantic Center for the Arts to recently 2020 Create Change Artist in Residence through The Laundromat Project supporting creative placekeeping efforts in Little Manila, Queens. Xenia is active in her neighborhood, and is the founder of Little Manila Queens Bayanihan Arts, a collaboration between artists and cultural workers who support community-based arts and creative placekeeping efforts by and for the diasporic Filipino community in Woodside, Queens, as well as the greater New York City area. She serves on the executive board of the Filipino American National History Society NY chapter. Xenia holds a BFA from The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art. She is also a Coro New York Leadership Center graduate.
Kimberly Tate (she/they/we), founder of Studio Galaxxxia, is a multidisciplinary embodied truth seeker, designer, dancer, yoga teacher, organizer and mother based in Flatbush, Brooklyn (unceded Munsee and Canarsie Lenape land). She is the granddaughter of Alfred & Josefina Pacho Tate and Felipe & Rosario Alibadbad Serrano from Leyte, Philippines. Trained as an architect and practicing across disciplinary boundaries, Kimberly makes work to dream, to heal, to make space for grief and joy, to build kinship and belonging, to honor and restore our embodied inheritance and to recover agency in spheres we inhabit and design. She is also design faculty at Parsons School of Design at the New School, a Laundromat Project Create Change Fellowship alum and an educator at the AIANY Center for Architecture.
Princes De Leon is a student at CUNY City College of New York where she is pursuing a degree in Architecture (B.Arch) at the Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture. Princes is a first-generation Filipino-American and currently lives in Queens, New York. In her free time, she works part-time waiting tables and helps manage her parent’s businesses at Amazing Grace Restaurant and Amazing Grace Grocery, located in the heart of Little Manila, Queens. When her parents first opened Amazing Grace Restaurant during the start of the COVID pandemic in November 2020, Princes worked full-time at her family’s business while taking classes online as a high school senior. It was through this experience that she was able to connect with the migrant Filipino community within Woodside and became interested in community-based design. Recently, Princes has made efforts towards being active in her neighbourhood by testifying before the NYC Districting Commission. Currently, Princes is the architectural intern for Little Manila Queens Bayanihan Arts where she uses her technical skill sets from being an architecture student to involve herself with community-based arts and creative placekeeping efforts for the diasporic Filipino community in Woodside, Queens. In the future, she aspires to use her passion for advocacy to enrich communities through urban planning and architecture.
4A | Beyond Buildings: The Power of Storytelling & Preserving Intangible Heritage
Historic preservation has traditionally operated in the realm of the built environment—preserving and reusing buildings, sites, structures, objects, and landscapes. However, many preservationists are looking beyond this tradition to the concept of intangible heritage—the non-physical characteristics of a culture, such as customs and practices, artistic expressions, beliefs, languages, folklore and oral traditions, and cuisine. This session will highlight the work of different artists, educators, and storytellers who are sharing and preserving aspects of their cultural heritage. We’ll explore why preserving intangible heritage is so important and how incorporating this practice into our work can help make the preservation field more inclusive and socially just.
Speakers
Vanessa Johnson is a Griot, a Storyteller in the West African Tradition. She is a Writer, a Playwright, an Actor, a Fiber Artist, Museum Consultant, Community Activist, Community Researcher, Teaching Artist, and directs her storytelling band “Mate Masie” (ma-tee ma-say).
She served on the Juneteenth Committee and Coordinated the annual festival at the Southwest Center in Syracuse, NY for three years, creating and directing the “Juneteenth Interactive Museum” for 5 years. Vanessa was the co-coordinator of the New York State Fair Pan African Village for nine years, founding and implementing the “Harambee Youth Tent” which offered art and cultural experiences for youth and adults. She founded “Syracuse Africa Bound” in 1989 offering youth 10-18 travel and cultural exploration in Ghana, West Africa. Vanessa was the Director of Education for the Onondaga Historical Association for four 1/2 years, using her storytelling talents to tell the history of Onondaga County at the museum, schools, and community presentations throughout New York State.
As a visual artist, her first solo quilt show, ‘Unwrapping Vanessa”, was exhibited at Syracuse’s ArtRage Gallery in 2017. In February/March she curated her first exhibition “The Struggle to Connect”, a visual conversation between women of color and women of european descent about race in America. This summer her fiber arts show “In the Voice of God – The Spirituality of Harriet Tubman was on exhibit at the Schweinfurth Art Center and at the Cayuga Museum in Auburn NY. Ms. Johnson’s play “Doors” was produced in May 2014, by the Paul Robeson Performing Arts Company of Syracuse. She has written, directed, and produced children’s plays for the Onondaga Historical Association’s “History Drama Troupe in Syracuse, NY and for several after school drama programs. During the 2021-22 school year, Vanessa created“The Griot Guides” program at Syracuse University’s Community Folk Art Gallery, teaching African-American history through storytelling, art, and literature.
At present, Johnson is the Matilda Joslyn Gage Foundation women’s rights center’s Artist in Residence. As a consultant for the museum’, she designed the Underground Railroad Room, and was trained in Dialogue Facilitation for the museum’s Community Dialogue Program on Reproductive Rights (“Who Chooses?”). In 2012-13 Ms. Johnson was the Gage Foundation Community Liaison for their Girl’s Ambassadors for Human Rights Program, sponsored by the U.S. State Department and the International Coalition of Sites of Conscious, between the United States (Syracuse), Chili, and Sri Lanka. She directed the program from 2016-2021. Ms. Johnson’s one woman shows include her portrayals of Fannie Lou Hamer, Audrey Lourde, and Julia Cooper. She is developing two new shows for her residency at the Gage Foundationwhere she will portray Shirley Chisolm and Ida B. Wells.
Natasha Smoke Santiago is a turtle clan woman of the Haudenosaunee or People of the Longhouse, also known as the Iroquois Confederacy. Residing within the Territory of Akwesasne, Natasha has been an Artist for as long as she can remember. She works in many mediums, including Acrylics paint, Clay and an array of various materials. Natasha’s focal point in the Arts has mainly been works with Clay, creating Traditional Mohawk pottery, pipe making and sculpture. Her work is heavily influenced by her Haudenosaunee heritage. Often including the Haudenosauneee history, culture and and teachings within her designs.
4B | Preserving Great Camp Santanoni: Past, Present, & Future
Albany’s wealthy Pruyn family built Camp Santanoni in the early 1890s, after amassing nearly 13,000 acres of land in the town of Newcomb. In 1972, NYS acquired the property from the Nature Conservancy, for inclusion in the Adirondack Forest Preserve, which for many meant the demolition of all buildings. Preservation advocates created Adirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH) to save & preserve Camp Santanoni for public interpretation. AARCH worked alongside the Town of Newcomb, Preservation League of NYS, & others to advocate for this vision, which won agreement from NYS in 1991. In 2000, Camp Santanoni became a National Historic Landmark & NYS created the 32-acre Santanoni Historic Area. Now, AARCH, DEC, & the Town of Newcomb serve as partners in the restoration, maintenance, & interpretation of the site. This session will review past preservation efforts, describe efforts to support site accessibility, & offer a vision for the future.
[1.25 LU]
Speakers
Erin Tobin joined Adirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH) as Executive Director in 2021. At AARCH, Erin advances the organization’s strategic goals, serving as the organization’s chief operating and finance officer, as well as its primary spokesperson. Erin serves as the primary contact for special projects & preservation advocacy efforts, while overseeing the organization’s robust preservation services and educational programs. Prior to AARCH, Erin served as the Preservation League’s Vice President for Policy and Preservation, where she worked from 2007 to 2021. Erin Tobin has also held positions with the Massachusetts Historical Commission, New York Landmarks Conservancy, and Historic Albany Foundation.
Jennifer Betsworth is the Camp Santanoni Interpretive Coordinator. In this part-time position, she develops and carries out programming, trains and supports staff, and works on additional projects in coordination with the Santanoni Partners. She serves on Adirondack Architectural Heritage’s Advisory Council. Jennifer’s primary role is in Survey and National Register Unit at the New York SHPO, where she has evaluated buildings for review under historic preservation law, written and shepherded nominations for traditional and underrepresented resources, and helped advance tax credit applications. She has a BA in History and Anthropology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a MA in Public History/Historic Preservation from the University of South Carolina.
4C | Barn Preservation and the New York State Historic Tax Credit Program
This session will provide an overview of the New York State Historic Tax Credit Program for Barns, an incentive that was signed into law in late 2021 to revive a similar program that had been severely limited due to complications from federal tax reform in 2017. Two barn preservation case studies will be presented as well, including a discussion on the current state of NYS barns, obstacles to their preservation, and efforts underway to raise awareness and save New York's rapidly disappearing agricultural heritage.
[1.25 LU/HSW]
Speakers
Janna Rudler is the Grants and Technical Services Manager at the Preservation League of New York State, the statewide non-profit for historic preservation. She advises non-profits and municipalities in achieving their preservation goals, offers technical support and referrals to all who seek assistance in their preservation efforts, and oversees the League’s grant programs. Janna holds a BA in Archaeology from Binghamton University and a Master of Arts in History Museum Studies from the Cooperstown Graduate Program.
Eric Teed is a photographer and writer in New Russia NY. He worked as a helper with timber-framer Jack Van Wie to restore his 1800s barn in 2020 and a sister barn in the same town in 2021. He documented both projects in photos and wrote an article about the restorations for Adirondack Explorer. He will show photos, bring an owner’s perspective, and talk about the joy and pride he found in barn restoration.
Olivia Brazee is a Historic Site Restoration Coordinator at the Division for Historic Preservation of the Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation (aka the State Historic Preservation Office). She conducts project reviews under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and Section 14.09/the NY State Historic Preservation Act, and reviews applications for the federal Historic Tax Credit program for commercial properties- her territory of review is New York City. She is also Program Administrator for the Barn Tax Credit program. Olivia holds a Bachelor of Arts in Art History and Latin American Studies from Johns Hopkins University and a Master of Science in Historic Preservation from Columbia University, and worked at the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission prior to coming to SHPO.
4D | Saving Historic Hudson Valley Truss Bridges
According to the Historic Bridge Foundation, our nation is rapidly losing the engineering legacy of historic bridges and Pony truss bridges are particularly at risk of demolition. Our initiative is working to save a collection of abandoned, deteriorating historic truss bridges in parks along the Hudson River. One bridge leads to The Point/Hoyt House, a site on the National Register of Historic Places. Saving these bridges demonstrates that preservation is much richer than architecture alone and can reach more diverse audiences. Restoring a truss bridge can also enable personal journeys through community history; provide access to open space; help prevent the loss of our national engineering legacy and interpret early 20th-century engineering technology; appeal to diverse stakeholders and even reduce risk to the traveling public. This session will describe our initiative and its anticipated benefits in an engaging, eye-opening way.
[1.25 LU/HSW]
Speakers
Jeffrey Anzevino, AICP is Scenic Hudson’s Director of Land Use Advocacy. A planner with 33 years of experience, the last 30 of which serving Hudson Valley communities on behalf of Scenic Hudson, Jeff provides technical assistance to communities developing plans, creating trails, and ensuring that development meets the needs of the community. He is co-editor of Revitalizing Hudson Riverfronts and project manager of Scenic Hudson’s river access initiative, which includes the Hudson River Access Plan: Poughkeepsie to Rensselaer and Historic Truss Bridge Cultural Resource Survey. He is also an adjunct instructor at Marist College teaching Environmental Planning.
Peter is the Owner of Peter Melewski, LLC, which provides visionary transportation and planning advisory services to public, private and not-for-profit clients. Peter is a professional engineer and a Fellow with the American Society of Civil Engineers. He has 40 years of experience (24 public sector and 16 private sector). Peter received the Greene County Planning Achievement Award for the creation of the New Baltimore National Historic District. He was the Consultant Project Manager for the acclaimed Walkway Over the Hudson – converting the historic 1.25 mile long RR truss bridge into a State Park; and Consultant Project Manager for the 2021 CRS to document and save 12 unique steel truss bridges. He was lead author of the bridge chapter for the 2022 ASCE NYS Infrastructure Report Card.
A lifelong preservationist, Kathryn McCullough first worked in preservation gathering research to nominate Madison, IN as a National Main Street pilot program in 1974. In 1981, she nominated the first private home in Indiana to be named to the National Register of Historic Places. “Kitty” has served as Executive Director of Manitoga, Development Director of Hudson River Sloop Clearwater and Capital Giving Manger at Scenic Hudson. She also served as Interim Director of the Woodstock/Byrdcliffe Guild and recently founded Kingston Preservation Inc. to save from demolition an 18th-century stone house and two early 19th-century D&H Canal-era homes. She serves on the Board of Calvert Vaux Preservation Alliance, where she works to restore The Point in Staatsburg, NY, designed by Vaux in 1855.
Dan currently chairs the Department Advisory Board for the University at Buffalo Civil, Structural, and Environmental Engineering Department and has enjoyed a long career in transportation infrastructure. He has served as Director of Design and Deputy Chief Engineer for the NYS Department of Transportation and later joined Applied Research Associates Transportation Infrastructure Division as a Principal Civil Engineer, focusing on innovation deployment, risk management, project management, and alternative contracting methods. He has also served as project manager on several national FHWA projects, including the Bridge Preservation Guide, and Bridge Bundling Guidebook. Dan has a BS in Civil Engineering from the University at Buffalo, and an MBA from Norwich University.
robin wall kimmerer
Interview with Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer | Author, Braiding Sweetgrass
Dr. Kimmerer will be interviewed by Ansley Jemison, Cultural Liaison at Ganondagan State Historic Site through the Natural Heritage Trust of New York State. Ansley is a member of the Seneca Nation Wolf Clan from the Seneca Allegany territory of Western New York. Book signing to follow Keynote. Books will be available for purchase from local bookstore, Parthenon Books.
Robin Wall Kimmerer is a mother, scientist, decorated professor, and enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. She is the author of Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants, which has earned Kimmerer wide acclaim. Her first book, Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses, was awarded the John Burroughs Medal for outstanding nature writing, and her other work has appeared in Orion, Whole Terrain, and numerous scientific journals. She tours widely and has been featured on NPR’s On Being with Krista Tippett and in 2015 addressed the general assembly of the United Nations on the topic of “Healing Our Relationship with Nature.” Kimmerer lives in Syracuse, New York, where she is a SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor of Environmental Biology, and the founder and director of the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment, whose mission is to create programs which draw on the wisdom of both indigenous and scientific knowledge for our shared goals of sustainability.
As a writer and a scientist, her interests in restoration include not only restoration of ecological communities, but restoration of our relationships to land. She holds a BS in Botany from SUNY ESF, an MS and PhD in Botany from the University of Wisconsin and is the author of numerous scientific papers on plant ecology, bryophyte ecology, traditional knowledge and restoration ecology. She lives on an old farm in upstate New York, tending gardens both cultivated and wild.
Ansley Jemison, Cultural Liaison at Ganondagan State Historic Site through the Natural Heritage Trust of New York State. Ansley is a member of the Seneca Nation Wolf Clan from the Seneca Allegany territory of Western New York. Formerly, Ansley was an Academic Advisor with the New York State Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) at Cornell University. Additionally he served as the Residence Hall Director of Akwe:kon, the American Indian and Indigenous Studies Program (AIISP) Program House also at Cornell University. He is a graduate of Syracuse University, where he earned a degree in Communications and competed for the nationally ranked men’s lacrosse team. Ansley’s research interests include American Indian and Indigenous studies, Indigenous Foods, renewable energy, and sustainable choices for healthy living. Ansley recently launched a podcast “Original Peoples Podcast; Ongwehonwe”, he is the host and producer of show which focuses on podcasting through an Indigenous Lens, sharing stories and culture through Indigenous voices.
saturday 9/24
Field A | West Onondaga Rising
West Onondaga St. is lined with Italianate and Queen Anne style mansions designed by Syracuse’s most prominent architects. Today businesses, homeowners, and agencies are repurposing historic buildings that have survived decades of decline. The Street connects downtown to Onondaga Park, one of Olmsted’s legacy parks, with stunning views of Syracuse. It forms the border between an African American neighborhood to the South and Latino community to the west. In recent years, pioneers, and homesteaders from all over have moved into West Onondaga’s mansions. A luxury spa, a coffee house, a bank branch, and a brew pub have either opened or soon will break ground – each taking a vacant architectural treasure and giving it new life. Many mixed income homes and apartments have also been built or renovated in the district, as a hedge against gentrification. West Onondaga demonstrates how preservation and social justice can go hand in hand.
[2.5 LU]
Pre-registration required.
Meet at Salt City Market (484 S. Salina St., just behind the Marriott Syracuse). Participants are invited to take this walking tour by scooter! Download the Veo app and check out a scooter from Syracuse’s new scooter share program.
Speakers
Neighborhood activist for 15 years, organizer. Massage therapist and developer of the Spa at 500, housed in an 1886 mansion that was once a funeral home
Calvin grew up near West Onondaga, has been a community leader in education and housing. He led the effort to open a Pathfinder Bank branch in a vacant mansion on West Onondaga Street.
Kristin purchased a burned out mansion once owned by the Tiffany family and is meticulously restoring it.
Field B | A Tour of Historic Oakwood Cemetery
This tour is being organized by the Historic Oakwood Cemetery Preservation Association (HOCPA). HOCPA was founded to preserve, promote and protect Oakwood Cemetery, its abundant natural resources, its rich cultural and historic heritage, and to aid in maintaining and restoring the buildings, statuary, monuments, and grounds. Oakwood Cemetery was established in 1859, was designed by Howard Daniels and consists of 160 acres. The cemetery is a picturesque landscape filled with art, architecture and 1/7 of the entire tree canopy of Syracuse. HOCPA invites you on a 1.5 hour tour/walk to hear about the challenges and opportunities the cemetery faces. Attendees will hear from Board President, Rick Naylor, historian and Board Member, Sue Greenhagen, and Board Member and Landscape Preservationist, John Auwaerter.
[2.5 LU]
Pre-registration required.
Directions: Participants should use the main entrance to Oakwood Cemetery, located directly across the street from the Islamic Society of CNY at 925 Comstock Ave, Syracuse NY 13210. Look for the two stone pillars that say ‘Oakwood Cemetery’ at the main entrance. From the entrance, follow signs to the parking area near the Chapel. The tour will start from the Chapel.
Tour will take place on various uneven surfaces, wear
appropriate footwear. No restrooms are available at the
Cemetery.
Speakers
Rick is a native Syracusan and lives in the Bradford Hills/Nottingham neighborhood with his wife Diane and teenage twin girls. He has always been a huge fan of old cemeteries, gravestone carvings, mausoleum architecture, history and collects lanterns, old railroad and nautical stuff. He can be often found in Oakwood enjoying a peaceful walk or working hard to keep up with the “Crypt Keepers” and Karl on cemetery projects. Rick has spent over 30 years as an Insurance and Financial Advisor in private practice and lastly in a corporate planning position. He now owns an education consulting business based in the insurance industry. He’s has served many years on different boards and enjoys event planning, fundraising and membership.
Sue received her BA from Mount St. Mary College, MA at St. Bonaventure University, and MLS at Syracuse University. She worked as a Librarian at SUNY Morrisville and is now retired. She is the Historian of the Village of Morrisville and Co-Historian in the Town of Eaton. Sue is a member of Morrisville Historic Preservation Commission Board of Directors, Morrisville Rural Cemetery, Association of Public Historians of New York State, Onondaga County Civil War Round Table, and Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War.
John has been a member of HOCPA since shortly after moving to Syracuse in 1997. John is a Co-Director of ESF’s Center for Cultural Landscape Preservation, leads the Center’s work developing preservation plans for the National Park Service, and serves as an advisor to the ESF Friends of Oakwood student group. He has degrees in history, historic preservation planning, and landscape architecture.
Field C | Stickley Style: Syracuse & The American Arts & Crafts Movement
Join us to learn about early 20th century designer Gustav Stickley and his influence on the Arts & Crafts Movement. We’ll begin at Dalton's American Decorative Arts in the Eastwood neighborhood of Syracuse to explore and admire the museum-quality Gustav Stickley original furniture and Arts & Crafts era furnishings with nationally renowned Gustav Stickley experts and our hosts David Rudd and Debbie Goldwein. We will then head to the historic home of Gustav Stickley in the Westcott neighborhood. The Stickley residence on Columbus Avenue is regarded as the first fully designed Craftsman style residential interior in the United States and much of Stickley’s iconic interior design remains intact. Participants will be given a behind-the-scenes tour detailing the next steps as the not-for-profit Gustav Stickley House Foundation, Inc. and their community partners prepare to embark on a comprehensive "Phase 2" interior restoration project.
[2.5 LU]
Pre-registration required.
Meet inside Dalton’s American Decorative Arts (1931 James St.). On-street parking is available (please do NOT park in the lot behind the store). From there, participants will re-convene at the Gustav Stickley House (438 Columbus Ave.), where on-street parking is available. Carpooling is strongly encouraged.
Speakers
Beth has been a Designer and Project Manager with Crawford & Stearns since 1983. She has participated in the preservation, rehabilitation, and adaptive use of hundreds of buildings across New York State. As Project Manager for Crawford & Stearns Beth has worked on the Stickley House project for over 10 years including multiple grants applications, planning, documentation, extensive research, restoration, and design. Beth is an active volunteer with area preservation groups and has served previously as VP of the Preservation Association of Central New York and is currently VP of the Arts & Crafts Society of Central New York.
Amy Shook-Perez is Secretary of the Gustav Stickley House Foundation. A community volunteer and preservation advocate, Ms. Perez was a museum educator specializing in historic house/historic site interpretation and volunteer management for over 15 years in Florida, Virginia, and California. She has additional professional experience in business administration, operations support and risk management. She holds degrees in anthropology and museum education including a master’s degree from George Washington University. As part of the Foundation, she has served as Chair of the Grants Committee and helped coordinate fundraising events.
Sarah is a great granddaughter of Gustav Stickley. She recently retired from her long time position as Marketing Director of Mid-Lakes Navigation Co., the tourboat business founded in 1968 by her father, Peter Wiles, son of Stickley’s daughter Barbara. Sarah has served on the boards of many community and tourism-based organizations such as the Skaneateles Area Chamber of Commerce and CanalNY. Sarah was instrumental in the founding of the Gustav Stickley House Foundation, Inc. and currently serves as Vice President of the board. Sarah’s leisure pursuits include social and competitive ballroom dance and ballroom competition dressmaking and design. She also enjoys seasonal work in the fields of Doce Lume Farm, an organic produce and native perennial grower in Skaneateles.
David is the founder and co-owner, with his wife Debbie Goldwein, of Dalton’s American Decorative Arts in Syracuse, NY. Founded in 1980, Dalton’s has established itself as an unparalleled resource for original Arts and Crafts furnishings and decorative ac
