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2024 Sessions and Speakers

MONDAY, APRIL 15th

  • Pre-Conference CLG Training
    Pre-Conference CLG Training 9:45 AM - 3:00 PM

    Presented by National Alliance of Preservation Commissions (NAPC)

Required for CLG Scholarship recipients.

Memorial Art Gallery (500 University Avenue), Ballroom. Lunch will be served.

Training Details coming soon!

PANELISTS

Thank you to our Olmsted Tour Sponsor, Roxanne Stavropoulos

Rochester’s Olmsted Parks Bus Tour

PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED. This coach tour will include transportation and guided walks in the original parks of the Rochester Park System -Highland, Genesee Valley and Seneca/Maplewood Parks- designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. It will offer direct experience, evaluation and discussion of the park landscapes, as designed, built, modified and used today.

[3.0 LU]

PANELISTS

JoAnn Beck is a retired Landscape Architect, whose professional experience includes academic and private practice, as well as 20 years as the Senior Landscape Architect at the City of Rochester. She serves on the Board of the Maplewood Neighborhood Association, as the President of the Board of Directors of The Highland Park Conservancy, and is a founding member and current President of the Rochester Olmsted Parks Alliance.

Katie joined Bero Architecture in 2010 as the firm’s architectural historian, and recently returned as senior historian after advocating for historic preservation statewide with The Preservation League of New York State from 2021-2023. She has in-depth expertise in multiple areas of preservation planning, advocacy, and historic documentation including cultural resource evaluation, historic resource surveys, historic rehabilitation tax credit administration, design guidelines, National Register nominations, and local, state, and federal preservation compliance.

Having grown up in a historic Erie Canal village, Katie values the walkability and amenities of traditional streetscapes and mixed-use neighborhoods. Working on projects from the Southern Tier to the Thousand Islands, Katie loves finding out how New York’s buildings, neighborhoods, and landscapes came to be, what makes them meaningful to current residents, and how they can become even better in the future.

Katie is a longtime board member of the Rochester Olmsted Parks Alliance and past board member of the National Association for Olmsted Parks. She is also a member of The Landmark Society of Western New York’s Five to Revive Committee.

Katie lives in the town of Brighton with her husband and two college-age children. 

Rochester’s Neighborhood of the Arts Walking Tour

Discover the history, iconic 19th-20th century architecture, and exciting adaptive re-uses of former commercial/industrial buildings on this walking tour of Rochester’s Neighborhood of the Arts (NOTA). NOTA encompasses both the East Avenue Preservation District (foremost “Gilded Age” residential architecture in the region), as well as the original campus of the University of Rochester, and former 19h-century industrial complexes along the city’s major Amtrak railroad corridor.

[2.0 LU]

PANELISTS

Cynthia Howk is the retired Architectural Research Coordinator at The Landmark Society of Western New York. She has extensive experience researching and documenting historic resources in the Rochester region.

In her 45-year tenure at The Landmark Society, Cynthia served as the principal researcher and information referral service for local history, architecture, preservation, and architectural history. She advised and assisted individuals, governmental units, and organizations with landmark programs and preservation planning, and offered training to members of local preservation boards.

Though technically “retired,” Cynthia is still active on several Landmark Society’s committees, sharing her knowledge and perspective with the Preservation Awards Committee, House & Garden Tour Committee, and Inside Downtown Tour Committee. She continues to provide information about local buildings, architecture, and neighborhoods in the region.

Cynthia is an honorary member of AIA/NYS and recipient of the New York State Office of Historic Preservation Individual Achievement Award in 2022.

TUESDAY, APRIL 16th

1A | Progress and Preservation: Historic Preservation and the New York State Parks and Historic Sites System

The year 2024 marks the centennial of the New York State Council of Parks, which oversaw the development of a unified state park and historic site system, the first comprehensive system of its type in the nation. Developed as a vast, regionally based system of scenic, cultural and recreational destinations, it is also marked by a remarkable collection of historic resources, including both legacy buildings and those that were constructed for park-specific purposes to satisfy a range of public and support functions. These include eighteenth-century houses and barns, 1930s-era rustic buildings, structures and features erected using federal relief money and Civilian Conservation Corps labor, and post-war buildings the form and materials of which convey the prevailing Modern aesthetic of the time. Maintaining and managing such a large and diverse array of historic resources presents a multitude of challenges, among them repurposing redundant buildings to meet new programming and needs, maintaining historic buildings in the face of constant and intense usage, and accommodating those changes that are necessary to meet new standards and public expectations. This talk will provide a brief background on the development of the state park and site system and an overview of the major periods of development and building types, followed by a survey of specific buildings and structures that are in the process of analysis, revisioning, and rehabilitation, or which have been recently rehabilitated and placed back into active service..

[1.25 LU]

Speaker

William Krattinger has been associated with New York State’s Division for Historic Preservation since 2000 and worked previously as a historic interpreter with the National Park Service at federal historic sites in New York and Connecticut. He holds an undergraduate degree in Art History from the State University of New York at New Paltz and a Master’s Degree in Public History from State University of New York at Albany.  His professional interests center on the historical, architectural and cultural traditions of New York State.  He has authored articles for various historical journals and publications and speaks frequently on topics relative to New York State architecture, and he is additionally an adjunct faculty member at SUNY Albany, where he teaches a graduate course on the history of American architecture.

1B | Adaptive Reuse of Historic Houses of Worship

Thousands of historic houses of worship lie vacant in this country. They were often the most substantial buildings in their communities, built by the finest craftsmen. As many dwindling congregations could not afford the maintenance they required, however, many became vacant and new viable use could be found. Character defining features of these buildings include large sanctuary spaces, stained glass windows, altars, and other elements difficult to convert to a new use. While some modifications are allowed, maintaining such features is required to receive Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits, thus reducing the options for adaptive reuse. These buildings are architecturally significant and create a sense of place within a community. Demolition and new building require large amounts of energy and waste original materials. Finding new ways to reuse these buildings is enormously important to our communities, our culture, and our climate.

[1.25 LU]

Speakers

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. He has authored numerous articles and is the author of APPA’s Body of Knowledge Chapter on Renovation. 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.

Julian Adams is the Director of the Historic Preservation Division of Carmina Wood Design. A native of Georgia, he holds a Masters of Historic Preservation from the University of Georgia at Athens.  Formerly with the NYSHPO (1988-2020). From 2013 until 2020 he oversaw several State and New York State Historic Preservation programs as Director of the Community Services Bureau.  These included the Federal and State Rehabilitation Tax Credit, the Certified Local Government Program, the NYS Historic Preservation Grant program and the National Register program.  At Carmina Wood, he is responsible for marketing and project development, preservation design oversight, and working with projects and programs using federal and state historic preservation programs.

Colleen Heemeyer, AICP is a graduate of Roger Williams University’s historic-preservation program holding both undergraduate and graduate degrees.  She has worked with the Sacred Sites Program and Preservation Services programs since 2007.  Prior to that she held positions with the Boston Landmarks Commission and the Providence Preservation Society. She currently lives in a National Register Historic District in Brooklyn.

1C | Expanding Preservation Pedagogies: Research on the Faultline Between Built and Natural Environments

Session presented by Pratt Institute Graduate Program in Historic Preservation.

While college-level preservation education in the U.S. has now reached advanced middle age, efforts to define its pedagogic principles are relatively recent. Historic Preservation graduate degree programs teach a variety of skills, strategies and approaches that are additional to, and sometimes in direct contradiction with, physical preservation of historic structures. For example, intangible heritage conservation, managed retreat of historic structures threatened by climate change, and even managed decay are all strategies explored by preservation pedagogy. Yet still today, many outside the preservation field presume that preservationists are only concerned with legal protection for “significant” works of architecture. Rather than consider these conflations and confusions problematic, this session explores how these ambiguities can serve to expand the impact and scope of preservation studies, in both pedagogy and professional practice. The presentation team - faculty and students from Pratt Institute’s Historic Preservation Master’s degree program - will share new research on communities where historic natural, cultural and architectural ecosystems intersect to form places of powerful meaning. As the impacts of climate change, social conflict, and urban development threaten these fragile resources, what solutions may be offered by historic preservation pedagogy, policy and practice?

[1.25 LU]

Speakers

Vicki Weiner is the Academic Director of the Historic Preservation Master’s degree program in the School of Architecture at Pratt Institute, and an Adjunct Associate Professor. She oversees and manages all aspects of the MSc degree in Historic Preservation at Pratt, serving as chief curriculum and research designer, recruiter of students and faculty, and administrator. Over the past twenty years at Pratt she has taught graduate courses in historic preservation history & theory, law & policy, research methods, policy analysis, and community preservation planning; she has lectured on these topics at Columbia University, University of Pennsylvania, New York University, and at numerous civic organizations. She has over 25 years of professional experience as an historic preservation practitioner, having served as director of two non-profit preservation organizations in New York City; as the first Kress Fellow for Historic Preservation at the Municipal Art Society of New York; and as a historic preservation policy consultant. She recently stepped down as a Senior Fellow at Pratt Center for Community Development, where she served as Deputy Director from 2011-2019 and previously managed projects that explored preserving culturally important places to create more equitable communities. She has authored or co-authored numerous research reports, briefing papers, and articles on preserving community culture in low-income neighborhoods. Her recent publications include articles in Preservation and the New Data Landscape (2019), Preservation and Social Inclusion (2020), and Preservation, Sustainability and Equity (2021) from Columbia Books on Architecture and the City. She is a recipient of numerous fellowships, grants and awards including the James Marston Fitch Mid-Career Fellowship, the Taconic Fellowship, and the Research Innovation Prize from the Strategic Initiatives Grant Program at Pratt Institute. She served as a selected participant in Columbia University’s three-year research initiative on Urban Heritage, Sustainability and Social Inclusion. She has served on the Board of Directors of numerous community and citywide preservation organizations in New York and is currently the Treasurer of the Historic Properties Fund of the New York Landmarks Conservancy. Vicki has a Master of Science degree in Historic Preservation from Columbia University, and a Bachelor of Art degree in Theater Arts from Drew University.

As a student of Historic Preservation at Pratt Institute, Radhya Kareem’s passion lies in understanding the connection between preserving the built environment and conserving ecology. Her research delves into how preserving the past can help communities envision solutions for the future, particularly in the context of port cities like Karachi, her city of origin, and her current home, New York City. Her undergraduate degree in Architecture continues to shape her academic and professional journey. Radhya, also a recipient of the Aga Khan scholarship program, is deeply interested in informal and tactical urbanism, participatory planning, all aimed at finding new theories of a subaltern form of preservation. She merges built heritage with the intangible, exploring architectures of necessity and jugaad as innovative solutions within urban contexts.

Employing a multi-layered cartography approach, Radhya seeks to understand the cities where she has lived, identifying intersections and points of convergence across diverse experiences. Her aim is to celebrate diversity and promote pluralism in the built and lived environments. Outside of the studio, she can be found capturing the beauty of urban nature through photography and drawing. She finds inspiration in observing the returning birds and butterflies in industrial environments, as well as the changing seasons of foliage in the city.

Tarin Jones is a graduate student in the MSc in Historic Preservation Program within the Graduate Center for the Environment at Pratt Institute, following undergraduate studies in architecture and design practices and urban planning at the University of Virginia. He has received Pratt Institute’s Diamonstein-Spielvogel Fellowship and Academic Award, the Keepers Preservation Education Fund’s William J. Murtagh Scholarship, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Mildred Colodny Scholarship. In 2018, Jones interned for the Digital Archaeological Archive of Comparative Slavery in the Digital Maps & Stratigraphic Analysis Department, identifying contexts, maps, and artifacts from sites at Flowerdew Hundred Plantation. He has worked on historic landscapes, such as Monticello, and exhibitions, including a two-artist show, (Re)Framing Protest: Design and Hope (2022) on the Historic Monument Avenue, as well as an artist retrospection, Atvastic Memories: The Studio Furniture of Sam Forrest (2021) at The Branch Museum of Architecture and Design in Richmond, Virginia. In his current position at the Public Housing Community Fund, he coordinates stakeholder engagement and programming for public artwork restoration. His graduate thesis investigates the opportunities to interpret and represent marronage at the Great Dismal Swamp in Virginia, tentatively entitled Beyond Marronage: Placekeeping as Heritage Preservation.

Anisha Swain is a Graduate Student, enrolled in the Historic Preservation Program at the Graduate Center for the Environment at Pratt Institute, New York. Her current research titled “Shifting Tides of Heritage; Designing a Transposable Strategy for Coastal Communities in Goa”, addresses the pressing challenges faced by communities in Goa’s low-lying areas due to climate change. She aims to delve deep into the subject and devise a plausible model that would integrate sustainable and preservation strategies to safeguard the history and heritage of buildings, sites, communities, and individuals.

 

Having also completed her Undergraduate Degree in Architecture in Mumbai, India, Anisha is equipped with a versatile skill set in design and strong passion for understanding and preserving cultural heritage. Her dedication to preserving heritage extends beyond academic pursuits, as symbolized by the hands-on experience acquired in community engagement projects, such as the revival of the traditional ‘Kunbi’ handloom in Goa. Anisha’s ultimate aspiration is to contribute significantly to the preservation of heritage through various mediums, ensuring that the stories and significance of these elements endure for future generations to appreciate.

In her spare time, Anisha’s love for gastronomy leads her on strolls on delightful adventures through NYC’s diverse culinary landscape, discovering hidden gems and savoring new flavors while embracing the city’s energy. When she is back home in India, Anisha prioritizes and loves nothing more than spending time with her dog, friends, and family, lounging around in the tropical weather.

Dr. Harriet Harriss, (ARB, RIBA, (Assoc.)AIA, PFHEA, FRSA, Ph.D) is a Professor in the Ms Historic Preservation Program within the Graduate Center for Planning and the Environment at Pratt Institute, following her tenure as the Dean of the School of Architecture. An award-winning educator, writer and UK-qualified architect, Dr. Harriss has established an international reputation for social justice and climate crisis pedagogy and curriculum design and for pioneering interdisciplinary pedagogies informed by avant-garde thinking, that draw upon queer, feminist and decolonization theories to advance diversity, equity and inclusion pedagogies, policies and professional practices. www.harriet-harriss.com

2A | The Evolution (and Devolution) of the Double Hung Window

This presentation delves into the history of the double hung window, from its inception in England in the 1700’s through today. It will look closely at historic window componentry based on construction and building methods of this period. It will then identify the various changes and developments made throughout the years to these components, such as the addition of screens, balances, weatherstripping, insulated glass, and newer building materials such as aluminum, vinyl, wood composites, and fiberglass, and the impact these developments had on design aesthetics, operation, thermal performance, cost, and other factors.

[1.25 LU]

Speaker

Tim Forster is the Director of the Architectural Wood Products Division at Rochester Colonial Manufacturing in Rochester, NY. He oversees the division’s operations including sales & marketing, design, product development, project management, and manufacturing for the company’s HeartWood Fine Windows and Doors and FoldUp brands. The company works on projects throughout the US and Canada, including many which require exact or near exact period historic wood window or door replication.

Tim is a trustee for the Landmark Society of Western NY where he serves as Vice President of Properties. He is also a commissioner for the Perinton Historic Architecture Commission in Perinton, NY.

2B | LGBTQ Heritage Conservation in New York State: Perspectives, Strategies, Challenges

Historic preservation and public history professionals working in LGBTQ heritage conservation throughout New York State and beyond will present examples of their respective work and discuss ways to advance LGBTQ preservation efforts in New York, challenges to the conservation of LGBTQ heritage, upstate/downstate connections, and the necessity and use of a statewide LGBTQ historic context statement.

[1.25 LU]

Speakers

Dr. Jeff Iovannone is a historian and historic preservation planner from Buffalo, New York who specializes in the social history of the built environment, LGBTQ heritage conservation, and queer site-based history. He holds a PhD in American Studies from the University at Buffalo and a Masters in Historic Preservation Planning with a minor in LGBT Studies from Cornell University. From 2013 to 2021, he was a faculty member in the departments of History and Interdisciplinary Studies at the State University of New York at Fredonia and directed the program in Women’s and Gender Studies. Iovannone has consulted for the NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project and is currently a preservation planner with the Landmark Society of Western New York.

Samantha Rosenthal is Associate Professor of History, Coordinator of the Public History Concentration, and Co-Coordinator of the Gender and Women’s Studies Concentration at Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia. She is the author of two books, most recently Living Queer History: Remembrance and Belonging in a Southern City. She is co-founder of the Southwest Virginia LGBTQ+ History Project, a nationally recognized queer public history initiative. Her work has received recognition from the National Council on Public History, the Oral History Association, the Committee on LGBT History, the American Society for Environmental History, and the Working Class Studies Association.

Erin Tobin joined Adirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH) as Executive Director in 2021. She previously served as the Preservation League of New York State’s Vice President for Policy and Preservation for 14 years, from 2007 to 2021. Tobin has also held positions with the Massachusetts Historical Commission, New York Landmarks Conservancy, and Historic Albany Foundation. She serves on the City of Albany Historic Resources Commission, appointed in August 2018. Tobin holds a Master of Science degree in Historic Preservation from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Arts in Architectural History from Binghamton University. She lives in the city of Albany with her husband, three children, and labradoodle, Asher.

Amanda Davis is an experienced architectural historian who has overseen the NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project’s documentation initiatives since its founding in 2015. On behalf of the Project, she has spoken to various audiences at the city, state, and national levels, and authored the National Register of Historic Places nomination for the Caffe Cino. Amanda previously worked at the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, Architectural Resources Group (in Los Angeles), the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission, and the Central Park Conservancy. She holds a BA in Architectural History from the University of Virginia and an MS in Historic Preservation from Columbia University.

2D | The Foundations of Strong Social Media: Mini-Sessions

(1) Digital Content Creation 101;

(2) Audience Building & Community Management;

(3) Fishing Where the Fish Are: Embracing a Digital Shift and Motivating Followers to Take Action Online

Paige Engard, Director of Communications at Genesee Country Village & Museum, will guide three micro-sessions all focused around social media content creation, audience building, and community management. Sessions will be aimed at marketing representatives from organizations who may also handle other roles, and focus on how to make the most of your digital marketing presence and make your content work twice as hard. In a world where social media is both customer service and a tool for reaching and building community, organizations of all sizes must have a presence in this digital space.

[1.25 LU]

Speaker

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 11+ 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.

Resilient Regeneration: The Importance of Being Historic and Sustainable

The issues of climate crisis and social inequity are inextricably linked and can only be solved through reimagining the built environment. That starts with understanding and leveraging the inherent value of existing places through transformational stewardship. Reusing, adapting, and renewing existing buildings is both the greatest challenge and greatest opportunity for quick and lasting climate impact. In 2022, existing buildings accounted for 53% of architectural billings, and the proportion is rising. These projects represent more than financial opportunity—they are key to climate action. Because buildings account for 40% of global CO2 emissions, the existing built environment must adapt and decarbonize for us to realize 1.5°C climate targets by 2040. Existing places harbor enormous value in the form of invested ideas, culture, material, and carbon. Every project is an opportunity to understand and work on a unique combination of social and performance issues.

[1 LU]

SPEAKER

Nakita Reed is an award-winning architect with experience in the rehabilitation and sustainable reuse of existing and historic buildings. She has a Master of Architecture and a Master of Science in Historic Preservation from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Virginia. She is a registered architect, a LEED®-Accredited Professional, and a certified Passive House Consultant.

She serves on the board of the Baltimore Architecture Foundation and is a co-chair of the Zero Net Carbon Collaboration for Existing and Heritage Buildings (ZNCC). She is also the host of Tangible Remnants, a podcast for lovers of existing buildings that explores the intersection of architecture, preservation, sustainability, race & gender.

3A | The Rehabilitation of the Michigan Avenue / Broadway Block: Rebirth of the Gateway to the Eastside and the Historic Michigan Avenue Corridor

The Nash Lofts project at Michigan Avenue and Broadway in Buffalo took an entire block of buildings with mixed uses and conditions and created a new gateway from downtown the East Side. This took a careful combination of local, City, and State initiative, support, and funding. The panel, including a leader in the Michigan Avenue African American Heritage Corridor, the architect that designed the block's transformation, and the funder that provided the capital, will discuss the opportunity, the physical challenges, the funding sources, and the solution that created new housing, retail, and not-for-profit space honoring the history of the buildings and the history of the neighborhood.

[1.25 LU]

Speakers

Mr. Carmina is a founding partner of Carmina Wood Design and establishes the firm’s vision, directing the course of business through oversight of all aspects of the company’s architecture and interior design departments. His experience spans more than thirty years of planning, design and project implementation for a diverse range of commercial and institutional projects, successfully serving the needs of a long list of clients based in both the public and private sectors.

 Rev. Blue serves as president and founder of the SBC Foundation, President of the Baptist Minsters’ Conference of Buffalo and Vicinity, President of the Board of Directors of the Lackawanna Chambers of Commerce, Member of the Lackawanna Ministerial Alliance, Board Member of the Erie County Fair Housing Partnership, and sits on the Advisory Board of Hilbert College. Rev. Blue completed his Associates Degree in Aerospace Technology in October 2001, Associate Degree in June 2007, a Bachelors Degree in June 2009 in Christian Ministry at the Rochester Center of Theological and Biblical Studies and is currently enrolled in a Masters Program at the Andersonville Theological Seminary.

Timmon M. Favaro, Partner at Cannon, Heyman & Weiss, LLP, 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, the New York Brownfield Tax Credit, and tax-exempt bond structured financings. Tim has represented numerous developers, investors, and lenders in historic tax credit financed transactions throughout New York State and beyond in his 20 year legal career.

3B | SHPO: Someone to Help People Out

Have you ever wondered, “What does being listed in the National Register mean for property owners?” “What grants and tax credits are available for preservation projects in my neighborhood?” “Who can I talk to about this important building?”…or anything else related to historic preservation on a state level? In this session, a panel of staff from the State Historic Preservation Office at the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation will be available for an entire session to answer questions from attendees. If you’ve always wondered who your SHPO reps are, what they do, or how the SHPO functions in NYS, this is the conference session you’ve been waiting for. During the panel discussion, the speakers will answer some questions collected in advance, but participants are free to ask questions live as well.

[1.25 LU]

Speakers

Christina Vagvolgyi is a Senior Historic Site Restoration Coordinator at the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation. As head of the Incentives & Planning Unit, she oversees the Historic Homeownership Rehabilitation Credit program, the Certified Local Government program, as well as various other programs including NYS Environmental Protection Fund grants, and the Division for Historic Preservation’s federally funded grant programs. Christina has extensive experience in the field of historic preservation, having worked for preservation architects prior to joining NYS. She holds a Master of Science in historic preservation from Columbia University and previously served on the boards of the Association for Preservation Technology Northeast Chapter and the Historic Albany Foundation.

Olivia Brazee is Senior Historic Site Restoration Coordinator at the Division for Historic Preser-vation of the Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation (State Historic Preservation Office), where she supervises the Technical Services Unit and administers the Barn Tax Credit program. In her free time she serves as President of the Board of TAP, Inc. and as a member of the Troy Historic Review Commission. 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 OPRHP.

Chelsea Towers is a Historic Preservation Program Coordinator for the Survey & National Reg-ister Unit at the Division for Historic Preservation of the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Histor-ic Preservation. She oversees the identification and evaluation of historic districts, buildings, structures, objects and sites in New York State for consideration in the State and National Regis-ters of Historic Places. After getting her Master of Science in Historic Preservation from Roger Williams University, Chelsea started at the Division as an analyst working on the large-scale Hur-ricane Sandy Survey of Selected Waterfront Communities. In addition to her work at the state, she also serves as a trustee for the Fort Edward Historical Association.

Kathleen LaFrank is a Historic Preservation Program Coordinator at the Division for Historic Preservation of the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation. She has an M.A. in architecture and design criticism from Parsons School of Design. She is the coordinator of the Division for Historic Preservation’s new Tax Credit Part 1 Unit, where she works with a small team to assist sponsors with applications and reviews them for submission to the National Park Service. She has extensive expertise with all aspects of the National Register and Tax Credit part 1 programs.

3D | One-on-One Social Media Consults

Paige Engard, Director of Communications at Genesee Country Village & Museum, will offer 15-minute social media consults to participants looking for tips to help grow their audience, manage their community, and make the most of your digital marketing presence. Participants are encouraged to bring specific questions or challenges and examples of their social media content. Sign up at the registration table – spots are limited!

Speaker

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 11+ 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.

3E | Beautiful Old Windows Workshop

Pre-registration required.

Beautiful Old Windows! - there is nothing like the detail and matching architecture of Old Windows. If you have windows in an old house or building built before 1940 then you have some of the best windows ever made. This age of windows are much better to restore, rather than replace with lesser modern options.

Come join Brandon Fleishour, from The Old Window Company, for an overview of restoring an old window to make it beautiful and functional again. Better yet, get hands on experience with one of the important steps in the restoration process - putting Glazing Putty around the glass - to form a new seal so your old windows can go another 100 years.

[1.25 LU]

Speakers

Brandon is currently training the 6th generation of craftspeople in his family’s tradition of building in America, now in its niche of Old Window Restoration with his company and shop – The Old Window Company.

After helping lead a team of craftspeople to restore windows for the Senate in Washington DC, Brandon came back home and decided to convert his construction company to 100% Old Window Restoration. Brandon leads with the truth that people are the most valuable thing in Architecture.

Laney Fleishour is a multi-talented 6th generation skilled craftsperson in the niche of old window restoration for The Old Window Company.  She is happily married and would love to show you the world through one of your windows.

4A | Brownfields & Bias – Complex Historic Preservation Through the Lens of a WBE Developer

This session will explore the financing strategy for Canal Street Commons, a complex historic preservation located in the Susan B. Anthony neighborhood in the City of Rochester which was developed with a combination of Historic, Low-Income Housing, and Brownfield tax credits. The session will explore challenges the development faced in securing financing, including a global discussion of implicit gender bias in the commercial lending and equity industries.

[1.25 LU]

Speakers

Monica McCullough is the owner and founder of MM Development Advisors, Inc., a NYS Certified Woman-owned Business Enterprise that assists non-profits and social service providers to develop affordable and supportive housing.  Monica is the owner and operator of the historic Hoyt-Potter House, a professional office building conversion of an 1840’s Greek Revival located in Rochester’s Corn Hill neighborhood.

She has spent her career focused on historic preservation and community development and has more than a decade of experience in not-for-profit administration.  She has participated in the successful financing and development of more than $500 million in mixed-use, multi-family and single-family residential properties located across New York, Pennsylvania, Indiana and Puerto Rico.

Monica received her undergraduate degree in economics from the University of Rochester; a Master of Public Administration from the​ Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University; and a Juris Doctor from the Syracuse University College of Law.  She is admitted to practice in the State of New York. 

Monica is a founding member of the NY Women in Real Estate Association, which has grown to a membership of more than 300 women real estate professionals across upstate and western NY.  Monica is a recipient of the Rochester Business Journal’s 2014 Forty Under 40 award and was recognized by the RBJ as a Leader in Construction Honoree for Development in 2022.  Monica has participated in two projects honored with an Excellence in Historic Preservation Award for Project Excellence from the Preservation League of New York State – Holy Rosary Apartments in 2014 and Gerard Block Apartments in 2022.  Monica is a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank of NY Affordable Housing Advisory Council.

Sakina N. Riddell concentrates her practice in the areas of community development and affordable housing law, which includes complex commercial real estate and financing transactions utilizing tax credit syndication and other financing sources, including Federal New Markets Tax Credits (“NMTC”) and Federal and New York State Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (“LIHTC”), taxable and tax-exempt bonds, conventional debt, government loans and subsidies. She represents community development entities, lenders and QALICBs on NMTC transactions for commercial and mixed-use development projects. On LIHTC transactions, she represents developers, lenders, and investors on senior and multi-family affordable housing development projects.

Ms. Riddell received her education at Duke University (B.A., cum laude) and Georgetown University Law Center (J.D.). She is a past recipient of Buffalo Business First’s 40 Under 40 Award and 1490 Enterprises Inc.’s 35th Annual Black Achievers in Industry Award. Ms. Riddell is a member of the American Bar Association’s Forum on Affordable Housing and Community Development Law, the New York State Bar Association, and the Bar Association of Erie County. She is a Past President of the Minority Bar Association of Western New York, and a past board member of the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York, Western New York Chapter.

Tim is the Managing Partner of Flaherty Salmin CPAs and also heads up the affordable housing/community development practice of the firm. His clients include developers, owners and managers of real estate entities, most of which are affordable housing apartment projects utilizing HUD, USDA RD, the federal low income housing tax credit, as well as various other federal, state and local credit and subsidy programs. As part of his real estate practice, Tim serves clients in the not-for-profit and construction businesses.

A 1982 graduate of St. Bonaventure University, Tim previously worked for six years with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and two years as the Controller of a publicly held retail sporting goods company before starting his own accounting practice in 1990. Tim was also an adjunct professor at St. John Fisher College from 1986 to 1992.

Tim currently serves as a board member, the Treasurer and finance committee chair of Action for a Better Community (ABC) (a community action agency in Rochseter), a board member and Treasurer of Sojourner House and is an executive board member and Treasurer of the New York State Association for Affordable Housing (NYSAFAH).

4B | Using Historic Preservation Incentives to Develop Affordable Housing: Case Studies from Buffalo, NY

The session will discuss the redevelopment of the former Record Theatre complex on Main Street into a two-phase 25-unit affordable housing project that includes neighborhood, shops, eateries, and offices. The session will start by explaining the rich historic significance of the six-building complex. Panelists then will discuss the opportunities and challenges presented by the historic tax credit program. We also will discuss construction challenges faced by the developers and sustainable building elements of the project. Finally, we will discuss the unique financing for the project, which, in addition to historic tax credits, includes affordable housing and other economic development subsidies, energy and utility incentives, a property tax abatement for local landmarks, and an online community investment campaign through www.commonowner.com.

[1.25 LU]

Speakers

Jason Yots has practiced community economic development law since graduating from the University at Buffalo School of Law in 1996. In 2008, Jason co-founded Preservation Studios, an historic preservation firm headquartered in Buffalo, NY. In 2014, Jason founded Common Bond Real Estate, a real estate development company that pursues adaptive reuse projects in Western New York.

Karen A. Kennedy, the Director of Architectural History at Preservation Studios, brings a wealth of experience in Historic Preservation with twenty-four years in the field. Prior to her current role, she served as the Co-Founder and Principal of TKS Historic Resources from 2003 to 2018, providing exceptional historic preservation services throughout the Northeast. Collaborating with private companies, non-profits, municipalities, and State Historic Preservation Officers, Karen manages a wide variety of preservation projects. Her areas of expertise include historic tax cred-its, State and National Register nominations, cultural resource investigation, Section 14.09 re-views, and reconnaissance and intensive level historic resources surveys.  Karen holds an MS degree in Historic Preservation from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning & Preservation and meets the requirements for an architectural historian in accordance with the National Park Service Qualification Standards 36 CFR61.

Derek King has been a partner with Preservation Studios since 2013, serving as the company’s Director of Operations since 2015. Originally from New Hampshire, he quickly grew enamored with the interesting histories tied to the many beautiful buildings in Buffalo and across New York State. Derek is also one of the Co-Founders of CommonOwner.com, an equity crowdfunding portal, and a partner in the $7 million redevelopment of the former Record Theatre at 1786 Main Street, in Buffalo NY.

Mike Puma joined Preservation Studios in 2011 and has been a partner since 2013, serving as the company’s Technical Services Director. He has overseen hundreds of successful historic tax credit re-habilitations, closing in on nearly $1 billion of rehab costs across the state. His primary role is working closely with developers, architects, and the SHPO to plan a successful rehabilitation scope through the HPCA Part 2 & 3 process. In his spare time, he has restored his 1915 home in the Hamlin Park Historic District and also works to research and restore, rare and obscure American sports cars with Undiscovered Classics.

4C | Understanding the Code Enforcement Process Using Data in Albany, Rochester, and Oneonta

Code enforcement is easily and often misunderstood. The general public may believe that municipal building and code departments are the sole arbiter of building codes, but the process in which enforcement happens is significantly more complex and nuanced. The code enforcement process works most effectively when all three parties involved – Departments of Buildings & Codes, Legal Counsel, and Municipal Courts – are all aligned in having the capacity and powers to play their parts. This session will explore how the cities of Albany, Rochester, and Oneonta are seeking to better understand how their code enforcement processes can function better by using data and public outreach. It will also discuss how each city is utilizing public input and assistance to ensure a more seamless compliance process in Local and National Historic Districts, and how code enforcement can work in tandem with planning and preservation efforts.

[1.25 LU]

Speakers

Samuel Wells is the Neighborhood Stabilization Coordinator for the City of Albany, NY. He leads City efforts to accurately track the number of vacant buildings with a focus on coordinating efforts to return these buildings back to productive use, in addition to eliminating blight more generally across the City. Samuel was a member of the Tri-City team that came together from the cities of Albany, Schenectady, & Troy to file three joint lawsuits against PHH & Ocwen for property conditions at 18 zombie properties across the three cities. 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 lead the team that secured and implemented the Love Your Block grant from Cities of Service. Prior to joining the City of Albany, Samuel worked for the Capital District Transportation Authority as a Transportation Planner overseeing demand management programs and analyzing ridership data. Samuel also serves on the Board of Directors for the Albany County Land Bank. He holds a Master’s degree in Urban & Regional Planning and Bachelor’s degrees in Environmental Design and Political Science from SUNY Buffalo.

Chris Cech is Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City of Albany, New York and prosecutes building code violations and collects money judgments for the City. He also leads its zombie litigation efforts and was a member of the team from the cities of Albany, Schenectady, & Troy to file simultaneous lawsuits against PHH & Ocwen for conditions at 18 zombie properties. Chris graduated from the Elisabeth Haub School of Law in 2019 and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Connecticut.

Matthew Simonis currently serves as the Manager of Zoning for the City of Rochester.  He is responsible for the oversight and day to day operations of the Division of Zoning.  This includes administering the City’s Zoning Code, serving as secretary to three land use boards and two advisory boards, and overseeing the site plan review process for development within the City.  Matthew is also leading the internal City team on the Zoning Alignment Project, the first comprehensive city-wide Zoning Code update in over 20 years.  He previously served in various roles within the Division of Zoning, including as lead staff to the Zoning Board of Appeals.  Matthew started with the City in 2011 at the Southeast Neighborhood Service Center (NSC) while attending graduate school.  It was at the NSC where he first discovered his passion for public service and the desire to serve others. Matthew is a resident of the City’s Browncroft Neighborhood where he and his husband, Patrick, have spent the last five years rehabbing and restoring their historic Spanish Colonial style home. 

Stephen has served as the City of Oneonta’s Code Enforcement Officer since March 2017 and currently holds the position of Deputy Director of Community Development. Before his tenure with the City, he was a tradesperson specializing in architectural finishing and historic restoration, contributing to notable projects like the restoration of Sacred Heart Cathedral in Peoria, Illinois, and St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan, New York. In addition to his professional endeavors, Stephen has undertaken personal rehabilitation projects, such as an early 19th-century timber frame farmhouse in Delaware County, NY, and is in the process of restoring an 1890s Victorian home in Oneonta alongside his wife, Sara, and their two rescue dogs. Stephen’s academic background includes degrees in Fine Art, History, and Geography, a Master’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning and a Master’s Certificate in Historic Preservation. His scholarly contributions include researching late 17th-century timber-framed fishing structures in the Village of Sconset on Nantucket. This research, presented at the Vernacular Architecture Forum Conference in Plymouth, Massachusetts, is currently being prepared for publication. As a certified professional planner and a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners, Stephen’s work integrates his passion for historic preservation with the practical aspects of community planning.

4E | Beautiful Old Windows Workshop

Pre-registration required.

Beautiful Old Windows! - there is nothing like the detail and matching architecture of Old Windows. If you have windows in an old house or building built before 1940 then you have some of the best windows ever made. This age of windows are much better to restore, rather than replace with lesser modern options.

Come join Brandon Fleishour, from The Old Window Company, for an overview of restoring an old window to make it beautiful and functional again. Better yet, get hands on experience with one of the important steps in the restoration process - putting Glazing Putty around the glass - to form a new seal so your old windows can go another 100 years.

[1.25 LU]

Speakers

Brandon is currently training the 6th generation of craftspeople in his family’s tradition of building in America, now in its niche of Old Window Restoration with his company and shop – The Old Window Company.

After helping lead a team of craftspeople to restore windows for the Senate in Washington DC, Brandon came back home and decided to convert his construction company to 100% Old Window Restoration. Brandon leads with the truth that people are the most valuable thing in Architecture.

Laney Fleishour is a multi-talented 6th generation skilled craftsperson in the niche of old window restoration for The Old Window Company.  She is happily married and would love to show you the world through one of your windows.

WEdnesday, April 17th

Field Session 5A | Lilac Crusaders: Preserving Queer History for a Queer Future: Rochester Rainbow Union Lilac Library

This field session course will give attendees an in-person, interactive tour of the Lilac Library - the largest collection of circulating Queer literature and media in New York State! Attendees will gain an understanding of the Rochester Rainbow Union’s Lilac Library as an essential community resource for all ages, and come to learn the services the Lilac Library provides to the community. This field session will acquaint attendees with what materials are housed within the Lilac Library, from circulation literature to rare book and periodicals, Queer art work, the community wardrobe closet, and the Empty Closet Newspaper archives. Ultimately, this field session hopes to impress upon attendees the vital importance of maintaining a reliquary of Queer literature, knowledge, and history, and the challenges that are faced in remaining stalwart in this endeavor.

[2 LU]

Pre-registration required.

Meet at the Lilac Library (Rochester Rainbow Union) at 50 Prince St., Rochester, NY 14607. The Lilac Library is in the same block as the Memorial Art Gallery.

Speakers

Brandon W. Brooks works as curator of the John L. Wehle Gallery at Genesee Country Village & Museum. A former columnist for The Empty Closet Newspaper, Brooks is now a Board Member for the Rochester Rainbow Union. Addtionally, Brooks has over ten years working experience in the mental health sector of Rochester.  He avidly collects antiques, 19th-century historic fashions, and 1980s Japanese porcelain.

Gerry Szymanski has managed the collection of the now Lilac Library for over twenty years. He is the Reserves and Digital Services Librarian at the Sibley Music Library and Adjunct Professor of Musicology at the Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester. In addition, he is a photographer, composer, filmmaker and collector.

Trent Marshall is a lifelong Rochesterian and the second of five siblings. He lives in the South West quadrant of the city and is currently the Human Resources Manager at Baden Street Settlement of Rochester, Inc. Trent served on the Baden Street board of directors for over 10 years. Baden’s Mission is to improve the quality of life of adults, children and families of neighborhood residents. Trent has also served on the Aids Community Health Center’s board (Which is now Trillium Health) and the board of the DePaul Group before joining the Rochester Rainbow Union board. He is a strong advocate for those marginalized people who need a voice in this community.

Mary is a Finger Lakes Native who moved to Rochester after graduating from FLCC and setting out to find a more diverse community than the small town of Waterloo. She’s been a member of the Flower City Pride band for 11 years playing trumpet and has served as a member of their board. She’s happily married to her wife of 9 years and has an amazing daughter. After being given misinformation in pursuing the adoption of her daughter she decided to make a career change to become a Financial Advisor and give her clients a safe space to talk about their finances. While building a network of LGBTQ professionals and ally’s for her clients. She brings her passion for helping others and her love for finances to the Rochester Rainbow Union as board Treasurer.

Field Session 5B | Flower City Field School: Hands-On Oral History Training

Hit the ground with Hannah Davis, founding director of Monroe County's folklife service organization, Flower City Folk, for a hands-on oral history training workshop. Participants will meet community members, learn basic audio and visual documentation methods, conduct short one-on-one interviews, and discuss their experiences. This workshop will equip participants with the skills necessary to include community perspectives in a range of preservation-related work. Participants should plan to bring either a smart phone or tablet.

[2 LU]

Pre-registration required.

Meet at the Lewis Street YMCA Neighborhood Center at 53 Lewis Street, Rochester, NY 14605. 

Speakers

Hannah Davis is the founding director of Monroe County’s folklife service organization, Flower City Folk. Formerly a professor of practice at the Rochester Institute of Technology, Davis has facilitated educational opportunities for diverse audiences across Upstate New York.

Field Session 5C | Reinventing America’s Oldest Arthouse Cinema… Twice

The Little Theatre, is a treasured Art Deco landmark that celebrated both its grand opening just before Black Tuesday of 1929 and its grand reopening just before the Pandemic of 2020. Purpose built for showing independent and foreign films, it is an uncharacteristic survivor that has served as a progressive cultural hub of Rochester for over 90 years. During the years since early 2020, The Little staff, aided by the flexibility of their rehabilitated building’s design, have successfully maintained and expanded their organization’s position as a beloved and vibrant community institution known for more than just moving pictures. This session incorporates both a presentation and building tour – led by the architect and key staff members – that will review the two-phase evolution of how The Little, the building and the institution, was reinvented as well as highlight elements of the building’s history and original architectural character that was carefully preserved and thoughtfully enhanced throughout.

[2 LU]

Pre-registration required.

Meet at the Little Theatre at 240 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14604. Please use the main entrance under the marquee.

Speakers

Christopher Brandt is a project architect at Bero Architecture with experience in multiple facets of historic preservation practice including design and construction administration, building evaluation, research, and advocacy. He received a BS in Architecture from the University at Buffalo SUNY and a M-Arch with a certificate in Historic Preservation from the University of Virginia. He serves as the Education & Advocacy Coordinator of the Young Urban Preservationists, a Trustee of the Landmark Society of Western New York, and the Chair of the Irondequoit Historic Preservation Commission. Chris was the project architect and designer of the rehabilitation of The Little Theatre.

Susan Rogers is the Executive Vice President & General Manager of WXXI Public Media and is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the station. She has a B.F.A. and M.S. Ed. from Alfred University and a Ph.D. from the University of Rochester. Susan was instrumental in leading WXXI through its expansion to new platforms, which allows the station to meet the needs of a wider and more diverse audience through radio, television, print and educational services. She led the station’s acquisition of The Little Theatre, to extend WXXI’s public service on-air, on-line, in print, on-stage and on-screen.

Jim Malley is the Facilities Manager for The Little Theatre. He has been responsible for the cleaning, maintenance, and improvements to The Little’s two buildings, five auditoriums, café, offices, and grounds since 2015. Jim served as the clerk of works for the rehabilitation of the historic theatre building from 2018-2020 working and collaborating directly with the project architect, Chris Brandt, General Contractor, Nick Testa, and all sub-contractors on the project. For Jim, saving The Little and bringing it back to its former glory and beyond was the chance of a lifetime.

Scott Pukos is the Director of Communications at The Little Theatre. Primarily he handles social media (tweets about popcorn) and public relations (photos of popcorn). Previously, Scott was an award-winning newspaper reporter and television news producer. His cat, The Great Catsby, appreciates his dedication to cinema.

Field Session 5D | Traditionally Built Windows and Doors: A Tour of Rochester Colonial’s Wood Shop

This course offers attendees the opportunity to take a guided tour through Rochester Colonial Manufacturing’s custom woodshop, where they produce traditionally built wood windows and doors for projects throughout North America. The tour will begin by showing how premium rough sawn slab lumber is selected and milled, and continue through various stations including as molding, sash joinery/assembly, shape bending, CNC machining, sanding, finishing including priming, painting, and staining, glass selection/inspection, and final assembly including glazing and application of hardware. Work order drawings and cut lists will also be reviewed. While attendees will be encouraged to ask questions throughout the tour, there additionally will be a Q&A period afterward.

[2 LU]

Meet at Rochester Colonial Manufacturing at 1794 Lyell Avenue, Rochester, NY 14606. Parking info will be provided at Conference check-in.

Speakers

Tim Forster is the Director of the Architectural Wood Products Division at Rochester Colonial Manufacturing in Rochester, NY. He oversees the division’s operations including sales & marketing, design, product development, project management, and manufacturing for the company’s HeartWood Fine Windows and Doors and FoldUp brands. The company works on projects throughout the US and Canada, including many which require exact or near exact period historic wood window or door replication.

Tim is a trustee for the Landmark Society of Western NY where he serves as Vice President of Properties. He is also a commissioner for the Perinton Historic Architecture Commission in Perinton, NY.

Katelyn Lange is Senior Project Manager for Rochester Colonial Manufacturing’s Architectural Wood Products Division. Her role involves primary oversight of all aspects of their HeartWood Fine Windows and Doors product line including estimating, project management, and technical support for architects. She received her Bachelor of Science in Architectural Technology from SUNY Alfred State College, and has ten years of experience in the custom architectural wood window and door manufacturing industry.