February 2010

A Chapter of The American
Institute of Architects

AIA Central New York
109 South Warren Street Store 11
Syracuse, New York 13202
Ph 315-475-8563 fax 315-475-8563

aiacny@verizon.net

AIA CNY
www.aiacny.org

OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

HOURS FOR RESOURCE CENTER

Monday thru Thursday 
8:30 am -12:30 pm

Tuesday 8:30 am -12:30 pm 
(Tues lunch and learns
 TBA : 12:00 -1:00 pm)

Friday – closed

AIACNY Resource Center Directors

Craig Polhamus, Susanne J. Gruening
 and Rebecca Scida
 
Email:  aiacny@verizon.net

NEWSLETTER STAFF

Editor.................Richard T. Lafferty
Coordinating Editor....Neel Garofano
Publisher..................Scott Soules
Electronic Newsletter .. Scott Soules

ARTICLE SUBMISSION DEADLINE IS THE 15TH OF EACH MONTH. If you would like to submit an article or announcement to the newsletter please send your information via email to: ngaro@twcny.rr.com attn: Neel Garofano or call h: (315-468-2843) 
       cell: (315-729-2767). 

All information should be checked for spelling and grammar prior to submitting. 

WWW.AIACNY.ORG

Scheduled of Events Calendar

AIA Documents

The Architecture Resource Center has discontinued AIA document sales as of May 1st of 2006.  The AIA Documents may be purchased from the Rochester chapter of the American Institute of Architects.  To obtain copies of AIA documents from the Rochester chapter please contact:
 
Linda Hewitt, Hon. AIA.
Phone: 585-232-7650
Fax: 585-262-2525
E-mail: aia@aiaroch.org
Website: www.aiaroch.org

• This month in The Leading Edge

• Featured Project

• The Presidents Message

• A Voice in the Wilderness

• You Come A Long Way Arch!

• The IDP Corner

• The Meeting Minutes

• Famous Quotes and Quotations

• Global Warming and the Architect

• Announcements

Featured Project

2009 Honorable Mention

Phillips Free Library
Homer , New York

Category: Historic Preservation/Adaptive Reuse

Designed by 

Crawford & Stearns Architects

 Program Requirements:

The focus of this project is the restoration, rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of a supremely historic 1902, Homer, NY library designed by well-known Syracuse architect Archimedes Russell.  Its Classical and Renaissance style is characterized by Roman Revival window elements, a massive base and molded roof cornices of stone and pressed brick facades.  The interior of this community library is even more dramatic than the exterior.   The main space was designed to seem open by the use of Classical columns that support arched upper walls.  Because the walls are thusly minimized, library functions and users are placed within a relatively flexible plan.  

Even though the original building was a complete and self-contained library for nearly four decades, it came to have a dialogue with an addition by Carl W. Clark, AIA of Cortland, New York in 1939.  The addition is compatible but discernible, employing a concrete base with steel-sash windows and sand-struck brick facades with double-hung small-pane windows.  Its style is a very mild and understated version of Classical Revival, including interior ceiling cornice moldings, which include a cyma recta crown and multiple flat borders.  While the interior of the 1902 portion had retained impressive historic integrity, the main floor of the wing had been subdivided and overbuilt.  Inaccessible, out-of-date toilet rooms were located in the basement.  In addition, both portions of the building and the site were inaccessible.

This historic building, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, sets the stage for the recent rehabilitation.  The program included exterior restoration, handicapped accessibility, interior restoration of the original 1902 portion, expansion of the Children's Reading Room and book stack capacity and conversion of unused basement space and installation of energy-efficient HVAC systems.

Design Intent:

Inherent in the design intent was the goal of essentially recovering the functional and stylistic compatibility, which the 1939 addition forged with the original architectural statement.  Both portions of the library had condition problems, and the 1939 expansion had interior architectural integrity issues due to various renovations over the years.  The idea of restoring the exteriors was easily defined although the fine scale and refinement of the original brickwork mortar and deterioration of the limestone components required preservation expertise.  The interior was a more complex situation, where changes were in order, and compatibility became the issue.  Expanding the overall book stack capacity meant that a mezzanine would have to be inserted into the back of the 1902 main space without being intrusive.  The ceilings of the later wing would be restored, with lowered areas carefully planned to not interfere with the sense of space while accommodating new mechanical systems.  The intent was to make the interiors look as if they had not been excessively or arbitrarily changed, even though their newly rehabilitated condition speaks of recent intervention.  The best way to achieve this is to respect and maintain the historic design integrity while meeting program needs.  This was accomplished by using the design vocabulary of the two historic periods, but secondarily incorporating simple and anonymous contemporary systems, as in the metal portions of the book stacks and a compatible mezzanine stack space itself.

Special Concerns:

The client's primary concern was with existing conditions and the extent to which work would have to be funded and financed to achieve goals, no matter how cost effective in the long run.  Portions of the main roof framing were less than stable and porch roofs were leaking.  The library looked aged on the outside and worn on the inside.   Functionally the building was limited in its book storage capacity, meeting and office space, using only 70% of its built floor area.   The elegance of its high ceilings seemed prohibitive in functional matters.  Such an extensive rehabilitation would also take the building out of use for several months requiring a substitute location to maintain a minimum level of community service.

Click Here for More

Jury Comments:

Honorable Mention – Phillips Free Library – 
Crawford & Stearns Architects

• Applaud the maintenance of the facility
• Nice distinction and respect for the old
• Interesting juxtaposition of historical and new elements

The President's Message

Peter Sorber, AIA 

Well January is closing out and I am left asking where the time went. I hope that all of our membership is experiencing renewed activity as the holidays and 2009 are behind us. 

I mentioned in my January message that the Board would be gathering for a short retreat to discuss our agenda for the year and to build upon last year’s efforts. On January 25th the Board met and came away with two areas of interest to concentrate on. The first, and I feel the most important, is to reach out to our membership base at all corners of our Chapter to discuss concerns and suggestions to enhance the quality of the membership experience. As most of you may already realize the Chapter covers a large geographical area extending North to Watertown, East to Utica, South to Cortland, and West to Auburn. The task ahead may seem daunting, but is necessary to encourage the memberships’ involvement where ever possible. The ultimate purpose is to reinforce the value of membership to current members and to attract new members. To implement this over the next few months a small committee will be randomly contacting firms in all regions of our Chapter to meet and discuss opportunities and concerns that we can address.

Our second area of interest for the year involved reaching out to our local governing bodies to offer assistance in areas that involve disciplines within the architectural field. A committee has been formed to explore some suggested directions and as they become more defined I will bring these to the memberships’ attention in upcoming messages for your reference.

Additionally, on behalf of the Central New York Chapter I will be attending the Grassroots Convention in Washington DC with hopes of meeting with our elective officials on some of the current issues impacting our industry and business in general. 

Lastly, I would like to bring to everyone’s attention some upcoming and on-going events that are in the works. First on January 30th our second annual Winter Outing will take place at Labrador Mountain. I had the pleasure of attending last year and it is a great family event to get out and ski or snowboard and more importantly mingle and have a free lunch with your fellow architects. Secondly, it should be noted that the Resource Center in downtown Syracuse is offering on average of two Lunch and Learns per month to assist in obtaining learning credits. So please take advantage of this important membership feature.

Respectfully

Peter Sorber, AIA

A VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS.....

by Dick Lafferty    

            What happened to the Greenbelt Towns of the 1930’s ?           

The history of the City of Greenbelt (by the U.S. National Park Service) states, “After the stock market crash of 1929 and into the early 1930’s, the status of the United States was a time of social and economic chaos. 10.5 million people were out of work.” 

“The Urban Pattern City Planning and Design”, by Arthur B. Gallion, reaffirms the program described by the Park Service as follows: “As a component of the Federal government’s search for ways and means to cope with the modern city and its environment, the Resettlement Administration planned four “greenbelt towns” beginning in 1935. They were satellite communities near large cities. --- they were not planned as self-contained towns; they were more like dormitory villages, the sources of employment for the residents being in the near-by cities. Each was surrounded by a belt of permanent open space, part of which could be farmed or gardened. A full complement of community facilities was included in each town-shopping, schools, and recreation space.”  

Four Cities were planed. Greenbelt Maryland , Greenhills Ohio , Greendale Wisconsin and Greenbrook New Jersey . All were built except Greenbrook. Maryland was the first site developed. Upon completion the Government selected families in good character that would take part in community affairs. A cross section of religious affiliations was chosen from Washington D.C. area: 63% Protestant, 30% Catholic and 7% Jewish. President Roosevelt is quoted: “I have seen the blueprints of this project but the site exceeds my every dream.”  

The example was followed at Greenhills 11 miles from the center of Cincinnati Ohio and then at Greendale one half hour from Milwaukee Wisconsin . Seventy years later Greenbelt is a cooperative City on the Historic National Registry. Greenhills is a village that is redefining itself with zoning and planning seminars. Greendale is a village also known as the Garden Community.  

Why didn’t the green belt have a bigger influence on urban design in the 1950’s? The cities of the 30’s had slums. The slums must be cleared. Urban renewal took hold. Displaced people looked to suburban areas to resettle. The market was answered with Levittowns and other ticky-tacky developments. The urban infrastructure was neglected. Both conditions lead to the standards of urban development of today.  

For sixty years we have not heard the cry of over expansion, pollution and depletion of resources. Now we here it load and clear, but we do not heed it. We hear, drill for gas, strip mine, cut forests and buy cheap products from polluters. Can we afford to be green? We did not learn from the 30’s, why should we be different today?  

The desert of Arizona has water lines and fire hydrants for future development. This year the water source of the Colorado River basin shall dry up for most southwestern States. If urban areas have no water; who shall develop the desert? The national forests have started forest management: is it to little to late? The green movement has provided new markets to improve the built environment; is 10% improvement enough to effect global warming? History is not on our side; but time will tell.  

YOU CAME A LONG WAY ARCH!  
By Lafferty       

   click here for PDF image

IDP Corner

By: Nicolette Feldser   Email: feldser@ashleymcgraw.com

IDP/ARE Committee Forming

In the past the IDP/ARE Committee has held successful events, such as an IDP Sign Up Day where local AIA members were on hand to assist in IDP enrollment, the ARE 4.0 Update to share information on the transition to ARE 4.0, and the ARE Structures Workshop.  These activities were organized to help interns develop the skills and become familiar with the resources necessary to become licensed architects.  Many of you may be going through the process of obtaining licensure yourself or perhaps you are already licensed and would like to help guide your fellow professionals in the process.  The IDP/ARE Committee is preparing to organize more events to help interns build their careers.  If you have knowledge and ideas about IDP or the ARE that you would like to share with a group of your peers the CNY Chapter of the AIA has a committee to create just the forum you need.  Join us in developing new activities and events to support you in your goal towards licensure.  

For more information please contact Nicolette Feldser at feldser@ashleymcgraw.com. 

MEETING MINUTES OF THE AIACNY CHAPTER BOARD MEETING:  
 December 10, 2009 

Opening of the Meeting:  This meeting of the Board of Directors of the American Institute of Architects Central New York Chapter was held Thursday, December 10, 2009 at the AIACNY Resource Center .  Julia Hafftka-Marshall , AIA called the meeting to order. 

Photos from the January Board Meeting 

Click Here for Minutes 

Famous Quotes and Quotations

By Neel C. Garofano, AIA  

My last article was in the June Newsletter and I seriously considered retiring this series after writing on this subject since August of 2007. However several recent media stories indicating lingering skepticism relative to the concept of Global Warming let alone the lack of recognition of the scores of scientific studies convinced me otherwise. The cover story for the magazine “ARCHITECT” in the October 2009 issue was “Who Believes in Climate Change?” and its survey of architects indicated that 13% of respondents agreed with “Global warming is a myth perpetuated by the media, and green building is a fad – it’ll be forgotten in 20 years time.” Last Fall, we saw the publication of e-mails of a few researchers at a British University of East Anglia cause a firestorm in a tea-cup, and skeptics jumped on it as ‘proof’ that global warming was a myth being manipulated by scientists. Then in December we had the Great Conference in Copenhagen fail to achieve any meaningful actions on Global Warming.

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Announcements   

COMPETITION ANNOUNCEMENT: Emerging NY Architects (ENYA) launches City of Dreams Pavilion Competition

For more information click here

The Architects Resource Center “Lunch and Learn” program presents:

Tuesday, February 9th, 2010, 12-1pm

Presentation provides 1 HSW CEU

Historic State Tower Building I 109 S. Warren St. Store 11 I 
Syracuse, NY 13202

Telephone/Fax: (315) 475-8563 I Email: aiacny@verizon.net

Food Bank of Central New York presents

Demystifying Resins

Click here for more

And

Woodwork Quality Standards Lumber & Trims

DEPUTY COMMISSIONER POSITION AVAILABLE

                    ONONDAGA COUNTY – FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

Starting Salary $70,414 - $77,664 + Benefits

Qualifications

Minimum of ten (10) years work experience as a project architect, or graduation with a Bach. Of Architecture degree from a regionally accredited or NY State registered college/university in architecture plus five (5) years of experience as a project architect or possession of an architect’s license issued by New York State Education department plus five (5) year of work experience as a project architect.  

Duties

The Deputy Commissioner is responsible for departmental operations and capital planning.  The position is responsible for the direct supervision of the divisions of “construction and office planning”; “maintenance trades”; “facilities engineer & energy management”.   These divisions account for approximately 70 of the department’s 109 funded positions. The department has a operating budget of $24 million for fiscal 2010 and maintains approximately 1.5 million square feet of space.  

Concurrent with the responsibilities above, this position also serves as the project coordinator and administrator for many of the County’s capital projects.  This often includes planning, program development, scheduling, project budgeting, legislative presentations, requests for proposals (RFP’s) for project design firms and construction managers, contracting with multiple prime contractors, relocation and move services, furniture, fixtures and equipment procurement, project claims resolution, project close-outs, maintenance training and warrantee claims adjustments.  

Send resume by February 28^th, 2010 to Brian Lynch, Commissioner, Dept. Facilities Management, 600 S. State St. , Syracuse, NY 13202 email: BrianLynch@ongov.net    

 EOE

Job Positions Available at SWBR Architects

Healthcare Architect-Practice Leader

SWBR wants to grow their healthcare practice and seeks a talented healthcare architect with substantial clinical design experience to join our team and lead this practice area .  SWBR is building a  responsive healthcare/life care group to foster and develop long-term client relationships.  

Requirement of 10 years of quality healthcare experience; accredited architecture degree; licensed in NYS. Additional skills include Business development, communication, client management, leadership, organization, design, planning, and budgeting.  

If you are interested in joining a firm that rewards hard-working team players, please send your cover letter and resume to: SWBR Architects, 387 East Main Street, Rochester, NY 14604, Attn: Human Resources or email to resumes@swbr.com.  

Project Manager (K-12 Projects)

Minimum of 10 years architectural experience in K-12 project management, school design and construction administration; proficiency in Revit/Autocad; accredited architecture degree; license preferred.  Additional skills include communication, client management, organization, design, planning, budgeting, project leadership, maturity, good judgment, and project success.   

If you are interested in joining a firm that rewards hard-working team players, please send your cover letter and resume to: SWBR Architects, 387 East Main Street, Rochester, NY 14604, Attn: Human Resources or email to resumes@swbr.com.

SWBR is an equal opportunity employer.

ARE Study Guides at the Resource Center

Dear Members,

Members of The AIACNY Chapter of Central New York  
now have access to WI-FI at The Resource Center 
Monday-Thursday- 8:30am- 12:30pm.

All AIA Members have access to all ARE Study Materials,  There is no fee to use the ARE Study Material, but a Deposit (Check) will be required, which will vary.  

The Resource Center will sign Study Materials out to you with a return date.  

The check for deposit is given to Susanne Gruening at   Resource Center on the date you want to borrow the material.  You will receive your check for deposit on the return of the material to The Resource Center .

Click Here for More

AIA New York Chapter Newsletter  

The link to the AIA New York Chapter’s newsletter is: http://www.aiany.org/eOCULUS/newsletter/.

eOculus is issued through email every two weeks.

You may also search the archived issues of eOculus at: http://www.aiany.org/eOCULUS/pastissues.php

AIA New York Chapter’s public calendar is also a great place to promote both this Chapter’s events and other outside events: http://www.aiany.org/calendar/index.php

You may also self-list a program by submitting a form online at: http://www.aiany.org/calendar/submit.php.