River House Project, which meticulously restored and re-imagined the Allen Street School, has been named by the Preservation League of New York State one of this year's Excellence in Historic Preservation award winners. Since 1984, the League's statewide awards program has highlighted projects, organizations, publications, and individuals that exemplify best practices in historic preservation and recognize the people who are using historic preservation to build stronger neighborhoods, create local jobs, provide affordable housing, open our eyes to overlooked history, and save the places that are special to all of us.
This 1903 red-brick school building is a contributing property in the Hudson Historic District but was left vacant and neglected for decades. With sweeping Hudson River and Catskill Mountain views, and an abundance of natural light on every floor, the old schoolhouse was attractive despite its challenges. The 19,000-square foot building was an ideal space for owners Melissa Auf der Maur and Tony Stone to build a state-of-the-art and energy efficient co-working space for creatives, specifically focused on film, media, and innovation.
This project team paid tremendous attention to every detail--especially as it relates to sustainability and green building practices. Over 100 original wood windows were painstakingly restored, keeping that building material out of the landfill. Custom storms were fabricated, and weather stripping was installed to ensure as tight a seal as possible to reduce heating and cooling needs. The building is fossil fuel-free, having had the gas line disconnected and the boiler removed.
The building has been brought back to life, elevating the resources available to creatives in the Hudson Valley. This restoration has allowed a collaborative community to thrive within a once abandoned building. . . .
River House Project was funded with Federal & State Historic Tax Credits; Downtown Revitalization Initiative Priority Project; Empire State Development Corp. Round 7 grant; and National Grid Main Street Revitalization Program reimbursement grant.
The River House project team included: Melissa Auf der Maur, Co-Founder, Basilica Hudson/River House Project | Owner/Developer; Tony Stone, Co-Founder, Basilica Hudson/River House Project | Owner/Developer, General Contractor; Jason Wyckoff, JASONAUT Inc. | Project Manager; Yves deFontenay, Pelletier/deFontenay | Design; Hubert Pelletier, Pelletier/deFontenay | Design; Joe Iuviene (deceased), Architectural Bureau | Design; Patricia Altman, PACA Preservation, LLC | Historic Preservation Consultation; Michael J. Kenneally, Shamrock Engineering | Engineering; Edward Russell | Foundation; Daniel Rundell, Dan Rundell LLC | Masonry; Daniel Joyce | Slate Roofing; Christopher Wetmore | Window Restoration; Dell's Plumbing and Heating | HVAC; Gregg Leggett, Leggett Electric | Electric work; Kris Perry, Fantastic Fabrications | Metal work.
River House is one of nine projects to received Excellence in Historic Preservation awards for 2020. The others are:
- Fire Watchtower at Marcus Garvey Park | Manhattan, New York County
- Henry Street Settlement--Dale Jones Burch Neighborhood Center | Manhattan, New York County
- Ethel T. Chamberlein House | Syracuse, Onondaga County
- The Restoration & Adaptive Reuse of Building 207 | Fort Totten, Queens County
- The Architecture of Downtown Troy: An Illustrated History by Diana S. Waite | Troy, Rensselaer County
- Cropsey Farm Barn Restoration & Rehabilitation | New City, Rockland County
- Restoration of the Yaddo Mansion | Saratoga Springs, Saratoga County
- Rehabilitation of Dr. Ferguson's Office | Glens Falls, Warren County
This renovation deserves recognition! Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteIt was a pleasure to witness quality local craftsmanship in action. The results speak for themselves. Perfection.
ReplyDeleteIf the building was still owned by Galvan, surely it would still be vacant and deteriorating further.
This was a huge save for Hudson. Thank you and congratulations.
The River House project and its renovation, has afforded many tenants like us to bring our work and business to Hudson. Not only is it an incredible example of the level of artistry and craftsmanship that exists and is flourishing across the valley, it's also money well spent on preserving Hudson's architectural history and affording a creative work space to expand local income and business. Congratulations Tony, Melissa, Jason and team!
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