I spent the summer as a conservation technician for the Central Park Conservancy, overseeing the treatment and conservation of the 60+ monuments and sculptures that dot this nation’s foremost public space. I worked with materials and conservation techniques on a level that very few other internship programs in the city offer.

Working on the “Angel of the Waters” fountain, at Bethesda Terrace, was magnificent and surreal. The Incralac coating had deteriorated on the bronze sculptural and architectural elements. To ensure its protection, it was stripped of its compromised coating and underwent a coating of hot brown wax. The application of cold wax on top of the primary layer of hot wax brought out the best in the sculptural material up-close, and after a thorough buff, the piece looked beautiful from afar.

I want to thank the esteemed members of The Charles Evans Hughes Memorial Foundation for making this summer a reality for me.

Hoping to supplement my studies at Pratt with conservation practice, I searched for a summer position that resembled a traditional apprenticeship; one that would allow me to work closely with a professional so that the trade would be revealed through instruction and grasped through execution. It exceeded my expectations to work on a team of peers led by two conservators, Christine Djuric and John Saunders with New York City’s Arts and Antiquities Department in the Citywide Monuments Conservation Program.

It was illustrative to perform tasks that had been discussed in our courses such as mixing appropriate mortars, repointing, and treating efflorescence. The time spent with the Washington Square Arch was a particular highlight for me, having researched it for our Ancient New York assignment. Not only was the internship relevant to my degree in preservation, but it also offered a perspective that has profoundly deepened my fascination with art.

This summer, I was most impressed by a combination of several field trips, the intimate handling of sculpture, and an introduction to stone carving. After touring two local bronze foundries (Modern Art Foundry and Bedi Makky), I acquired a new understanding of the monuments we tended to, appreciating both the sculptor’s hand and the casting process. It was especially exciting to recognize foundry stamps in the field. While applying a hot wax finish to the Neptune Fountain in Snug Harbor, I noticed Modern Art Foundry’s stamp, and the ability to visualize the venue of creation immediately heightened my engagement with the piece. Similarly, our visit to Stony Creek Quarry in Connecticut brought new meaning to all of the stone in the monuments collection. The meticulous cuts down the tremendous granite walls were not unlike the patterns we had etched with a diamond blade when installing a bronze plaque commemorating Fort Tryon Park’s 75th anniversary. Having had the experience of cutting and chiseling stone helped me to understand the quarry and unveiled the process of making stone sculpture. During a tour of the New York Public Library’s restoration, we climbed the scaffolding and as we stood inches from the allegorical attic figures, I was astounded to imagine the transformation of freshly quarried Georgia marble into the graceful and detailed shapes before me.

I had a wonderful time this summer and am grateful to the Kress Foundation for supporting the Citywide Monuments Conservation Program.


I spent the first part of my summer in Istanbul where Pratt students from the Planning, Preservation, and EMS programs, as well as urban planning students from Istanbul Technical University, worked with a women’s collective on income generation and disaster planning. It was an amazing experience; it allowed me to observe preservation and neighborhood revitalization in another country.

This summer I interned at Silverman, a real estate development firm located
in Jersey City, New Jersey. Silverman is the foremost developer of mixed use neighborhood
buildings, historic landmarks, and creative retail destinations in the city. I worked
alongside Silverman owners, property managers, architects, and builders to ensure the
completion of various construction projects. I also met with prospective commercial
tenants, helped create lease proposals, and shadowed preservation officers, real estate
directors and real estate attorneys.

I worked on designing and implementing an employee break room and fire
command center in a condominium building and worked with company owners to repair
and maintain existing exterior walls and other building attributes.

The owners of Silverman work to ensure that historic attributes are not lost when
combining new construction with old. Learning about the business and real estate side of
historic preservation was a unique and informative experience.

This summer I spent my days hop-scotching between the US chapter of DOCOMOMO (DOcumentation and COnservation of buildings, sites and neighborhoods of the MOdern MOvement) and the New York-based World Monuments Fund, an organization dedicated to preserving and protecting endangered ancient and historic sites. My interest in the Modern Movement lead me to each organization, and I’ve had a full summer researching and preparing summaries of endangered buildings both in the United States and throughout the world.

As the Modernism Intern at World Monuments Fund I spent my days reviewing former Watch list sites to see what has become of these important treasures. Issued every two years, the World Monuments Watch calls international attention to cultural heritage around the world that is threatened by neglect, vandalism, conflict, or disaster. Many of the sites I worked with had an extensive archive of communications and documents, and together with recent news and press releases, I enjoyed my task putting the pieces of the story together. I was surprised to discover the Modern Movement extending as far as Eritrea in northern Africa, and inspired by the lengths and depths local communities go to save their heritage.

My work in the DOCOMOMO US office allowed me the unique opportunity to interact with some of the nation’s leading architects, academics and historic preservation professionals in the country. From organizing national events, managing the national office, to researching, writing and editing the new DOCOMOMO US monthly e-news brief, I enjoyed being involved in so many facets of the organization. I am continuing my work with DOCOMOMO US through the fall semester and am looking forward to our upcoming national Tour Day on October 9, 2010.

And if two internships we not enough, in late July I took on the cause to save a 1941 John Eberson theatre in Cohoes, NY. Although the fate of the theatre is still in question, I am hopeful for a positive outcome. For more on my cause visit the blog.

On Tuesday May 11th, students from the Pratt Historic Preservation program visited Governor’s Island.  Recently acquired by the city of New York from the state, Governor’s Island boasts the largest historic district in New York state (92-acres) and is home to 3 historic fortifications.

With the park closed to visitors until June, the Pratt students had the run of the island and visited historic structures normally closed to the public.  Students viewed the twin basketball courts at the top of Liggett Hall as well as the bar, dining area and ballroom in the Officers’ Club.

Special thanks to our professor and Governor’s Island staff person Jon Meyer for the invitation and tour!

Several PHPO members were attendees and volunteers at the closing session of Preservation Vision: Planning for the Future of Preservation in New York City, a year-long initiative in response to Mayor Bloomberg’s PlaNYC. The aim was to engage preservationists in a conversation about their hopes for New York City by the year 2030 and the actions needed to make them a reality. But for the cold, the day long session could not have been held at a better venue than the Seventh Regiment Armory on Park Avenue. In the midst of a major restoration, the armory boasts the finest collection of intact 19th Century interiors in the country, designed by such important artists as Louis Comfort Tiffany, Stanford White and the Herter Brothers. The massive Drill Hall is one of the largest column-free spaces in the city!

On November 20th, PHPO held its first Preservation Pub Crawl!  Architectural historian Francis Morrone led a group of 12 on a meandering tour of three historic watering holes on the West Side of Manhattan.  We began at the White Horse Tavern, where Dylan Thomas drank his last drinks, and then we ambled past Jane Jacobs‘ house on Hudson Street.  After peeping through the gate at Grove Court, we wandered down Leroy Street past the Cosby homestead.  Then it was time to warm up  at the good old Ear Inn on Spring Street.  From there the hearty bunch hurried down to the Triangle Below Canal where we ended our tour at Walker’s, famous neighbor to both JFK Jr. and the Ghostbusters’ firehouse.   Though chilly, it was an informative and exciting evening, full of fantastic NYC trivia!

Oh!klahoma where the wind comes sweepin’ down the plain! So, some PHPO’ers went to Tulsa for the annual National Trust for Historic Preservation conference.

First of all, Art Deco. It’s everywhere. This Deco boom town was nouveau riche ripe with OIL! when they built it. We walked some of the shiny, shapely and well loved lobbies on our tour of downtown.

Secondly, people from Tulsa are nice, and in a good way! Not annoying at all.

And finally, like everywhere else, Tulsa is what you make of it. They celebrated their centennial last year; it’s a baby of a city and has toddler like tendencies. It’s fun and ridiculous, but after a certain amount of time you want to hand it back to mom and return to the adult party.

I tell you what, we can’t wait for Nashville next year!

On Sunday, September 14, a few students participated in a tour of Coney Island sponsored by the Historic Districts Council led by Melissa Baldock, Kress/RFR Fellow for Historic Preservation and Public Policy at the Municipal Art Society and architectural historian Jane Cowan. The dynamic duo presented the past, present and proposed future(s) of Coney Island. Post tour we discussed what we learned over hot dogs at Nathan’s and shared a terrifying ride on the Wonder Wheel.

PHPO visited Philip Johnson’s Glass House in New Canaan, CT on September 5th. Built in 1949, it predates Mies Van Der Rohe’s Farnsworth House by two years. Upon the death of Philip Johnson in 2005, the Glass House and its 47 acre campus became a stewardship of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The mission of this International Style residence is “to be come a center point and catalyst for the preservation of Modern architecture, art and landscape design.”

Tickets for the Glass House go on sale for the 2009 season on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 9am. Tickets are $30 for 90-minute tours and $45 for 2-hour tours.

Perched above Los Angeles in Griffith Park, the Griffith Observatory was designed by John C. Austin in 1935. It was the dream of Colonel Griffith Jenkins Griffith to provide a park and observatory to the public for both recreation and education. In 2002, the city-owned observatory was closed in order to undergo a four-year, $93 million renovation.

This Art Deco gem is a pop culture icon, best known for its feature role as back drop in Rebel Without a Cause [and subsequent ripoffs like Paula Abdul’s Rush Rush video and Dylan & Kelly’s touching first date on 90210].

- Tara

In 1932, Frank Lloyd Wright established his Fellowship for students in architecture. Built in 1937, Taliesin West continues to house the school and studio during the winter months. As headquarters of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, tours are available throughout the year. [I don’t recommend visiting in the summer — it’s HOT!]

Nearby in Phoenix is the Arizona Biltmore, officially designed by Albert Chase McArthur. A protege of Frank Lloyd Wright, he studied under the famous architect in Chicago from 1907-09. Built in 1929, FLW was close at hand while working on Taliesin West, and thus had a large impact on the final design of the hotel.

- Tara

Built in 1908, Greene & Greene’s Gamble House turns 100 this year! This masterpiece of the Arts & Crafts movement in Pasadena, CA is a National Historic Landmark. In addition to the standard house tour, the bookstore offers a self-guided tour of the neighborhood which is chock full of beautiful Arts & Crafts “bungalows.”

If you’re not up on your architectural history, you may still recognize the garage from from a certain 80s flick.

- Tara