In observance of Preservation Month, the Gerrit Smith Estate National Historic Landmark in Peterboro will be providing two workshops on Saturday, May 11, 2019, at the Land Office (circa 1804) on the Gerrit Smith Estate.
From 1 to 2:30 p.m.: Window Maintenance
Kurt Riegel will demonstrate how to care for wooden windows and storms in various stages of deterioration. Riegel will feature an historic window sash from the Gerrit Smith Land Office in its current condition. The demonstration will show how maintained wooden windows with storms can surpass modern window application in energy efficiency, while maintaining the original character of an older home. Workshop materials will be provided. Donations are welcomed.
Riegel is the owner of Riegel Restoration, a company that specializes in the restoration and conservation of wooden windows and historic gravestones. Riegel earned his bachelor’s degree in urban and regional planning from the University at Albany and his master’s degree in historic preservation from the University at Buffalo. His capstone project for his graduate work reflected upon the restoration of historic window sash and the importance of public workshops in helping to foster an appreciation for windows in many communities.
Riegel grew up in Bainbridge and lives in Unadilla in an 18th-century turnpike tavern that he is preserving and documenting. Riegel has worked on various windows and gravestones across New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Connecticut.
He also conducts workshops on various historic preservation matters and does consulting work for interested building owners, municipalities and agencies.
From 2:30 to 4 p.m.: Exterior Maintenance
Nell Ziegler will demonstrate how to care for stone, brick and wood-clad exteriors with a focus on wood exteriors for repair, replacement and preparation for paint/stain with an overview of products and tools. Ziegler will share practical advice in taking care of the exterior of a building. Workshop materials will be provided. Donations are welcomed.
Ziegler, president of the Smithfield Community Association, which manages the Gerrit Smith Estate, has an academic background in architecture and historic preservation and American history, with a professional background in real estate (re)development, community (re)development and energy-efficiency technologies.
From childhood, Ziegler has been drawn to the built environment and the narrative that construction use and past occupancy share. She is a building-lover, a visionary of space and a structure “fixer.”
For more information, call 315.280.8828 and info@gerritsmith.org.