Restoration & Conservation Services

THE PRESERVATION PARTNERSHIP

HDC works jointly with The Preservation Partnership, Weare, NH,  to provide expertise in architectural restoration and conservation consulting. Since its founding in 1978 by preservation architect Maximillian Ferro, the firm has completed hundreds of important projects in the US encompassing nearly every building period and type. To appreciate the broad scope of the firm's experience, please examine the Historic Preservation Project/Client List. For more about Max Ferro and The Preservation Partnership go to Associates.  

• Initial Resource Investigations
  The first step in Rehabilitation, Restoration or Conservation projects is to gather Existing Conditions Data on the historic property. Effective reconnaissance and data collection at the project outset will avoid costly mistakes later.
  
  HDC provides property inspection reports ranging from initial photographic documentation and eligibility assessments to detailed Historic Structure Reports that can include materials analysis, measured architectural drawings and structural engineering assessments. 
  
  
  

• Project Oversight
  Representing Owners, Architects and Engineers, we provide field personnel for project oversight, construction inspection, progress reports, photo-video documentation of restoration/conservation details. 
  
   

• Materials Analysis
  Historic materials sampled and laboratory analysis reports provided for reproduction and conservation.
  
  

• Secretary's Standards
  All recommendations and work is accordance with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties
  

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Preservation Partnership, Weare, NH From huge complex projects like the 20-year restoration of the Newport [RI] Mansions and the $12 million restoration of the Aetna Life Insurance Building in Harford, to smaller but equally important projects like the restoration of the Shaker Village Church Family House in Shirley MA and restoration/accessibility rehabilitation of Milford [MA] Memorial Hall, Max Ferro has led the preservation architecture field with creative and cost-effective solutions to the most challenging preservation problems. See Historic Preservation Project/Client List.
Congdon St. Baptist Church, Providence RI Built in 1874 as the Second Meeting House and place of worship for the city's Afro-American community. Past renovations to the ground level rooms compromised the structural integrity of the nave floor system. Working with Lee Pare & Associates engineers, Mr. Casella designed and implemented an overhead girder jacking system to effect floorbeam repairs and reinforcement without damaging historic materials. The unique approach was successfully accomplished at one-third the cost of the next lowest estimate.
Rehoboth [MA] Schoolhouse Restoration This project involved the rescue of a 1735 one-room timber frame school house from demolition. Conditions ruled out moving it in one piece, so it was carefully disassembled, numbered and reassembled in a new location. The removal of the plaster from the arched ceiling finally revealed the long standing mystery of its construction: 20' ceiling joists cut from a single, huge curved log. For private client, East Greenwich, RI.
Bay Mill, East Greenwich RI The Bay Mill condominium project required approval from the local Historic District commission, a Certified Local Government authorized to oversee compliance with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation. Work entailed progressive project documentation of rehab work for commission approvals, historic tax credit application, and general consulting with project architect  on historically appropriate treatments for missing details. For the Bay Mill Partners, East Greenwich, RI.