Chapel Hall
Preservation of the Building
We are now about to undertake the major structural conservation measures necessary to preserve this wonderful building. Our primary coordinating partners will be the staff of the New York State Office of Parks recreation and Historic Preservation, in Jamesville, NY, specifically Jean Egenhofer – in charge of this particular project – and Chris Capella-Peters, historical preservation officer, with whom, upon receiving a $75,000 grant toward structural conservation work, we signed a preservation covenant.
With funding from the A. Lindsay and Olive B. O'Connor Foundation and Walter and Karine Rich, a preliminary study was commissioned: Investigation and Recommendations for Stabilization and Associated Work, A Report Prepared for The Franklin Stage Company, August 16, 2004, by a remarkable team of experts: Misia Leonard, RA, Preservation Architect; Derek Trelstad, LZA Technology, Structural Engineer; and Ken Follett, Stonework Construction Logistics Consultant. It presents a comprehensive plan for dealing with the conservation measures to be taken beginning with Chapel Hall Restoration: Phase 1: rebuilding of the stone foundation, stabilization of the first floor, and installation of drainage systems to prevent their further undermining by water.
A New York State Legislative grant, awarded through the office of Sen. John Bonacic, then underwrote the costs of the requisite Archeological and Site Surveys in the Spring of 2005, which are now in the process of being examined by the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation. We are pleased to announce that in September 2005, the preliminary study enabled us to receive a $15,000 grant from the New York State Council on the Arts Architectural Planning and Design Program towards the design documents related to this work and that in December 2005, the O'Connor Foundation committed an additional $25,000 toward structural construction work.
