The Blog
Built in 1899 for local developer Charles Veeder, 1077 University Place is one of the architectural standouts of the Union Triangle Historic District, a neighborhood shaped by Schenectady’s rapid growth at the turn of the century. This remarkable house blends Queen Anne exuberance with Romanesque stone arches and Classical details. For more information about this […]
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For more tips on preparing your old house for winter, check out my video interview with expert Desiree Lawlor of Hart Water Conditioning. KATE WOOD grew up criss-crossing the country in the family’s Volkswagen Bus, visiting house museums, battlefields, Main Streets, and national parks. Today, she is an award-winning preservationist, real estate broker and principal […]
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Historic windows are an important character-defining feature of old houses. For me, as a preservationist, that alone is enough reason to go to the mat. I wrote a piece for CIRCA Old Houses covering the history of window technology and style, making a case for their aesthetic, historical and architectural significance. In my book, windows […]
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Congratulations! You’ve purchased a home that is 50, 100, 200(!) years old and brimming with special qualities. Maybe it’s the way the light filters through wavy-glass windows and warms the mellow wide-board floors. Or the smooth feel of the banister, polished by generations of hands. Or specific features such as original beadboard built-ins, door knobs […]
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People come to me when they have an old house that needs work, they know it’s special, and they desperately don’t want to f&%# it up. How do you bring a 50- or 100- or 200-year-old house into the 21st century without destroying its historic character? That is the essential question of historic rehabilitation, defined […]
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Begin with the end in mind… That’s what the productivity gurus tell us. While sometimes it’s okay to get on your bike and just start riding, if we actually want to get to a specific destination in a certain amount of time, it really helps to have a roadmap. Then, when obstacles and worthwhile detour […]
