HomeMy WebLinkAbout2501 Bethesda Church Correspondencecc:
Ms Tamie Ehringer, chair
Design Review Commission
City Hall
474 Broadway
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
Mr. Field Horne
J. Michael Ingersoll, LA Group
mingersol@thelagroup.com
15 October 2025
Re: 19 Washington St. - Relocation of Structure and New Construction, Advisory
Opinion
Dear Ms Funicello and Ms Bosshart:
Thank you for your considered thoughts (July 30, 2025) on our proposed arcaded
gallery connection between Bethesda Episcopal Church and the soon to be relocated
stone house. As a former member of of an historic preservation board, and a
preservationist myself, I share your sensitivity to working in the context of historic
fabric, and in this case, historic fabric of an especially high quality.
Indeed, it is this sensitivity that led me to proposing a late English Gothic style
arcade (mid 15C) to serve as a stylistic bridge to connect the Victorian late
Romanesque/early Gothic (IIC) style church to a house in the American Greek Revival
style of Asher Benjamin (mid 19C - The American Builder's Companion,1827). This would
comfortably separate these three styles by about 400 years between each. The precedent
for this would be High Street Oxford, with its aesthetically rich, historically varied mix
of medieval and classical styles, from the 14th to 19th century.
I believe where we might be of different opinions are your third bullet point ("All
addition should be located where it is least visible and designed to minimally affect the perception
of the original structure. ") and the recommendation that the hyphen "be a modern design
that is transparent." In short, my perceived experience over my 40 years in this field is
that glass buildings are not "least visible", but indeed are so aberrant in the history of
building, that they fairly scream out their difference, and not melodiously so.
Finally, we concur with your fifth bullet point ("Additions should be constructed so that,
if removed in the future, the historic integrity of the historic buildfizgs is not irreparably
damaged. "), and indeed have endeavored to achieve this by proposing a gallery that is
only 12 feet wide, and connects at the original floor levels of the two existing buildings.
The attachment to the church is into the existing front entry foyer, while the attachment
to the stone house is into the existing from entry hall.
If you have any observations or questions I would be most eager to discuss them with
you. Thank you for the good work you do to preserve the lovely town of Saratoga
Springs.
Sincerely,
Milton W. Gr fell, NCARB