600+ Preservationists Descending on Charleston

Parallel Conferences of APT-PTN in Historic Downtown, September 30–October 4

SPRINGFIELD,IL – October 1, 2012 – Two international associations of preservationists are on theirway to Charleston, as they prepare for five days together to discuss thecontinuing importance of collaboration in preservation and howconserving our built heritage worldwide impacts modern living.Charleston was chosen as the site for the organizations to come togetherbecause of its reputation as the U.S.’ first city of historicpreservation. Charleston Mayor Joseph Riley, Jr. will deliver one of twokeynotes to the attendees.

The Association for PreservationTechnology International’s (APT) annual conference and the16th AnnualInternational Preservation Trades Workshop (IPTW) of the PreservationTrades Network (PTN) take place in downtown Charleston from September30–October 4, 2012.

Local co-chairs of the Conference are CraigBennett, Jr., Bennett Preservation Engineering, PC, and Simeon Warren,Dean of the American College of the Building Arts (ACBA). Many localorganizations assisted in planning the conference, including ACBA, theHistoric Charleston Foundation, Savannah Technical College, and theCollege of Charleston, among others.

HIGHLIGHTS

· ThisFriday, September 28 and Saturday, September 29: Students from TheAmerican College of Building Arts and Savannah Technical College willparticipate in a pre-conferences workshop to formalize traditionalMasonry Techniques, which will be used as a model to continue theconservation of the Old City Jail in Charleston into perpetuity. Theywill work at the direction of internationally acclaimed brick mason andeducator Dr. Gerard Lynch; nationally recognized masonry specialist andVice President of Stone & Lime Imports, Inc., Ken Uracius;  nationally recognized masonry specialist and LimeWorks.US owner, AndydeGruchy; and plaster company Hawes and Howe. All are donating theirtime.

· This Sunday, September 30, from 11 a – 4p: IPTW PublicDay. The public is invited to attend and watch trades people in MarionSquare showcasing their traditional skills, including the creation oftabby walls, stone carving, timber framing, ornamental ironwork and drystone walling.

· This Sunday through Tuesday from 9a – 5p:Students from local trades programs will participate in the NPS CannonCarriage Project, fabricating a reproduction of two carriages for FortSumter’s replica 18# Revolutionary War cannons in Marion Square. At thedirection of  PTN members Rudy Christian of Christian & Sons, Inc.,and Laura Saeger and Lisa Sasser of the Timber Framers Guild, thecarriages will be fabricated using salvaged white oak from historic barntimbers. Upon completion of the carriages, each school will present itsstudents’ work to the National Park Service at a ceremony at FortSumter, the permanent home of the newly reconstructed carriages. Thiswill be one of several gifts to Charleston left behind after theConferences wrap up made possible with support from the National Centerfor Preservation Technology and Training (NCPTT) and The ChristmanCompany.

· This Sunday at 6 pm at the Music Farm: Dr. Lynch willdeliver the APT College of Fellows Keynote, Re-positioning CraftEducation to Re-connect Artisans to Designers in the Field of HistoricPreservation. In his remarks, The Red Mason will highlight thehistorical markers which created a professional disconnection betweendesigners and their master craftspeople and, using his experience as anexample, suggest how to meaningfully reconnect to better preservetraditionally-constructed buildings to the highest possible standards.

·This Monday and Tuesday, from 8 am-5 pm: Charleston will be thebeneficiary of progress on another long-simmering preservation project.The Second Presbyterian Wall in Charleston will undergo repointing andrepair by Lynch, Uracius and deGruchy. All are also donating theirtime/work/materials as the first necessary steps in saving the wall. Thework will be conducted as an on-going demonstration for two days andMr. deGruchy will also conduct a lecture called Reconstitute Mortarabout the process, at the wall from 3:15-5:00 pm on Monday.

·This Monday, October 1, from 6:00–7:00 pm: Mayor Joseph Riley, Jr. willdeliver the Conferences Keynote at the Sottile Theatre on Preservingthe Heart of a City.

· Several members of the famed LincolnCathedral (c. 1092) Restoration team from the UK will be at the parallelconferences, teaching and networking before they head to Washington, DCto advise on the earthquake-damaged Washington National Cathedral. Theteam will be led by Carol Heidschuster, the first female workshopmanager in the Cathedral’s history, and the Very Reverend PhilipBuckler, who serves as the religious leader of the region.

LOCATIONS FEATURED

Participantswill choose from nearly 60 APT sessions covering four themes in theFrancis Marion Hotel, and more than 30 IPTW demonstrations in MarionSquare. Two-day, hands-on, APT workshops include the topics ofTraditional Masonry Practice, which will be held in the Old City Jail;Conservation of Historic Glazing, which will allow participants totravel to Savannah, GA, to learn firsthand about refurbishing leaded anddecorative stained glass from that city’s historic churches; andHistoric Decorative Finishes, which will be held in the Aiken-RhettHome. Most APT Field Sessions and Tours are sold out, including at sitessuch as Drayton Hall, Magnolia Plantation, the Aiken-Rhett House, theH.L. Hunley Submarine, and local historic homes featuring masterplasterwork. On-site registrations begin for last minute registrants atthe Francis Marion Hotel on Friday. Members of the press may request amedia pass by contacting Lisa Stott at 217/331-2926.