You never know who you’ll run into on a project site! BCA and @aecom_design met @libbythephlbelle at 30th Street Station today, as Philly prepares to celebrate @america250 🇺🇸
BCA is honored to be part of the design and construction team for the recently restored Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, which received a Lucy G. Moses Award from the New York Landmarks Conservancy. If you have not seen it yet, the results certify Conrad Hilton's opinion that the Waldorf is, "the greatest of them all."
The project came together through a combination of forensic material research, historic archival documentation, and meticulous design documents resulting in is a harmonious balance that honors the building's original intent without compromising contemporary standards. We want to thank all of BCA's staff past and present who contributed to making this project one of our finest.
Photo: Basildon Room being admired by some of the folks who worked on it.
Giant man or small door? Preston Hull, senior conservator at BCA’s Philadelphia Office, navigates the narrow doorways at Ephrata Cloister. Founded in 1732, the Ephrata Cloister was home to a semi-monastic religious community known for its ascetic practices, distinctive Pennsylvania German architecture, and contributions to early American music composition and print culture. BCA is currently preparing an updated National Historic Landmark nomination for the site.
In Memoriam
Frank G. Matero
Conservator, Colleague, Educator
As conservators, we are trained to navigate loss: small voids in a stone façade, missing decorative elements, or the loss of entire historic sites. However, the loss of a cherished teacher, colleague, and friend feels impossible to mitigate. Thank you, Frank, for training us, supporting us, and challenging us. If memory is just as perceptible as the material world, then Frank you are still here with us, bringing humor, curiosity, and authenticity to our field.
BCA is proud to have completed an assessment of over 80 GSD/DPR and DDOT public art pieces for the City of Detroit, culminating in a one-day workshop with GSD and DPR staff. Swipe left to view some of the artwork. 1) Growing Together 2) Viola Liuzzo 3)The Entrance 4)Russell A Alger Memorial Fountain 5)Pylon.
Up, up, and away! A drone’s-eye view helped our team document the exterior of the Patterson Park Observatory in Baltimore, MD as part of a recent conditions assessment commissioned by Friends of Patterson Park. #pattersonpark #pattersonparkobservatory #pattersonparkpagoda @friendsofpattersonpark
Summer field work requires a lot of shady breaks! BCA’s Melissa, Drew, Natalie, and Kate have been spending this summer repairing grave markers at St. Peter’s Church in Old City Philadelphia.
#historicpreservation #gravemarkerrestoration #architecturalconservation #masonryrepair #masonryconservation #gravemarkercare
Hello! I’m Kate Whitney-Schubb, and I have been BCA South’s conservation intern since August 2024. Though I am originally from Los Angeles, I am now a proud Philly transplant. This past May, I earned my M.S. in Historic Preservation with a concentration in architectural conservation from the University of Pennsylvania. Upon graduating, I received the Charles E. Peterson award, as did many of my colleagues here at BCA during their years at UPenn! The Peterson Award is given in his memory by the Carpenters’ Company of the City and County of Philadelphia to outstanding students in the Graduate Program in Historic Preservation who have distinguished themselves by specialized study of historic building technology. It was a huge honor.
Throughout this past year at BCA, I’ve had the opportunity to learn from and work alongside many wonderful colleagues, contributing to a variety of conservation projects. Some of my favorite BCA projects, pictured above, include conservation treatment tests in Harpers Ferry’s historic Tearney building, site visits to review on-going work at the Penn Museum, and hands-on masonry work repairing grave markers in Old City’s St. Peter’s Church. Please enjoy the before & after of a recently repaired marker!
On June 6, BCA New England’s Director, Lisa Harrington, proudly accepted the Paul & Nicki Tsongas Award on behalf of the design team for their work on the iconic Custom House Block.
100 feet in the air, don’t care! We recently got a glimpse of the decoratively painted coffered ceiling of the station’s Main Hall. BCA is working with Gilbane on the current interior restoration.
