JRS in the News

Interior Design Magazine / Top 100 Giants                                            JRS Architect, P.C. has again achieved national recognition, garnering a spot for the fifth consecutive year.                January  2009  

Commercial Construction Magazine                                        Top Commercial Architects Report.                                   January / February  2009

New York Real Estate Journal       JRS Architect ranks among nation's Top interior design firms.              February 24, 2009

Law & Office New Jersey Conference                                  John Sorrenti participated on the Green Office Panel for this conference held in Newark, NJ    March 11, 2009

People of JRS

John R. Sorrenti, FAIA, President and Founder                                    Elected to State Education Department Vice Chair at NY State Board of Architects.

Kathy Pasquale-O'Malley, Director of Business Development and Marketing                                      Being Honored at Education and Assistance Corp (EAC) Golf Classic on June 22, 2009.

We are proud to acknowledge Joseph Pignataro, AIA, Chris Rudman, AIA and Gloria Baca who have recently earned LEED accreditation. This certification recognizes those who have completed the necessary training, education and testing to apply sustainable architecture standards to their designs.

We congratulate Alex Padilla on becoming the proud father of a baby girl, Victoria, and Jason Rivera on the birth of his son, Mateo.

Milestone anniversaries:
Frances Consoli, AIA,         Associate NJO -15 yrs    

Karen McGuiness,                      Director of Interior Design - 10 yrs        

Tim Taras,                                 Director of Business Development -     5 yrs

Projects of JRS

Overview of projects we are currently working on across industries:

JPMorgan Chase / WAMU  – Corporate Interior         

Mandell School – Education / New  School   

Progressive Orthotics & Prosthetics – Healthcare  / New Office

American Community Bank – Financial / New Office

New Restaurant, Long Island –      Hospitality

Neurological Surgery - Healthcare

Nassau County DPW - Bedell House –Restoration/Preservation

Jenny Craig - Retail Stores 

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For those interested in conserving historic structures and sites, the field can be a challenging place with esoteric building concepts, hard to locate craftspeople, and highly specialized materials sourcing. This is a world navigated on a daily basis by Design Preserve Build Architecture, PLLC (DPB), JRS Architect’s historic projects subsidiary providing comprehensive restoration and preservation services throughout New York City, Long Island, and New Jersey.  DPB clients range from cultural institutions, municipalities, and corporations to small businesses and individual owners of historic homes and properties.

DPB is distinguished from those offering similar services by both the depth of experience of its core team as well as its extensive network of specialists that can be leveraged to provide additional expertise whenever needed. Whether it’s cleaning and repointing a granite pedestal or rebuilding an historic home from the ground up, DPB has the resources at hand to orchestrate a turnkey approach to most any project.

The four primary work methods to treating early structures are Adaptive Reuse, Preservation, Restoration, and Reconstruction.  While these modalities are often difficult to tell apart since the maintenance of old buildings may involve aspects of each approach, they nevertheless represent overall strategies to meet the needs of different clients at different times.  Each is to be found in various projects handled by DPB over the years. 

Adaptive Reuse:  When older buildings outlive their original purpose Adaptation is the process that helps clients redevelop these structures for creative new uses while retaining their historic features. 

Preservation:  Preservation work maintains a building’s existing historic fabric by conserving and repairing original materials as well as retaining alterations which depict the evolution of a building through the course of its history.

Restoration:  This approach retains the materials from the most significant period in the building’s history.  Restoration also includes the documentation and removal of features and elements from later periods.

Reconstruction:  If an early building, structure or object has been largely or totally destroyed, reconstruction allows for the creation of a replica based on an archeological investigation including documentary and physical evidence. 

Situated on 209 acres in Nassau County, Long Island, Old Bethpage Village Restoration affords visitors an opportunity to step back in time and experience life in a recreated mid-19^th-century typical Long Island farm village exemplifying Dutch and English settlements.  Buildings have been relocated here from all over the area and reflect architectural styles from the early 1700’s onward. One such structure, the Hiram K. Bedell House, a Long Island country farmhouse, has sat closed to visitors for years.  Given its current state, the casual observer might think it was not appropriate to save this house.  Others however understood its history and saw the possibility of a future role for this hidden architectural gem.

Bedell House had its beginnings in the hamlet of West Hempstead, once a central meeting place for Long Island Indians.  It was a flourishing farm community when President George Washington passed through the area in 1790.  While the original owner is unknown, according to tradition one wing of the house dates back to the late 1790’s and was later purchased by Hiram Bedell, who built a larger house about 1835.  Over the years owners changed many times each one making modifications to suit their taste.  Eventually these attentions turned to neglect and this once fine home was fighting for its very existence when it was acquired by the county and moved to Old Bethpage Village.                            

In April 2008 Nassau County was ready to address the Bedell House Reconstruction and following a rigorous selection process tapped Design Preserve Build to provide architectural, interior design and construction management services.

Given the extent of its deterioration, the decision was made to completely dismantle Bedell House, but not before the DPB team could identify key architectural features to be salvaged and incorporated in a new 2,000 square-foot structure.  While the exterior of the new building will replicate that of the original house, the program calls for a brand new interior usage with space that will include a food concession, meeting area for 75-100 people, storage and restrooms.

As part of this process Design Preserve Build consultants have an established system for effective categorization of items and artifacts, including a rating of priority to assist in the selection and placement of salvaged materials within the newly designed replica.  A successful outcome depends upon developing sound extraction, salvage and storage guidelines to ensure the intact removal and use of historic materials.

Our research revealed some interesting details about the original structure:  The house had a stone foundation and heavy timbers were sawed to length and hand-hewn to shape and size.  The roof timbers as well as many in the frame were pegged or doweled together.  Chimneys at each end of the home were made from brick imported from Holland.  The wood used was primarily white pine, both plentiful and cheap at that time and easy to work by hand.  Nails were of iron and were hand fashioned by the village blacksmith.  Hand-split white pine shingles were carefully fitted to be as air tight as possible.

When the new Bedell House is completed it will stand as a classic example of both historic Reconstruction and Adaptive Reuse.  This project is emblematic of the increasing realization that saving old buildings and preserving their enduring qualities can be achieved in the context of meeting the practical needs of a new owner and maintaining usefulness to society.

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Readers interested in Old Bethpage Village Restoration are invited to call 516-572-8400.  For more information about Design Preserve Build (DPB) and to receive the firm’s profile of projects and services please contact W. C. Jack Miller at 609-688-9100, Ext. 204.     

Insight into the AIA National Convention

Hundreds of thousands of American Service Members are overseas in remote and hostile regions of the world, separated from loved ones for long stretches of time and enduring the most difficult of physical conditions. Recently JRS employees joined together to share the comforts of home with one such group of heroes, the 3^rd Platoon of Alpha Company, 1-32 Infantry currently deployed to Afghanistan.  Second Lieutenant Jake Miraldi is Platoon Leader and nephew of JRS Finance Coordinator Jean Miraldi.  As Jean explains:“Originally I just wanted to send something to Jake and asked his father what he needed.  He sent me the list and there are so many items the soldiers need – that’s when I thought of the JRS employees participating.” The issue was raised at a monthly staff meeting and was quickly embraced by all three JRS offices.  Collection points were established in the Mineola, New York City, and Princeton locations and soon the boxes began filling up. 

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

While the military provides food, shelter, and gear, soldiers must use their pay to buy personal items and treats.  Even with a willingness to pay quite a number of these items are difficult to find, especially in combat zones such as Afghanistan. Imagine running out of lip balm or eye drops in the dessert.  A package of wet wipes might be the closest thing to a shower a soldier will have in a month.  A puzzle book or magazine might help someone escape reality for an hour or two.

The Military Care Package has become a favorite cause of many civic organizations, charities, and corporations and has evolved into an effective way concerned civilians can make a difference. Alpha Company’s Care Package list is fairly typical with requests for food, candy, hygiene supplies, sports equipment, entertainment, etc.  Most all of the items are under $10 and easily available in drug stores, supermarkets, and discount stores.  Overseas of course they are luxuries. 

It must also be noted that an important component of Alpha Company’s list are items for the Afghan people including winter coats (all sizes), shoes (children’s sizes), blankets, school supplies, and stuffed animals.  The ultimate mission is to make life better for everyone.

THE PROJECT EXPANDS

As word began to circulate about the drive, friends and relatives of JRS employees wanted to join in and began donating items as a means to express their thanks.  Local elementary schools, Washington Street School in Franklin Square, NY and St. Patrick’s School in Huntington, NY, also got into the act.  Two JRS staffers, Marie McDonald and Grace Adamo have children attending these schools and were catalysts in generating over 50 cards of support from the students to the troops.  JRS Principal Alex Hadjiyane’s daughter also wrote a poem and a card.   The outpouring from these young people reinforced their thanks for keeping America safe and making the world a better place.

As the deadline for contributions passed Jean Miraldi was happy to report on the generosity of everyone at JRS as well as its extended family.  Almost every request on the extensive Wish List was met – many with duplicates.  The packages have been shipped and are on their way to some very deserving people.