Welcome and Introduction

Partners for Sacred Places

Sensitive Interventions: Preserving iconic churches for use in the 21st Century and beyond

Thomas A. Fenniman, Architect

Emily Valentine Sottile is an expert in ecclesiastical art and architecture. As Director of the Sacred Space Studio at EverGreene Architectural Arts, Emily draws on formal training in art history and theology, and over a decade of hands-on experience bringing large-scale restoration and new design projects to fruition to develop artistry and restoration programs to support the liturgy and architecture. Emily is an adjunct professor at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Yonkers, and frequent contributor to The Chair documentary series. Emily holds a BA in History of Art from Rhodes College and an MA in History of Art from the University of Edinburgh.

Temple Adath Israel: The Renewal and Renovation of a Noted Mid-Century Modern Synagogue in Suburban Philadelphia

AOS Architects

The Dome That Is Not Doomed to Repeat Chronic Problems: Using Technology to Guide the US Naval Academy Chapel Dome Rehabilitation Work

BELL Architects, Silman, and Seal Engineering

Grace Meloy, Senior Structural Engineer: After completing her B.S. in Civil Engineering at University of Pittsburgh and M.S. in Historic Preservation at University Pennsylvania, Grace joined Silman in the fall of 2016 as the Silman Fellow for Preservation Engineering for the 2016-2017 year. Her professional experience is focused on historic preservation and preservation engineering and has included projects at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia, St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Washington, DC, and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, VA. Through these experiences, she has bolstered the following skill set: condition assessments of historic and existing structures, conservation of historic building materials, historic building research and documentation, structural evaluation of historic and existing structures, and design of structural interventions in existing and historic structures.

David Fyffe, P.E., Principal, is a civil/structural engineer with over 34 years of experience. He received his engineering degree from Clarkson University of Potsdam, New York. After graduation, David worked for two nationally recognized A/E firms in the Boston area, and in 1990, David relocated to Washington, D.C., where he joined Seal Engineering. During his tenure at Seal Engineering, David has worked on finding the true source of leak problems in buildings, and he has had the opportunity to work on many of the area’s most notable buildings – such as the White House and the Supreme Court. While these projects can be heady to work on – and require the same skill and care in developing the project solutions – David derives equal satisfaction and pleasure from his work on smaller, more complex projects. These types of projects require detailed investigations to come up with the solution to solve vexing leak issues that have been persistently unsolvable. Although the primary focus of David’s practice is working with the existing built environment, his team provides assistance to Owners, Developers, Contractors and Architects in the new construction arena as well. These services typically consist of drawing and specification review, material selection consulting and recommendations, and detailing and constructability review with follow-on construction phase inspection services.

Sacred Space to Arts Space: The Conversion of St. Joseph’s Church

Page & Turnbull, Sattary Structural Engineering

Ruth Todd, FAIA, AICP, LEED AP, Principal, Page & Turnbull. Ruth’s interdisciplinary background in planning, architecture and historic preservation gives her a unique perspective that promotes a comprehensive vision of what activates neighborhoods and enriches daily experiences. An award-winning and nationally recognized expert, Ruth has led planning efforts across the United States that focus on maintaining the character of a place, catalyzing economic development, and forging  stronger communities.

Dr. Vahid Sattary, SE, PhD, Principal, Sattary Structural Engineering. Vahid has over 30 years of experience in structural engineering including innovative designs of concrete and steel structures and the state‐of‐the‐art application of seismic protective base isolation and energy dissipation devices in buildings. He has been the structural engineer in charge of a variety of projects including new building designs, seismic retrofit and renovation of historic buildings, existing building evaluations, and seismic hazard assessment.

Sarah E. Brummett, Associate AIA, Senior Associate, Page & Turnbull. Sarah is an architectural designer, historian, and materials specialist with domestic and international experience in the practice of historic preservation. Her work comprises a wide variety of scales, materials, and building types, from humble redwood barns to a National Historic Landmark, while her research explores the role of preservation in environmental justice and sustainability.

St. Charles Borromeo Seminary Iconography Removal: A Case Study of the Intersection of Catholic Canon Law & The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards

Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners

Fee Memorial Church at Camp Nelson National Monument

National Park Service

Preserving and Restoring Christ Church Philadelphia

John Milner Architects, Keast & Hood

Christopher Miller, AIA, Principal joined John Milner Architects in 1998 and became a Principal of the firm in 2009. Christopher is a registered architect with over 25 years of experience. He has a particular interest in historically significant ecclesiastical, institutional and cultural property projects that involve restoration, rehabilitation, adaptive-reuse and sensitive additions. Throughout his career, he has also remained actively engaged in new traditional residential and building design projects, which are inspired by his knowledge of historic precedent. His wide-ranging professional experience includes programming, master planning, research and on-site investigation, conditions assessments, historical documentation, project management, construction documentation and construction review. He has been engaged in numerous professional organizations throughout his career, including the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Partners for Sacred Places, the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia and local historic organizations. Many of his projects have been recognized for their excellence at local, regional and national levels.

Brian D. Wentz, PE, CDT, Director of Historic Preservation. A member of Keast & Hood since 1993, Brian has over 25 years of structural engineering experience. A master at revitalizing old buildings, he has worked on the firm’s most sensitive historic projects including the highly acclaimed Longwood Gardens Main Fountain Garden Restoration, Philadelphia City Hall, College Hall at the University of Pennsylvania, and of course, a number of projects at Christ Church Philadelphia - most recently the steeple restoration and Fisk organ replacement. Brian Has been engaged with several professional organizations including the Association for Preservation Technology (International and Delaware Velley Chapter), and the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia. Brian was acknowledged by the Association for Preservation Technology International as a Recognized Professional in 2019 for his expert skill level in the various field of preservation technology with a formal recognition of achievement.

Angels Rising from the Ashes: Conserving the Fire Damaged Reredos and Sculptures at Mission San Gabriel

RLA Conservation, LLC

Christina Varvi is President and Co-Chief Conservator of RLA Conservation, LLC. A Professional Associate of AIC, she holds an M.S. in historic preservation and materials conservation from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation. Christina has been with RLA Los Angeles since 2011. Prior to becoming president of RLA, she served as principal conservator for all Western U.S. conservation projects, including for the Huntington, Virginia Robinson Gardens, Pacific Mutual Building, St. Augustine Episcopal Church, UCLA Clark Library, the Federal Post Office and Building in Spokane, Washington, the Nakamura Courthouse in Seattle, and select investigations and treatments at First Congregational Church in Long Beach. She was lead conservator for the team that conserved and restored the 1930’s façade of the former May Company Building in Los Angeles, recently awarded a 2019 California Preservation Foundation Award for Craftsmanship and for the composite mosaic by Tiffany Studios in the New York City landmarked Tiffany Room of the Park Avenue Armory (Formerly the Seventh Regiment Armory). She publishes and presents papers frequently and is a board member and treasurer of WCAPT.

Cultural Anchors

Walking Tour of Historic Sacred Sites around Chinatown, including Holy Rosary Church and Adas Israel Synagogue