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LLENROC 2016 CONDITION ASSESSMENT 100 Cornell Avenue Ithaca, New York 14850 Prepared For: Cornell Delta Phi Association Prepared By: Crawford & Stearns Architects and Preservation Planners, PLLC 134 Walton Street Syracuse, NY 13202 December 2016 LLENROC 2016 CONDITION ASSESSMENT 100 Cornell Avenue Ithaca, New York 14850 Prepared For: Cornell Delta Phi Association Prepared By: Crawford & Stearns Architects and Preservation Planners, PLLC 134 Walton Street Syracuse, NY 13202 December 2016 All photographs are by Crawford & Stearns unless otherwise noted. © Crawford & Stearns, PLLC Llenroc 2016 Condition Assessment Project #1550 LLENROC 2016 CONDITION ASSESSMENT • ITHACA, NEW YORK TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION Page # EXTERIOR THE RURAL GOTHIC VILLA SITE: 8 • Narrative 9 Drainage Utilities Plantings Soil erosion locations Photographs of existing conditions 10 • Site Plan to show drainage, utility systems, and plantings 13 ROOFS: • Narrative 14 Metal flashing and sheet metal conditions1245 Rain leaders & leader heads Iron work related to roof: ladders, platforms, stairs Hatch improvements at flat roofs • Condition Photographs , 2012 & 2016 15 • Roof Plan to note locations of roof condition issues 22 MASONRY: • Stone masonry stabilization and restoration 23 Bluestone Lockport Limestone Use at Cornell University Use at Llenroc Steps Quoins Piazzas and colonnettes Balconies, colonnettes and brackets Carved capitals Carved moldings • Mortar Repointing 25 • The Prospect for testing mortars 26 • Photographs of existing conditions 28 • Masonry Drawings and Elevations, including basement plan to locate areaways 34 STONE CONSERVATION • Stone Conservation Observations 40 • Bluestone and Lockport Limestone The Prospect for petrographic testing Options for stabilization and probable costs CRAWFORD & STEARNS • ARCHITECTS AND PRESERVATION PLANNERS, PLLC • SYRACUSE, NEW YORK LLENROC 2016 CONDITION ASSESSMENT • ITHACA, NEW YORK WINDOWS: Page # • Narrative 42 • Storm window system Historic (existing remnants) New • Photographs of existing conditions 43 • Window and Door Drawings, plans, elevations, window and door schedules 44 Basement First Floor Glass doors Panel doors Second Floor Third Floor PIAZZA CEILINGS AND LIGHTING FIXTURES: • North Piazza 53 • West Piazza • South Piazza Photographs of existing conditions CONCLUSIONS REGARDING EXTERIOR CONDITIONS 54 • Specific Conclusions Capital Projects Maintenance • General Conclusions Respect for the Building Communication and coordination between all parties involved Fire watch during hazardous installations NARRATIVE SUMMARY OF 5-YEAR PRESERVATION PLAN: EXTERIOR 56 • 2016-2020 5-YEAR PRESERVATION PLAN: EXTERIOR SUMMARY OF POSSIBLE COSTS 60 • 2016-2020 NARRATIVE SUMMARY OF 15-YEAR PRESERVATION PLAN: EXTERIOR 62 • 2021-2036 15-YEAR PRESERVATION PLAN: EXTERIOR SUMMARY OF POSSIBLE COSTS 63 • 2021-2036 CRAWFORD & STEARNS • ARCHITECTS AND PRESERVATION PLANNERS, PLLC • SYRACUSE, NEW YORK LLENROC 2016 CONDITION ASSESSMENT • ITHACA, NEW YORK INTERIOR Page # THE RURAL GOTHIC VILLA 66 Room by room survey of Condition for floors, walls, ceilings, built-ins/woodwork, heating grilles, cabinets, pipes, controls, lighting, electrical plates and outlets, cable runs, fire detection & alarm. FIRST FLOOR 67 • Entrance Foyer • Card Room • Main Stair Hall 1st • Music Room • Living Room • Library • Dining Room • East Stair Hall 1st • Dish Room • Kitchen • Laundry • Toilet SECOND FLOOR 94 • The Landing • Bedroom #1 (with Closets, typical) • Bedroom #2 • Bedroom #3 • Bedroom #4 • Bedroom #5 • Bedroom Bathroom • Bedroom #6 • Bedroom #7 • Bedroom #8 • Bedroom #9 • East Stair Hall 2nd with closet • Long Hallway THIRD FLOOR: 128 • Stair Hall 3rd Roof Stair Closet • Hall and Corridor • Bedroom #10 (with dormers, typical) • Bedroom #11 • Bedroom #12 • Bedroom #13 • Bathroom • Bedroom #14 “Senior Apartments” • Bedroom #15 BASEMENT 150 • Stairway / Pong Room with Janitor Closet • Pool Room • Bar Room with Closet • Bar Lounge CRAWFORD & STEARNS • ARCHITECTS AND PRESERVATION PLANNERS, PLLC • SYRACUSE, NEW YORK LLENROC 2016 CONDITION ASSESSMENT • ITHACA, NEW YORK • Women’s Lounge Page # • Women’s Toilet • Passageway • Vestibule Chapter Room • Chapter Room • North Piazza Crypt • Boiler and the Boiler Room 156 • East Stair Hall Basement • Vestibule • Electrical • Laundry with Closet (was “Caves #1”) • Mechanical (“Caves #2”) CONCLUSIONS REGARDING INTERIOR CONDITIONS 158 • Capital Projects • Maintenance • Respect for the Building • Communication and coordination between all parties involved • Fire watch during hazardous installations NARRATIVE SUMMARY OF 5-YEAR PRESERVATION PLAN: INTERIOR 161 • 2016-2020 5-YEAR PRESERVATION PLAN: INTERIOR SUMMARY OF POSSIBLE COSTS 162 • 2016-2020 NARRATIVE SUMMARY OF 15-YEAR PRESERVATION PLAN: INTERIOR 163 • 2021-2036 15-YEAR PRESERVATION PLAN: INTERIOR SUMMARY OF POSSIBLE COSTS 164 • 2021-2036 CRAWFORD & STEARNS • ARCHITECTS AND PRESERVATION PLANNERS, PLLC • SYRACUSE, NEW YORK LLENROC 2016 CONDITION ASSESSMENT • ITHACA, NEW YORK INTRODUCTION This Condition Assessment is the fourth such evaluation Crawford & Stearns has provided for the Cornell Delta Phi chapter house known as “Llenroc”. These occurred in 1990, 1998, and 2009 and the 2016 version is particularly significant due to the revitalization of Cornell Delta Phi Association’s commitment to the house and the Cornell Delta Phi Foundation’s plans for the future. The Gothic Revival Villa has been home to the fraternity for 105 years out of its 135 year presence at Cornell University. In spite of recognition that Llenroc is an exceptionally rare and high-quality example of Gothic Revival Villa design and execution, a century and a half of occupation inside and temperate climate weather outside are causing significant aging of the stone house. The building remains intact on two counts: First the extreme talent of German masons outside and English carpenters inside made the house extremely durable. Secondly, the house has been lived in for its entire life, and that is the most compatible use for any building designed and constructed to be a residence. Maintenance and rehabilitation projects have kept Llenroc serving this function, but the time has come for restoration, that is work which goes beyond condition repair, to guarantee the architectural integrity of the building and its immediate site. Llenroc deserve the highest level of restoration quality to send it far past its 2065 Bi-centennial and a second century at Cornell University. CRAWFORD & STEARNS • ARCHITECTS AND PRESERVATION PLANNERS, PLLC • SYRACUSE, NEW YORK E X T E R I O R LLENROC 2016 CONDITION ASSESSMENT • ITHACA, NEW YORK THE RURAL GOTHIC VILLA: EXTERIOR To quote the 1990 Condition Report by Crawford & Stearns: “Ezra Cornell in the 1860s had plans drawn up for a family residence, Llenroc; it was designed by the prestigious Albany, New York based architectural firm of Nichols and Brown. The original plans and elevations prepared by Nichols and Brown were once known to be framed and hanging on the walls of the first floor of Llenroc. Now in their absence, Crawford & Stearns has prepared new record drawings.” “Prominently sited, the setting atop a steep hill with the University as a backdrop is a textbook example of the 19th century romantic picturesque notion; the vistas, prominence and distinctive character of the house all fit precisely into the rural country house philosophies promoted during the 19th century, and in particular by A. J. Downing through his published works. Likewise the early buildings of the Cornell University campus were in a similar romantic and picturesque mode. Morrill Hall (1860), White Hall (1866), McGraw Hall and Tower (1869), Sibley Hall (1870), Sage College (1873) and Sage Chapel (1875), along with Llenroc, capture the romantic and picturesque school of thought prevalent at that time” The same report went on to recommend pursing designation for Llenroc as a National Register Landmark (NHL) due to its national significance. The property has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has had local Protected Site Designation as administered through the City of Ithaca’s Landmarks Preservation Board. These designations have now been in place for many years, but NHL status has not been sought for Llenroc. CRAWFORD & STEARNS • ARCHITECTS AND PRESERVATION PLANNERS, PLLC • SYRACUSE, NEW YORK LLENROC 2016 CONDITION ASSESSMENT • ITHACA, NEW YORK SITE The site of the Llenroc villa has seen its rural image preserved on three sides despite massive reduction in size from Ezra Cornell’s 19th century farm. Green space adorns the cemetery to the south, the valley in which Ithaca rests to the west and Cayuga Lake to the northwest. Huge examples of legacy trees survive: Beech, Sycamore and Oak, some now off the property. Walnut trees have overgrown the nearby tennis court to the northeast. The 2009 Condition Assessment by Crawford & Stearns started its descriptive and workscope narrative with an update on the infamous stone retaining wall which runs along several hundred feet of Cornell Avenue at the sloping lower limit of the villa’s site. Disintegrated to the point of losing its margined ashlar limestones and its ability to retain soil, this significant landscape feature has been a liability for decades. Recent discussions regarding the Llenroc site have not emphasized the wall’s half a million dollar cost to restore, now escalated to $725,000. What is new since 2009 are changes and improvements in site drainage, site lighting and the restoration of one