Thank you to all our presenters and attendees!
This year’s theme, Resilience, explored how the historic preservation field responds to and thrives in the face of changes and challenges. It was held at the Tompkins Center for History and Culture at 110 North Tioga Street, Ithaca, NY.
The fifth annual Historic Preservation Planning Alumni, Inc. Symposium was a hybrid event. This year we incorporated field sessions (in-person only) in addition to traditional presentations and panel sessions. See below for our list of distinguished speakers.
REGISTRATION IS CLOSED
Day 1
Friday, June 27, 2025
3:00 PM
Prof. Michael Tomlan, Director of the Cornell Historic Preservation Graduate Program, welcomed the hybrid attendees to this year’s symposium and provided a program update.
3:30 PM
HPP '25 graduates (Amelia Mower, Raeesa Parvez Patel, Sarah Childs, Yuke Li) presented their Master’s theses.
5:00 PM
Friday Keynote: Preservation of the Old Academic Building: A Collaborative Approach – Andrew Roblee (HPP '17) and Jeff Chusid's presentation reflected on a bilingual (Ukrainian/English) course taught at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy in Ukraine. Over 10 weeks, students were introduced to preservation principles and field documentation methods as they developed a Historic Structure Report (HSR) to support advocacy and fundraising for the landmark Old Academic Building.
6:00 PM
Ad hoc reception in Downtown Ithaca, at Bike Bar 314 E State Street.
Day 2
Saturday, June 28, 2025
9:00 AM
Coffee and pastries for in-person attendees.
10:00 AM
Beyond Resilience: Preserving Layered Histories: Terry Schwarz (HPP '91) presented a critical look at preservation’s traditional frameworks, questioning how tools like "appropriateness" and "period of significance" may erase complex histories; proposes more flexible, community-driven standards that embrace change, loss, and new technologies.
10:30 AM
Mary Raddant Tomlan presented on the work and life of legendary architect William H. Miller in support of her new book, William H. Miller, Architect: Making the World Beautiful.
11:00 AM
A “Common Cents” Approach to Resilience for Historic Resource: Jessy Eleff (HPP '11) presented a practical framework for hazard mitigation and resilience planning, emphasizing cost-effective risk reduction strategies, regulatory navigation, and real-world examples of resilience measures for historic properties.
Lunch Break
1:00 PM
Bringing Brutalism back from the brink: UMass Dartmouth LARTS: Alison Nash (BFA/BA '98, MArch '13) delivered a case study in restoring a brutalist Paul Rudolph-designed building with high energy-efficiency goals, integrating thermal comfort and emissions reduction while preserving architectural integrity.
2:00 PM
Saturday Keynote: Tony Opalka (HPP '78) shared experiences of his impactful career with New York SHPO as well as discuss his new book, Firehouses of Albany.
Break - 30 Minutes
4:00 PM
The Dewitt Mall Celebrates 50 Years: A documentary, by Ithaca-based filmmaker Shira Evergreen (BA English '02), explores the creation and history of The Dewitt Mall in celebration of its 50th anniversary. The building, originally home to Ithaca High School, was slated for demolition in 1970 when architect Bill Downing proposed a plan to redevelop it into a vibrant mixed-use space that has become a cornerstone of the downtown Ithaca community and an example of an early adaptive reuse project before this concept gained widespread popularity
Adjourn at 5:00 PM
6 Pm dinner at Mia Restaurant
116 North Aurora Street
Day 3
Sunday, June 29, 2025
10:00 AM
“King Alcohol Ends Reign” is a 10-block walking tour through downtown Ithaca that traces the city’s spirited (and often surprising) history with Prohibition. Led by trained docents from The History Center, this 60–70 minute experience takes you to the actual sites of speakeasies, dry raids, church protests, saloons, and reform rallies—uncovering how Ithaca became one of the first cities in New York State to go dry.