News
December, 2013
Keystone Preservation Group is pleased to announce that Elizabeth Lissy has joined the firm as an Associate Conservator.  Liz
holds a Master of Science in Historic Preservation from the University of Pennsylvania (2013) and a Bachelor of Science in
Chemistry, with a Minor in History) from  Louisiana State University (2010).  
By virtue of her graduate work and specifically her
thesis which analyzed historic architectural finishes from the
Cosmopolitan Club of Philadelphia, she possesses an
exceptionally strong skill set with respect to analytical microscopy and the analysis/interpretation of historic finishes, and is
currently assisting with our projects at the University of Pennsylvania, on Capitol Hill, and throughout Pennsylvania and New
Jersey.  Welcome, Liz!



October 8, 2012
Chris recently headed up a volunteer workshop in the cemetery at Newtown Presbyterian Church.  We spent the day re-setting
and cleaning headstones which date to the early 19th century.  More workshops to come!  Newspaper coverage of our work
follows:

http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/the_intelligencer_news/volunteers-work-at-restoring-history/article_2b3b96f0-5f11-
54da-9b90-1461b3278859.html






July 13, 2012
Another installment in the "just for fun" category.  Latest images from the polarized light microscope (encouraged by Chris'
recent attendance at the McCrone Research Institute class on polarized light microscopy.  Soon to be adding pigment analysis
to the list of standard conservation services.









March 20, 2012
Just for fun - some photomicrographs and photos from recent projects, including Mount Olive Baptist Church, Lancaster
Amtrak Station, Nitshcke House and Benjamin Franklin House:








December 5, 2011
We have moved to new office space!  

October 11, 2011
As we move into fall, current projects include:
- Building preservation guides, construction histories and specifications for the Cannon House Office Building, Russell Senate
Office Building, Adams Library of Congress Building and U.S. Botanic Garden.
- Construction administration for Union Congregational Church, Von Louhr Apartments
- Finishes analysis for the John Baird House, Morristown Library, St. Andrew's Episcopal Church and Murrell Dobbins School
- Mortar and stucco work for Bound Brook Presbyterian Church
- Construction documents and scope consultation for Hoboken Library, Academy for Vocal Arts
- Tax credit work for Springside School, Steelton Educational Complex, Von Louhr Apartments and others

September 28, 2011
Chris served as a building docent for the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy's annual conference last weekend.  On
Friday September 30, he will be a guest lecturer at Roger Williams University's historic preservation program.  When preparing
for the presentation, it became clear that 2011 has been the year of the mortar.  Check out photos from the mortar lab:








June 16, 2011
Chris will be presenting with Mills & Schnoering to the League of Historic American Theatres: "Dental Surgery 2010 or “Let’s
Face It” at the Basie" regarding preconstruction testing and conservation issues encountered during the restoration of the
Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, NJ.  http://www.lhat.org/theatretour.aspx

He will also be assisting with the annual conference for the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy in Philadelphia in
September, 2011. http://savewright.org/index.php?t=news_focus&story_id=61

June 10, 2011
This has been an exceptionally busy week!  Not only did we start survey and research for three buildings on Capitol Hill, but we
are also pleased to announce the following:

Our National Register Nomination for the Souderton Historic District has been approved by the National Park Service, and the
District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places this morning.

Shelby's nomination for the PWB Railroad Station and Steelton Education Complex were unanimously approved by the
Pennsylvania Historic Review Board and have been forwarded to the National Park Service with a recommendation for listing on
the National Register of Historic Places.

June 1, 2011
As the summer starts, we are working on the following projects:
- Philadelphia City Hall (survey/planning for interior finishes)
- Cannon House of Representatives Office Building (Building Preservation Guide)
- Adams Library of Congress Building (survey, database, masonry conservation)
- United States Botanical Gardens (survey, database)
- Russell Senate Office Building (survey, database)
- Spangler Farmstead at Gettysburg (thin-section analysis for historic plasters and masonry, finishes analysis, wallpaper
analysis)
- Union Church (construction assistance, consultation for historic masonry)
- Montville Museum (exposure windows for historic graining)
- Van Allen House (finishes analysis/building evolution)

July 10, 2010
Keystone Preservation is pleased to welcome Elise Kemery for the summer of 2010.  Elise is a recent graduate of the University
of Pennsylvania Graduate Program in Historic Preservation, where she specialized in architectural conservation.  She will be
assisting with all aspects of our projects including finishes analysis, masonry conservation, the analysis/replication of historic
mortars, and rehabilitation investment tax credit consultation.  We are exceptionally pleased to have her on board!

March 30, 2010
Current and future projects include:
- Cannon House of Representatives Building: Historic Preservation database work, finishes analyses for significant interior
spaces, masonry conservation and cleaning tests
- Loew's Jersey Theater: analysis of historic interior finishes
- Spangler Farm at Gettysburg: historic structures report
- Mortar/masonry analyses: Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Sweeten Alumni Building at Penn, Vanatta Farm, Millington
Schoolhouse, Lafayette College, DuPont Estate, Duke Farms
- Willow Grove Cemetery: Conditions survey, conservation recommendations, cost estimates
- Boonton- Holmes Public Library: finishes analysis
- First Reformed Church of Pompton Plains: finishes analysis
- Steelton Educational Complex: RITC consultation
- Roseberry House: Chromatic and compositional analysis, assessment of early American wall stenciling
- Count Basie Theater: construction administration for terra cotta restoration and reconstruction
- Union Congregational Church: Forensic probes, borescopic investigation, mortar analyses, scope consultation

December 10, 2009
With December upon us, we continue working hard to complete projects by the end of the year.  We have spent an extensive
amount of time in Washington, DC recently, assisting with an historic preservation survey to identify significant features and
potential conservation treatment issues within the Cannon House Office Building.  We have also both been working on the
Souderton Historic District and Meadowlands Museum.

Chris is in the midst of analyzing more than 500 paint samples (literally) for Willow Hall in Morristown, NJ, Franklin Inn in East
Millstone, NJ, the DuCret School of Art in Plainfield, NJ, Glenburn in Riverdale, NJ, the Vail House at Historic Speedwell in
Morristown, NJ and the Pool House at Morven in Princeton, NJ.  He also plans to start the next phase of paint analysis for
Bowlsby-DeGelleke House in Parsippany, NJ within the next few weeks.

Shelby has been exceptionally busy wrapping up survey and assessment for the statewide survey of historic African American
sites, and is also working on several ITC projects including the Steelton lofts outside of Harrisburg.

We would like to sincerely thank all of our clients for an exceptional 2009, and look forward to an even better 2010.

September 9, 2009
We had an exceptionally busy summer, and continue to be busy into the fall.  Some of our current work includes:
- Continued work on an historic preservation survey database for the Cannon House of Representatives' Office Building.
- Conservation and reinstallation of mosaic tiles on the main facade of Congregation Rodeph Shalom in Philadelphia.
- Historic research and materials analysis for the Meadowlands Museum.
- Continued RITC consultation for St. Stanislaus, Steelton, the Altland Building and Bell Telephone Building.
- Conservation testing program for Somerville Borough Hall.
- Finishes analyses for Somerville Borough Hall, Franklin Inn and Vail Mansion.
- Conditions survey and recommendations for Union Mill in Baltimore.

April 10, 2009
As usual, April has proven to already be a busy month for us as construction season nears and some of our projects receive
more funding opportunities.  Shelby continues to develop the RITC side of the company, and we are working on many projects
throughout the Commonwealth including several buildings in York, a large educational complex in Steelton, an orphanage in
Nanticoke, and the Princeton Club in Philadelphia.  In addition to the African American survey project, which Shelby will be
presenting at the Annual Black History Conference in May, she continues to work on two active National Register nominations
and with her local museum on their next publication.  Chris has been asked to teach a class on architectural conservation at
Drew University in May, and will focus specifically on the analysis, assessment and historical interpretation of finishes and
mortars wihtin the context of historic structures reports.  Recognizing the importance of historic preservation within our
community, he is also donating a package of professional services for the annual Mercer Museum Auction to benefit the Bucks
County Historical Society.  Work will be beginning shortly on Willow Hall, a significant historic mansion in Morristown, NJ, and
work continues for Old North Church, University Cottage Club, South Orange Village and other properties.  

And finally, one of our projects (The Lippincott in Wilmington, DE) will be receiving a Preservation Achievement Award from the
Preservation Alliance next month.  Thanks to all at Market-Preservation Associates and Preservation Initiatives for having us on
your project team.

April 2, 2009
March was an exceptionally busy month.  Shelby has continued her work on the statewide survey of historic African American
neighborhoods in Pennsylvania.  We both worked on community surveys for Stroudsburg, Bedford, Washington and Indiana
(a lot of driving, but a lot of interesting information).  Chris has been working on and finalizing several reports on historic
building materials, including those for Liberty Hall, South Orange Village, East Jersey Olde Towne, the Medical College of
Pennsylvania, Phoenixville Steel Works, Old North Church and Reeves-Reed Arboretum.  We are now producing replication
discs for every mortar we analyze as a standard service, and have generated a library of more than 200 custom mortars.  

We have also been in the news lately as we continue to generate an awareness of the positive impact of historic preservation.  
Recent newsworthy topics include our continued role in listing the Souderton Historic District and Shelby's involvement with
the Sellersville Museum:

http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/the_intelligencer/the_intelligencer_news_details/article/27/2009/march/23/recognition-
preservation-for-architecture.html

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?dept_id=187822&PAG=461&newsid=20235628

http://www.thereporteronline.com/articles/2008/11/30/news/srv0000003980631.txt

February 8, 2009
Last month, we completed and submitted a draft National Register nomination for the Souderton Historic District, a document
which included a contextual assessment of the evolution of the borough and the survey and recordation of approximately 600
individual resources.  In addition, we have recently completed or are currently working on the analysis and interpretation of
historic building materials for the Bowlsby-DeGelleke House (Parsippany, NJ), the Butler Museum (Butler, NJ), South Orange
Village Hall (South Orange, NJ), The Dr. Lewis Condict House (Morristown, NJ) and others.   We will be working with the
American Institute of Architects, Bucks County, for a presentation on the application of the federal rehabilitation investment
tax credit program in the next few weeks.

November 3, 2008
Keystone Preservation has been awarded a contract to complete a National Register Nomination for the Souderton (PA)
Historic District.  Our work will include a comprehensive district survey, archival research, historical assessment, database and
the submission of a National Register Nomination to PHMC and the National Park Service.

October 15, 2008
New projects are underway.  We have recently begun consultation on RITC programs for the former Steelton High School in
Steelton, PA, and will be
starting three projects in York, PA by the end of the month.  A note to our clients: We are updating our marketing materials
and will be providing you
with comprehensive packages in the near future.

June 17, 2008
The summer of 2008 promises to be a busy one.  We recently completed final construction evaluations for two significant
historic industrial complexes: American Tobacco (Durham, NC) and American Locomotive (Providence, RI).  In addition to our
continued work on historic finishes from Liberty Hall, the statewide survey for the African American Museum,
conservation/construction study for Fort Christian and ongoing involvement with the United States Capitol Complex, we have
started several new projects.  We are working on a number of studies which will not only provide information on historic
building materials but will also assist in understanding how historic buildings have changed over time.  These include the
Boudinot-Southard property, the James Brice House and several buildings at Waterloo Village.

May 2, 2008
As restoration season gets into full gear, Keystone is working on a number of challenging and diverse projects, including the
continuation of a statewide survey for the African American Museum, RITC programs for the Princeton Club, St. Stanislaus
Institute and Bell Telephone Buildings, finishes analyses for Liberty Hall and Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, conditions
surveys and materials analysis for the Hoboken Public Library, the restoration of exterior stucco for the Black Horse Inn, and a
database/survey project for the United States Capitol Complex in Washington, DC.  More updates to come!

March 28, 2008
Keystone Preservation is pleased to announce that Shelby Weaver Splain has joined the firm as Director of Preservation
Services.  Shelby brings a wealth of experience with historic resource studies including National Register Nominations, Historic
Resource Surveys and Historic Structures Reports.  Her work has been commended by agencies and organizations such as
Preservation Pennsylvania, New Jersey Future Smart Growth, New Jersey Historic Preservation Office, NCPE and NCPTT.  She is
currently working on a statewide resource survey for the Pennsylvania African American Museum, a National Register
Nomination and RITC program for the St. Stanislaus Institute, and an RITC program for The Princeton Club.
Keystone Preservation Group                               
Historic Preservation, Architectural Conservation, Scope Consultation, RITC Consulting