Article on Piarist Fathers in WNY Heritage Magazine

New in the Pavilion Shop---the latest issue of WNY Heritage Magazine, which includes an article by Graycliffian Eugene Hegedus called the The Long Road to Freedom.  The article covers the history of the Piarists; the school they founded in Buffalo, Calasanctius; and the Father's time at Graycliff.  Fascinating reading!

Shout Out to Graycliff Housekeepers.....

A big thank you to all Graycliff Housekeepers, especially Team Leader Linda Weyand,  for their efforts this weekend and again today.

Boy, was it DUSTY!  Due to the construction, dust was everywhere...and the Housekeeping Team has done a terrific job of keeping things looking great.

This coming year will be especially challenging for the team, as the dust continues to settle....so when you see the, please thank them very much for a job well done!

Graycliff Living Room Floor Restoration Update October 14, 2013

The living room floor restoration is moving forward rapidly.  Joists and sub-floor have been completed; which means that tours may now go through the living room.  Work in the basement will continue this week, on duct work, etc.  BRD Construction hopes to have heat restored later this week to the second floor, as well as parts of the first floor.  Thus, it may be a little noisy, but tours will not be impeded.

Restoration of the entry way, dining room and final work on the living room floors will get underway in November.

Save the Date: Graycliff Volunteer BREAKFAST!

Breaking tradition due to restoration in progress, the 2013 Volunteer Dinner has been changed to a Volunteer Breakfast.

But not just any breakfast...it will be held at the Wanakah Country Club.

Isabelle and Darwin Martin were members, and visited frequently.

Please save the date: Saturday, November 9th, from 8:30 to 10:30 am.

Awards, conviviality, and a celebration of all that Graycliffians have accomplished this year!

Wanakah Country Club is located at . 5161 Lake Shore Road, Hamburg, NY 14075.

Following the breakfast, we will continue the traditional 20% discount 

in Graycliff's gift shop just for volunteers that day.

Please RSVP to Graycliff at 947-9217 if you are able to attend.

Graycliff Lecture THIS Wednesday....

Opening the Envelope: Porches, Porticos and Terraces

The third and final lecture in the 2013 Graycliff series will conclude with a presentation by Keiran Murphy, Historic Preservation Specialist at Taliesin, Frank Lloyd Wright's home in Spring Green, WI.

Murphy's illustrated talk should be quite fascinating, 

because she is a practitioner rather than an academic architectural historian.  Her role at Taliesin is to research and the provide guidance to the work crews who are actually performing restoration at the historic home.  

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Burchfield-Penney Art Center

1300 Elmwood Ave, Buffalo, NY

7:00 pm

$10; $5 for Graycliff members/volunteers, and BPAC members

Presented thanks to the support of the New York State Council on the Arts, Governor Andrew Cuomo, and the New York State Legislature.  Special thanks to the Burchfield-Penney Art Center.

Graycliff Restoration Update Oct 7 through 11, 2013

The living room floor project is moving right along.  BRD Construction expects to have a temporary floor in the living room by the end of the day this Wednesday, October 9th.  This will mean that the living room will once again be available for all tours, although during the coming weeks, we may hear sounds from the basement, where work will continue.

The work in the photo above will only be visible for two more days.....

Graycliff Restoration Update for October 1-7, 2013

Restoration on the Living Room Floor project is moving swiftly now. 

LAST WEEK

All  HVAC duct work was  removed  from the basement, including all forced air floor registers.  The furnaces have been turned off along with the boiler.  Valves for the new boiler floor heating units have been installed.

The electric lines existing on the ceiling of the basement (or underside of the floor that is going to be removed) was loosened so the spancreet (concrete panels) can be removed.

Our contractor, BRD, completed its investigation for the safest, most effective way to actually remove the floor. The basement under the removal area was cleaned out and shoring  installed.

THIS WEEK

This week, the floor topping is being removed; and there will be deliveries of laminated veneer lumber, 

pressure treated lumber, and  brackets, which will be used to provide the support for the new floor.

Plastic sheeting will prevent circulation of dust, and there will be barriers installed to prevent anyone from falling into the basement.  Docents, please be creative in giving tours around this construction.

NEXT WEEK

BRD  will continue with floor removal and installation.  They expect this phase of the work to be completed by week end, so if you want to see into the basement from the living room, these are likely the only times you will be able to do so.

Each section of floor that is removed will be replaced with laminated veneer lumber floor joists. Blocking will then be installed to keep the joists from moving or twisting.

 A temporary plywood floor  will be installed until a large enough area is ready for the tongue and grove under lay flooring to be installed on a diagonal.

As soon as the floor is completed to that point, the HVAC subcontractor will return to install some of the duct work  and restore some forced air  heat.