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• National Aviary – Wetlands Renovation
• Phipps Conservatory – Palm Court “O-G” Roof Replication
• Phipps Conservatory – Broderie and East Room Restorations
• Reynolda Gardens – Conservatory Renovation and New Greenhouses
• Lyman Plant House, Smith College – Master Planning
• USDA, Woodward – Greenhouse Renovation
• Dumbarton Oaks – New Renovation and Programming
• Denver Botanical Gardens – Needs Assessment
• Mathieson Center – Production Greenhouses Renovations
• Chicago Botanic Garden – Mechanical Renovations
• Longwood Gardens – New West Conservatory & Cascade Garden
• Belle Isle, ASW Conservatory – Structural, Glazing and Mechanical Renovations
• Smithsonian Institution – Botany Greenhouse Replacement
• Desert Botanical Garden – New Collections Shade Structure

This project was the second major renovation at the National Aviary. The Wetlands building was designed in 1967 and completed the following year. The glazing system was the original and had aged and deteriorated over the last fifty-five years and needed complete renewal. All of the glass was replaced, the interior steel framework was repainted and a complete replacement of the mechanical system was undertaken. The sidewall glazing was replaced with a patterned glass that resembled shoreline grasses. The overall light transmission level was increased by over twenty-five percent.

Palm Court – 1922

Palm Court – 2010

The original Palm Court roof design from 1893 included the curved roof with an extended concave curved ridge connection. This portion of the roof structure was severely damaged during a wind storm in 1934 and was removed from the structure leaving a typical flat line ridge. An engineering study done in 1998 proved that the structure was capable of having this “O-G” top reconstructed and plans for the restoration began in 2002. The finished project included the replicated roof structure and glazing, additional roof ventilation sash, replicated ridge cresting with bronze finials and a new interior roof access stairway and walkways for maintenance.

This project is the tenth major restoration effort in the complex of thirteen individual collection galleries within this late 19th century conservatory. These rooms were completely replaced in the 1970’s with new steel framework and an aluminum and acrylic glazing system which did not replicate the original design. This restoration returns the glazing to the original glass, glass spacing and replicated original rafters. The original vestibule entry fan window was in extremely bad condition with over thirty-five percent of the window completely rotten away. The fan window was completely disassembled and restored using laminated safety glass replacing the plastic glazing done thirty years prior.

Mr. and Mrs. R. J. Reynolds contracted the Wm. H. Lutton Greenhouse Company to construct this conservatory complex on their estate in Winston Salem, North Carolina in 1913. After many years of minor improvements and program changes the greenhouses needed a complete renovation involving repairs, glazing system replacement and mechanical systems re-designed. A needs assessment was completed in 2021 and construction documents completed in 2022. Restoration work and construction of new production greenhouses for the facility are expected to begin in the Spring of 2023.

The first of seven greenhouse structures was built in 1894 and the construction of the additional greenhouses continued through the 1950’s. Several renovation projects to the different greenhouses occurred during this fifteen-year period with the Fern House glazing replacement in 1984 and the complete group of greenhouses restored in 2002. Now, twenty years later, a second complete restoration is being considered along with a master plan renewal for all of the botanical garden greenhouses and horticultural elements.

This all-aluminum framed glass greenhouse was constructed in 1993 and provides six individual research compartments. All of the environmental control equipment was in need of replacement and the facility was not in use at the time of the inspections. After the assessments were completed three re-construction options were presented and ranged from complete replacement of the greenhouse with new construction to selected mechanical equipment replacements.

This project is the second renovation since the first that was completed in 2002. Proposed work involves complete replacement of the environmental control systems, structural floor replacement, exterior basement water proofing, new utility connections and renovations to the interior spaces including the separate Pit Greenhouse.

Phillip Douglas, Director of Horticulture, contacted James Smith of Montgomery Smith, Inc. requesting that an evaluation of the Conservatory and Support Greenhouses at the Denver Botanic Gardens, Chessman Park, be done for possible improvements, alterations and additions to the existing complex of buildings. The plan was to meet with the Gardens’ development and maintenance staffs and user group individuals for a walkthrough of the Conservatory, Support greenhouses and other operations areas. Attendants of the group were; Susie Latona, Jonathan Gannon, Coleman Brawley, Marvin Garcia and Phil Douglas. Arrangements were made for a site visit scheduled for: August 3rd 2022 at 9:00 AM.

Constructed in 2003 the Drew Mathieson Center is a horticulture training facility located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and provides over 25,000 square feet of greenhouse growing area within its 37,000 square foot facility. There had been few improvements undertaken over the last nineteen years and many elements of the greenhouses need major renovation. Construction was started in mid-2022 and will continue for the next two years and will include new glazing, new mechanical equipment, a new environmental control system and a new retail “Farm Market” production area and store.

This project was the start of a new master planning effort by the Chicago Botanic Garden, staff and architect Todd Stevens. All of the conservatory structures were inspected for all current physical and mechanical conditions. Also included in the report were schematic plans on how the exhibit spaces could be enlarged to provide twelve additional environmental zones.

Longwood Gardens masterplan included the design and construction of a new 32,000 square foot “West Conservatory” to be added to the existing complex. This new addition would require the removal and storage of the old production greenhouses and the removal and rebuilding of the current “Cascade Greenhouse” along with other site and garden changes and improvements. These projects are to open sometime in 2024.

This iconic 1904 glass conservatory was in critical need of repairs, restoration and mechanical systems replacement. In 2017 the State of Michigan’s DNR took responsibility for the long-range repairs and improvements of this 14,000 square foot facility. Phase One of the process was to stabilize the structural components of the conservatory’s central dome building which was in a state of dangerous condition.
With Phase One completed in 2021, Phase Two started and involved the replacement of the complete glazing system and ventilation equipment. This work will commence in the Spring of 2023.

The existing Smithsonian Botany Research greenhouse was scheduled to be removed for expansion within the Smithsonian Gardens site and redesigned and rebuilt adjacent to the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) collections greenhouses. The new Botany Greenhouse and laboratories will be similar in scale to the existing complex with new office, laboratory and greenhouse compartment designs and updated environmental equipment and control systems.

This project is the latest of several additions and replacements at the Desert Botanical Garden in the last eight years. With the severe climate in Phoenix, protection of the plant collections is critical and storage within greenhouse spaces is not feasible. This new shade structure will cover over 3,000 square feet, have sidewall protection and motor driven shade panels for adjustments in sunlight transmission levels.