Summer Camp Restoration
by Craig Stevens
Photos by Scott Bergmann Photography
 Renovating an entire house is fairly straightforward when a competent contractor is asked to “gut” a structure and install all new materials. It is far more of a challenge when the home has historic aspects that its owner wants to retain. The contractor and others involved are tasked with repairing and updating the home while preserving both individual features and the home’s overall historic integrity. It is not a project for the everyday remodelor — proficient as they may be — who primarily replaces kitchens or baths and windows and doors.
Since its inception Teakwood Builders, Inc. has developed a reputation for successfully taking on the complex chore of historic renovation. In a recent project at Diamond Point along Lake George, the company, working with the project architect, a team of crafts people and an interior design firm, met this kind of challenge and more; they renovated and updated an existing 900 sq. ft. camp, originally built in 1905, and blended about 2,750 sq. ft. of new construction around it.
Properties along and near Lake George are widely hailed for their historic Adirondack styles. Many are massive and some are constructed of native materials that blend in with the surroundings. Some date to the “Robber Baron” era of the late 1800s.
Diamond Point is an apt name. Many consider it the crown jewel of many beautiful locations along the lake. But this site in particular posed several problems. It is hilly and contains ledges and bedrock. It is also relatively small in relation to the needs of the structure. Moreover, it is bordered on three sides by a single neighbor and on the fourth by the lake. The site’s owner has use of the driveway, but it is not his property. So getting heavy equipment in was an issue. The concrete trucks couldn’t come in, so they had to use pumps to get the mix on site. So before any of the many craft fineries could be applied, much planning and decision-making was necessary.
JIM SASKO, OWNER OF Teakwood Builders, Inc. of Saratoga Springs, NY described the project:
“We took one of the few remaining small, yet well-built “camps” and increased its scale and amenities to that of its neighbors. We retained the family-treasured qualities of the original and merged it with the new construction. The completed project looks like it is a perfectly maintained property dating back generations.
Our biggest challenge began literally at the foundation of the project. To anchor the additions it was necessary to cut into the hillside by blasting into the bedrock. For environmental reasons, it was not possible to blast close to the shoreline, so it was necessary to prepare some of the rock to accept footings. Soil was removed and the solid rock was pressure washed. Then the rock was drilled to accept rebar pins secured with epoxy. This process was necessary because the footings themselves would not be below the frost line in our region of wide-ranging temperatures. The lattice and stone facade of the lower level of the completed project now conceals emerging bedrock. We also had to add a complex new well and septic system in compliance with rigid lakeside restrictions. Again we had to compete with the bedrock, hilly terrain and setback restrictions.
The rest was less dramatic, but it is where our finish work shows. We retained and renovated the stone fireplaces in the original camp along with the sitting and dining rooms in which they are found. We renovated the single bedroom and bath and restored the full-width porch facing the water. We then added a gourmet kitchen, two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Rising above the existing structure we constructed a media room along with a higher positioned view of the lake. The ceiling over this area and stairway is coffered in extensive detail. The result is that we created a 3,500 sq. ft. energy-efficient, cedar and natural stone-sided lakeside property befitting Diamond Point. The formerly small camp now is an 11-room residence with numerous 21st century amenities, yet it still has the look of a classic Lake George property.”
THE PROJECT’S ARCHITECT was Charles Hoffman who does “mainly residential designs along with some light commercial work. I have been in Saratoga Springs about 17 years and I work from Saratoga Springs up through the Adirondacks.” The following is an edited version of some of his reflections about the project:
“This wasn’t design/build in the typical sense, [but] it was a great team project; we all worked together. The owner hired me independent of the builder, and he hired Teakwood independent of me, but it was a perfect marriage. Ideally this is the way all projects should happen. I developed sketches and ran them by the owner. If he liked it we would then consult with Jim and he would put some budget numbers together. There was a back and forth right from the beginning, which in my mind is the ideal way to work. It doesn’t always happen that way.
“As the designer, there were two big challenges. This was a family camp that the owner grew up in and he felt very strongly that he didn’t want to mess with the primary view from and to the lake. He wanted us to maintain the porch and front room as much as we could and blend in the new space. There were exposed rafters in the ceiling of the porch and we wanted to pick up that rhythm and have the rafter tails exposed all around the existing roofline. Of course, when the camp was built the rafters were 2”x8” and 2’ on center. Today’s new lumber is not as strong and can’t match the support of the old, so we had to mimic the way it had been done originally. We used 2”x8”s, 12 inches on center and every other tail came out.
“The second challenge was that the existing structure is close to the lake and was built before all the regulations so there were many setbacks and zoning issues to deal with. There are severe setbacks from the watermark as to where you are supposed to be, what you can do. There are height variations and restrictions, and there are drainage restrictions during construction and at the end. And there was the blasting of bedrock that could not be excavated.
“The challenges led me to design in a “u” shape around the existing camp so that it, facing the lake, remains the centerpiece. Access to the loft was only from and exterior stairway. We created an entry hall with a stairway going up and rebuilt the one shallow dormer that faces the lake —formerly you had to duck down to look out the window— so now you can actually see out of it when you are standing. We had to mimic some of the stonework for the new piers under the deck and the porch and the master bedroom and the new fireplace. The stonemason did a great job blending new stone with the old.
I have done a fair amount of work on the lake and it always seems that the more difficult the site, the better the end product. You can put anything on a flat piece of land in the middle of a field, but the more challenging the site, the better the end product. We picked up the feel of the existing camp and I was really happy with the way it came out as were, I think, the owner and the builder.
ERIKA GALLAGHER IS co-owner of Plum & Crimson Fine Interior Design. Her company frequently guides clients of Teakwood Builders in making design and selections decisions and in the final decorating of their home. She did so for this project:
“The homeowner wanted to use their family heirlooms, but update the space with new furnishings for comfort. My goal was to pay homage to the history of the home by selecting furnishings that did not look shiny and new. Window coverings were also especially important in the interior scheme. We needed to be able to block the intense sun without losing the spectacular view. The home has an authentic ‘collected-over-time’ look. All the furnishings selected were chosen to complement the family antiques — or even draw attention them. Two examples:
“In the dining room, their antique chandelier and dining table were the foundation of the room. A handsome plaid patterned area rug and draperies with printed pine boughs hung on decorative bronze hardware with pinecone finials were selected to complement the homeowners’ treasures.
“In the family room, it was again important to maintain the historical significance of the room. Used for indoor gatherings on rainy days, the room was designed to promote cozy conversation around the fire. Four leather chairs around a large round, rustic cherry coffee table coupled with coordinating side tables and generations of accessories create a comfortable space for entertaining. A soft green and gold oriental rug and coordinating window treatments complement the woodwork while adding a touch of light color in an otherwise dark room.”
The telephone number for Teakwood Builders is (518) 587-2880. Hoffman Architects can be reached at (518) 583-0525. The studio of Plum and Crimson is in Clifton Park, telephone (518) 373-2009.
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