Earlier this winter, members of the Hudson Valley Preservation team traveled to Orlando to attend the NAHB International Builders’ Show (IBS), one of the largest annual gatherings in the residential construction industry.

The three-day trade show is part of Design & Construction Week and brings together builders, manufacturers, designers, and innovators from across the country. The exhibition floor is filled with companies showcasing new products and technologies, offering a glimpse into where the industry is heading. For many startups and emerging manufacturers, the show is also an opportunity to introduce new ideas and get their products in front of industry professionals.

The scale of the event is impressive. Vendors from around the world fill the exhibition halls, representing nearly every area of residential construction. Waterproofing, insulation, adhesives, fasteners, interior wood products, masonry, siding, decking, HVAC, plumbing, roofing, drywall, paints, and hardware were all on display. The show also highlighted a growing number of engineered materials designed to replicate the look of wood while offering improved durability and performance.

At this year’s show, HVP’s Brian and Chris spent time exploring the latest developments in building materials and construction technology. Their focus was on identifying innovative products that could support future projects, particularly in areas such as energy recovery ventilation (ERV) systems, siding manufacturers, decking materials, and exterior waterproofing solutions.

Among the many exhibitors, a few products stood out. One was Architectural Grille, a Brooklyn-based company producing custom grilles and architectural elements. Another was Smartrock by Rockwool, a system designed to provide interior continuous insulation for masonry walls. The team also took note of the precision pocket-door hardware from Sugatsune, known for its high-quality architectural hardware.

For HVP, attending events like the International Builders’ Show is a way to stay connected to the broader building community and continue learning about the materials and technologies shaping the future of residential construction. Seeing new products firsthand and speaking directly with manufacturers helps inform the way we approach our work and the decisions we make on projects.

Early in Hudson Valley Preservation’s history, one project stood out as especially meaningful: the restoration of the Oblong Quaker Meeting House in Pawling, New York.

Built in 1764, this meeting house has been part of the Quaker Hill community for more than two centuries. Over the years, it served not only as a place for gathering and worship, but also as a site of unexpected importance during the Revolutionary War, when it was used to care for officers in General Washington’s army.

By the early 1990s, the building was showing clear signs of age. The foundation had weakened significantly, parts of the structure were beginning to fail, and the roof shingles had become brittle from years of exposure. The windows, too, were in rough shape, with warped frames and missing panes.

In 1993, the Quaker Hill and Pawling Historical Society brought HVP on to help stabilize and restore the meeting house through a multi-phase effort. Roberta Linkletter, who was serving as President of the Historical Society at the time, played an important role in guiding the project and helping ensure the meeting house could be preserved for future generations.

The work began with lifting the building and reconstructing the foundation entirely. Once the crawl space was cleared of damaged timbers, a new concrete foundation was poured. Dry-laid stone was then installed above grade to preserve the historic look of the original foundation.

The restoration continued with major structural repairs on the first floor, including replacement of large framing members. A rebuilt chimney and new wood shingle roof followed, returning strength and protection to the building.

Don Carpentier, founder of Eastfield Village and a respected voice in traditional building practices, was also involved as a partner during the project. His expertise helped shape key elements of the scope, planning, and overall approach to the work. More information about Don’s legacy can be found here: https://www.historiceastfield.org/history.

Looking back, we didn’t fully realize it at the time, but the collaboration between HVP, Roberta as the owners’ representative, and Don as a preservation expert became a model for the way we like to develop projects. That kind of partnership, between owners, designers, builders, and craftspeople, creates the strongest outcomes in restoration and remains central to our philosophy today.

A later phase of restoration, completed in 2007, focused on exterior details, including restoring the window sashes and replacing sections of wood shingle siding and trim.

Today, the Oblong Quaker Meeting House remains a powerful example of what thoughtful preservation can achieve. Projects like this helped define HVP’s early direction and continue to reflect our commitment to protecting the historic buildings that shape the character and stories of our region.