Achievements

Credits & Recognition in Publications

• Consultant to Director of the Mashantucket Pequot Museum Project in selecting an Architect
• Published in Architectural Digest (1990)
• Published in Fine Home Building (1995)
• Published in Poughkeepsie Journal (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005)
• Published in Daily Freeman (Featured articles in 2001, 2002)
• Member of National Council of Architecture Regulation Boards
• Member of American Institute of Architects
• Dutchess County Planning Federation Award for Redevelopment (2005)
• Integrity’s National Red Diamond Achiever in Builder Magazine (2005)
  See testimonial

• Chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals for the Town of Milan 1988-1996
• Committee Member for the Revision of the Zoning Ordinance 1988-1989
• Recycling Committee for the Town of Milan 1992
• Member of the Red Hook Area Chamber of Commerce
• Design/Build Milan Town Hall Honor Roll 2005 (See Photo Below)

• MIT 1984-1986- Master of Architecture
• Bard College 1981-1984 ­ M.F.A.
• Harvard Graduate School of Design 1980-1983
• Bard College 1975-1978 ­ B.A.
• Marietta College 1974-1975

• Sculptor, painter, photographer, and furniture designer- individual and group shows
• Edith Blum Gallery, Welded Steel Sculpture ­ May 1984
• Inspired Chairs ­ March 1992
• “Extraordinary Photographers” ­ January 1992
• “Small Works” ­ November
• Warren Street Gallery, Hudson, NY
• Invited to illustrate “An Apple Art Recipe Book” ­ 1992; created by Jessica Tyler Bard and Cynthia Saniewski, Apple Corp. Productions, Red Hook, NY
• Division and Illumination ­ June 1993

May 20, 2005
Section: HOMES
Edition: Front
Page: F01

Perched atop a long and winding driveway, Trevor Burgess and Gary Hess' house sits nestled among the trees of its hilltop site. But at more than 5,000 square feet, the Milan house is much more than a cozy nest for two. It's an expansive retreat whose custom designs not only provide an exceptionally comfortable home, but also a welcoming getaway for their frequent guests.

Before moving into the house in March, Burgess and Hess lived in New York City. Burgess is an investment banker in the city and Hess, now off for the summer, was working as an administrator for a nonprofit group. While living in New York City, they visited friends who have a house in Gallatin, Columbia County, and enjoyed their stays in the quiet country so much, they decided to move to the area, too.

"We've been to all the places you're supposed to go -- the Hamptons, Fire Island," Hess said. "Up here, it's just more like us -- more laid back. You didn't have to dress up to go to breakfast."

Hess searched on the Internet for available homes in the area and found their current place. Custom designed by architect David Borenstein of Milan, the three-story house was built on a rocky ledge that reportedly is the highest point in Milan. When the men first saw the house, its interior was unfinished. Now it's an intriguing combination of natural materials, construction-grade details and slick accents.

Lots of light

"One of the things that really excited us about the place was the light and windows," Burgess said.

There are lots of both throughout the house. On the main floor, the front door opens into a grand dining/living/kitchen space whose largely windowed walls frame picturesque scenes of the home's wooded lot, bringing sunlight and a sense of the outdoors inside. A sleek, see-through gas fireplace with polished black granite neatly divides the dining and living rooms while adding visual interest to the open space.

The kitchen is separated from the living room by a large island topped with a poured concrete countertop. Brushed stainless steel professional-grade Viking appliances in the kitchen are more than stylish, they're also first-rate pieces Continued from 1F
of equipment. And, the kitchen's richly finished cherry cabinetry adds depth and warmth to the otherwise predominantly pale space.
Other rooms on the main floor include a laundry room/pantry, powder room and the master bedroom suite. In the bathrooms, glass mosaic tiles juxtapose galvanized steel pipes and fittings that were used as exterior finish materials for the sink, light fixtures and shower rods.

Upstairs are a large home office, a bathroom and two spacious guest rooms, where plastic purple Philippe Starck side chairs sit next to Isaac Mizrahi side tables purchased at Target. Bamboo flooring on the main and second levels softens the floors' all-white rooms.
And, while the spaces feature clean lines and streamlined styling, Borenstein also designed the walls and ceilings with built-in nooks along with unexpected angles, corners and openings.

"He just doesn't leave anything ordinary," Hess said of Borenstein.

While the expansive room sizes on the upper floor are impressive, the most striking thing about this level are the windows' treetop views, for the scenery stretches out to as far as the Catskill Mountains.

The house also has a finished basement, which, like the rest of the place, is extensively windowed. The bottom level includes a gym, complete with a treadmill, cable-cross machine, spinning bike squat rack, weights and more, plus a media room that currently is furnished with a 60-inch flat screen television set and six body-length "Fatboy" bean bags. Theater-style seating is in the offing, Burgess said. Radiant under- floor heating keeps the basement's cement floors warm.

Plans for a pool

Outside the house are decks, including one that incorporates a mini gazebo. Plans are in the works for an in-ground swimming pool. A detached two-car garage includes an unfinished loft.

"Our whole design aesthetic really fit in with what David was doing and I think that's what really pulled us in with David as an architect," Burgess said.

But the house does more than look good. It's also so energy efficient that it qualifies as an Energy Star residence. The place is tightly insulated and equipped with separate heating and cooling systems that keep it comfortable year-round. High performance plastic Pex tubing was used instead of copper plumbing pipes and the house was fitted with a sprinkler system. Cement board siding with a blue finish was applied on the house's exterior.

"We knew right away it was the right house," Burgess said of their first view of the home. "We then looked at 10 others and then came back to this one. It was a sort of 'love at first sight' house."

Copyright (c) Poughkeepsie Journal. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of Gannett Co., Inc. by NewsBank, inc.

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Poughkeepsie Journal Article
November 28, 2003
Section: HOMES
Edition: Front Page: C01

Three large letters molded from blocks of milk-white glass sit above a window in Jaynne Keyes' kitchen, affirming the obvious: E-A-T. The letters, Keyes said, came from a diner, making clear to everyone the purpose of the establishment - and now Keyes' kitchen. "I do like to cook," the Milan resident said. And of course, the reason to cook is to eat.

But it's only been during the last two years that Keyes has had ample space and equipment to cook for her friends and family, including husband Michael Del Giudice, their four grown children and their childrens' families.

Until two years ago her kitchen was small, dated and difficult to work in.

"The kitchen was really getting to me," Keyes said. "I couldn't get to my appliances."

Not any more. Keyes hired Milan-based architect, David Borenstein, of David Borenstein Architects and Builders, to remodel the room and enlarge an adjoining porch. Earlier on, Borenstein expanded the living room and added a master bedroom, guest room and three bathrooms, taking the house from about 1,500 square feet to its present size of about 3,000 square feet.

Keyes and Del Giudice bought the house, which at first was little more than an extended cabin, 20-plus years ago. In the beginning, they didn't spend a lot of time in it, as it was the New York City residents' country place. At one point, though, Keyes decided to take an extended reprieve from the city and her work in the film industry, thinking she'd stay in the country house for six months. But it's been six years and the couple now uses the place as their primary residence.

While Keyes knew she wanted the house's kitchen to be redone when she and her husband bought the place, she wanted to research kitchen styles and products before making significant changes. One thing she realized she needed was lots of space for lots of gadgets. Another was a soft floor to protect her back (and falling dishes). She also wanted an open layout, no doors and plenty of counter space.

Before anything could be done, though, the kitchen had to be enlarged. Borenstein and Keyes decided to expand it into an existing bedroom and large bathroom, thereby increasing the kitchen's area by about two-thirds to a 23-by-14-foot rectangle and 13-by-7-foot pantry.

The kitchen's layout was worked around an existing brick chimney, with a long section of the kitchen's wrap around counter plus an indoor grill forming a U on one side of the chimney and a sink and professional Viking stove creating an L-shape on the other side. Near the grill are several large cubbies that house Keyes' appliances and gadgetry. The units are equipped with outlets and have tambour doors to close them off when they're not in use.

The counter runs through both work areas and is topped with a clear polymer under which are numerous photographs of Keyes relatives, notes detailing hand-written recipes, dried chili peppers and such.

The main sink (there's also a small bar sink) is divided into two parts, with one section equipped with a heating element and pot, a Kohler design that Keyes discovered during her research. She can fill the pot with water, boil food in it and with a push of a button drain the pot of water automatically. Next to the sink is the dishwasher, which was set about two feet high so Keyes doesn't have to stoop when loading or unloading it.

On the floor are cork tiles treated with a protective finish, for a durable, yet forgiving surface underfoot. The cork was dyed red to match the chimney's brick and the room's framed piece of art. Borenstein also set a movable panel between the kitchen and dining room doorway, allowing the kitchen to be closed off when entertaining. The panel also has shelves on it to store and display goods.
Utilitarian, yet attractive details complete the room, including a wood block that holds knives set along one side of the stove, a pot rack near the pantry door, ledges around the kitchen that showcase baskets and knick-knacks, plus a large-wheeled spice cart that can be moved around as needed. A door leading from the kitchen to other living spaces was finished with chalkboard paint so Keyes can easily jot down lists for food and supplies.

But it's two of the kitchen's customized drawers, in particular, that epitomize the room's striking combination of modern appliances fitted within an old, country home atmosphere. For while the room's cabinets and drawer outsides were finished with rustic-looking turquoise panels fitted with silver knobs resembling leaves, branches and pinecones, two of the drawers actually are freezers.

"I have a really great kitchen," Keyes said. "And it works perfectly."

Copyright (c) Poughkeepsie Journal. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of Gannett Co., Inc. by NewsBank, inc.

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Poughkeepsie Journal Article
November 15, 2002
Section: Your Home
Edition: Front
Page: E01

Manny Saint Martin and his wife, Amy Fan, have built their house in Milan on a cliff. Not over the top of a cliff, but on the cliff edge itself. Designed and built by architect David Borenstein of David Borenstein Architect in Milan, the five-story, 5,000-square-foot house climbs up and over the side of a tree-lined precipice.

There's enough room in the front of the lot for a level turn-around driveway and small yard area, but it may be best to wear your hiking boots when trekking around the property. The land along the sides of the house slopes sharply downward, on one side in a series of rocky ledges that drops off in the back of the woody parcel.

''I'm not into mowing or anything like that,'' said Saint Martin. ''I wanted a house where it was just a natural state around it.''

Saint Martin and his wife bought the place as a part-time residence about 3 1/2 years ago when it was still under construction. The couple live in Los Angeles, with Saint Martin, a psychiatrist, coming east twice a month or so, primarily for business.

''At first we were thinking small -- 2,000 square feet, something like that -- just a small second home," said Saint Martin. ''And we looked around and there were a lot of nice houses, but nothing that really grabbed us.''

Then their real estate agent showed them the site for the house on the cliff. At that point, there was no house to speak of -- just a foundation. They met Borenstein, who showed them his plans for the house, liked what they saw and bought it.

In designing the house, Borenstein followed the lay of the land, preserving as much of the natural site as possible. The cliff, he said, was the only viable place for the home, as moving it forward would have put it too close to the road, while moving it back would have placed it far down into the gully.

''Basically, using traditional form, I wanted to physically and spatially incorporate the building into the landscape,'' he said.
The front portion of the home's third floor sits on the top of the cliff, giving the impression the five-story place is three floors high from the front. There are several entrances, but the main one is on the third floor. But because the door is set on the side of the house, where the land drops down, a wide footbridge was set from the front yard to the door. The whole height of the house can be seen only from the back, but viewing it from there isn't easy -- you first have to climb down a steep slope, then look up at it through the trees.

Inside, the place is both roomy and cozy. White walls and ceilings, which go from 8 to 16 feet high, help keep the place light and bright, as do its many windows. Views of the outdoors change dramatically from one end of a floor to the other. On the third level, for example, a kitchen window looks out to the home's ground-level driveway. But take a peek out a bedroom window, set at the back of the floor, and you're at eye level with tree branches growing high on their trunks.

While the home has high ceilings and spacious rooms, there are the many details that further characterize it, including handrails made of copper plumbing pipes, double molding trim around the doorways, square openings cut out of walls dividing rooms, built-in shelves and seats, decorative ceiling beams and trims and more.

''We start out with the open spaces, but then there are areas for privacy, even within the open spaces, and that can be accomplished in a number of ways,'' said Borenstein. ''Even changing the elevation of the ceiling defines the room, so you don't always have to have a wall and a box to define a room.''

Hardwood floors were used in most of the house, but on the first two levels the architect chose concrete. Scored in large squares, the concrete looks remarkably like earthy ceramic tiles and is kept warm with under-floor radiant heat. The rest of the first-floor living room is warmed in part by heat that is generated by a large wood-burning fireplace and vented back into the room. Concrete also was used for the kitchen counters and was poured entirely on site for a seamless installation.

When presented with design options throughout the house, Saint Martin deferred to Borenstein's advice, relying on the architect's expertise and vision. As it turned out, both were pleased with the results.

''I would say it's definitely what he (Borenstein) imagined and it is what I wanted,'' said Saint Martin. ''There definitely was an agreement, here our minds kind of met.''

And as for Saint Martin's wife: ''She loves it.''

Copyright (c) Poughkeepsie Journal. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of Gannett Co., Inc. by NewsBank, inc.

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Poughkeepsie Journal Article
September 30, 2001
Section: Working
Page: C03

Before spending a dime on a piece of property to house your business, the first step is to find out if your vision can become a reality given the municipality's zoning laws. "I would think the first step would be to speak to the local zoning office," said Milan architect David Borenstein, who is turning the former Milan town hall into his new office. "Get some preliminary determination, and this should be put in writing."

Then there are the issues of whether there are problems with the old house or building and how the renovation work can be done.
Borenstein said especially with older homes, it is important for buyers to be sure they are not purchasing a "toxic waste dump." Buyers need to a home inspector or architect to look for potential problems like hidden fuel tanks.

Borenstein said he learned this lesson from experience when he found out an 1825 farmhouse he was interested in purchasing was infested with powder-post beetles, causing the basement walls to cave in.

City of Poughkeepsie architect John Morgan said there are several things people need to take into account when doing this type of renovation. If making building improvements like new walls, doors, windows, and electrical work, a building permit will probably be required.

"Complying with the New York State Building Code makes a lot of sense," said Morgan. "The proper amount of light will make a person more productive and having the proper means of exiting through doors and an emergency means of egress through a door or code compliant window will make your office space safe to work in."

Accessibility is also an important consideration. Morgan said Taconic Resources for Independence, based in Poughkeepsie, will visit the site and do an assessment so that the office meets the requirements of the American Disabilities Act.

Also, people should not be afraid to talk to their local building inspector, he said.

Copyright (c) Poughkeepsie Journal. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of Gannett Co., Inc. by NewsBank, inc.

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Poughkeepsie Journal Article
September 12, 2004
Section: HOMES
Edition: Front
Page: E01

When the Riordans decided to move from Westchester County to the mid-Hudson Valley, they needed a new home. Luckily, Jerry Riordan's cousin knew local builder Bill Liguori Sr., president of W.F.L. Construction Inc. in LaGrange. Liguori had an available lot in his Sunset Ridge Estates development in the Town of LaGrange. Riordan and his wife, Tammi, looked at the property and liked it, right from the start.

"It's a small development," Tammi Riordan said. "There are only eight or nine houses and it was on a cul-de-sac. It was just a pretty property."

Because the 2 1/2-acre site slopes downward toward the back, Liguori was able to create a walk-out basement for the two-story contemporary house he built for the couple and their three young children. And that, said Tammi Riordan, was a plus.

"It's a finished basement," she said, adding they can go from their basement family room right out to their backyard patio.

"I love it; absolutely love it," Riordan said of the new home.

Liguori said as level building lots for homes become fewer and farther between in this area, many homes now are being built on sloped sites.

"The land is getting more and more scarce, so I guess you could say probably most of the level land is pretty much taken," he said.
Hillside building sites in which a house is fitted into the hill typically involve more grading than is required for level lots. Driveways also can be more difficult to create, Liguori said, because the land must be cut into and the incline amount carefully measured. "You want the least slope for the driveway," Liguori said, adding building codes limit the degree of pitch allowed for an unpaved driveway.
Building a house on a hill doesn't normally take any longer to construct than it does to build one on level land, but it can be more difficult to access the site, necessitating a more involved excavation of the land, Liguori said.

Like the Riordan's house, those built on downward-sloping sites often provide the advantage of being constructed with a walk-out basement for direct access to the outside. That's a real plus, Liguori said, as many people like having the ability to go from their basement right to their back yard. And homes set on the top of a hill often are open to expansive views.

Milan-based architect David Borenstein, of David Borenstein Architects and Builders, has designed and built several homes on steep sites. He, too, has designed walkout basements for homes constructed on multilevel lots.

"We don't have basements in our houses, we call them lower levels because they're exposed on three sides and they have windows, doors and ways in and out; light," he said, "so it's not a basement at all."

In this way, the basement can become part of a home's living area, which can be especially appealing for those needing extra space.
But, Liguori said, it can be difficult to construct a house into a hill, where the hill rises up at the back of the house.

The home's basement, he said, in all likelihood would be left exposed because of the great expense required to surround it with fill.
So, either the builder could construct a long exterior entryway stairway up past the home's foundation, or he'd have to create a basement-level entryway with an interior staircase leading up to the main floor.

Although not all home designs can be adapted for hillside sites, there are many floor plans that can be altered to fit a sloped lot, Liguori said.

Areas of concern

Sometimes, Borenstein said, there are extra areas of concern when constructing a home on a hillside.

"You're going to want to consider how the water and how the site and the land are behaving -- certainly how the water comes down," he said. "If you're building in the mid-part of the hill, you can just imagine all the water, the remaining coming in toward the house."

Another consideration may be finding suitable locations for the home's well and septic systems, Borenstein said, which can be tricky for homes constructed on especially steep hills.

Even so, like Liguori, Borenstein said homes built on a hill offer expansive views.

Along with that, houses designed to fit into sloped sites typically feature multilevel floors, with some done in unusual layouts.
"In general, a hill site is going to be more difficult to develop, therefore less expensive to buy. But, in the end, I think you're going to invariably have a more architecturally and spatially interesting home," Borenstein said.

"Even if you're putting together a bunch of boxes -- because the levels change -- you automatically get a very interesting space," he said.

(Karen Maserjian Shan can be reached at biznews@poughkeepsiejournal.com.)

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UPS & DOWNS

Ups and downs of multi-level homes:
- Spaces are demarcated through differences in levels instead of with walls, giving a feeling of unrestrained space and creating visual interest.
- Little space is wasted. Loft rooms can be created and wardrobes can be built under steps.
- Because there is a constant need to climb and descend, even if by only a few feet each time, multi-level homes are not recommended for the elderly, infirm or toddlers.
- Architects recommended that level differences be at least 1.5 to 2 feet, with two to three steps so one can clearly see the drop.

(The Economic Times, http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-554651,prt page-1.cms)