We honor the responsibility of working with legacy properties, balancing preservation with contemporary needs. Through thoughtful methods and elevated design solutions, we help transform historic structures into functional, meaningful spaces without sacrificing their unique character.
Historic Renovation Architects Ulster County
Widely Recognized Hudson Valley Architects Specializing in Sustainable, Luxury Design Creating Inspired Homes and Commercial Spaces That Elevate Lifestyles and Honor the Environment
Preserving History. Enhancing Livability. Designing for Generations.
At Wright Architects, we believe that restoring historic buildings is more than a technical process, it’s a dialogue between the past and present. As trusted historic renovation architects in Ulster County, we’re committed to helping clients steward the region’s architectural heritage while thoughtfully adapting these spaces for contemporary life.
With more than two decades of experience in the Hudson Valley, we’ve worked on stone farmhouses, timber-frame barns, churches, inns, and colonial-era residences, each with its own story and structural challenges. We approach every project with respect for craftsmanship, fluency in local and state preservation guidelines, and a passion for reimagining legacy spaces without compromising their soul.
Our work goes beyond aesthetics. We incorporate energy efficiency, building science, and thoughtful spatial planning into every renovation, ensuring that these treasured structures aren’t just admired, they’re lived in, loved, and built to endure for generations to come.
Whether you’re:
- Restoring a 19th-century farmhouse in Stone Ridge
- Renovating a Victorian in Kingston’s historic district
- Converting a carriage house in Woodstock into a guest retreat
- Or retrofitting a church in High Falls into a community arts space
We bring deep architectural knowledge, local permitting fluency, and an unwavering commitment to excellence in both form and function.
Let’s preserve what makes your building special, and make it even more meaningful for the future.
What Is Historic Renovation Architecture?
Where Preservation Meets Progress.
Historic renovation architecture is the art, and science, of adapting legacy buildings for modern use without compromising their soul. It’s about honoring the craftsmanship and character of the past while updating these structures to meet today’s standards for comfort, safety, and sustainability.
At Wright Architects, we don’t believe in simply “freezing” a building in time. We believe in thoughtful transformation: keeping the elements that define a structure’s identity and reimagining everything else with care, purpose, and precision.
Our Historic Renovation Process Includes
- Structural Stabilization & Envelope Repair
We assess and reinforce foundations, joists, roof framing, and masonry walls, preserving integrity while preparing your building for another century of use. - Sensitive Interior Reconfiguration
We update floor plans to suit contemporary living, opening spaces, improving flow, and enhancing function, while retaining period details like staircases, moldings, and fireplaces. - Material Restoration & Reproduction
Original stonework, wide-plank floors, lath-and-plaster walls, hand-hewn beams, we restore them where possible and match them where needed, using traditional methods and skilled craftspeople. - Mechanical, Electrical & Plumbing (MEP) Upgrades
We discreetly integrate modern HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems, ensuring your home is comfortable, efficient, and code-compliant without visual clutter or invasive rerouting. - Energy, Code & Accessibility Compliance
Our team incorporates high-performance detailing, insulation upgrades, and smart systems to improve energy use while bringing older buildings into line with today’s safety and accessibility standards.
- Historic Agency Navigation (LPC, SHPO, Local Boards)
We manage the historic approval process by preparing required documentation, conducting research, and representing your project before the LPC, SHPO, and local review boards. Our team ensures regulatory compliance while clearly communicating your design intent and keeping the approval timeline moving efficiently. - Preserve the Story. Elevate the Experience.
Full-Service Historic Renovation in Ulster County
Pre-Design Services
Every successful historic renovation begins with understanding the building’s story. Wright Architects documents existing conditions with precision through hand measurements, laser scans, and BIM surveys, ensuring a detailed foundation for design. Our team studies original materials and methods, coordinates closely with SHPO and local preservation boards, and reviews zoning and code requirements across Ulster County. This process ensures each project begins with historical accuracy, regulatory clarity, and a clear vision for adaptive, compliant transformation.
Design Development
We balance preservation with progress, honoring a building’s original character while enhancing its livability. Our architects thoughtfully plan layouts that improve flow and function, curate historically appropriate materials, and use advanced BIM modeling for full design transparency. Where appropriate, we integrate modern performance systems such as ERVs, high-efficiency insulation, and solar-ready infrastructure, all while maintaining the craftsmanship and authenticity that define historic architecture.
Construction & Oversight
From contractor selection to final detailing, we guide every step of the build with a preservationist’s eye and a modern architect’s rigor. Wright Architects collaborates with skilled local builders, conducts weekly site visits, and ensures that every trim, beam, and finish aligns with historic integrity and design intent. Post-occupancy, we remain involved, fine-tuning systems, reviewing performance, and supporting long-term maintenance to ensure each restoration endures beautifully for generations.
Sustainability in Historic Structures
Yes, You Can Have Energy Efficiency and Architectural Integrity.
At Wright Architects, we believe sustainability and preservation aren’t opposing goals, they’re complementary values. Whether you’re restoring a 19th-century farmhouse or retrofitting a mid-century civic building, we help historic structures meet today’s performance demands while honoring their original character.
Our process is guided by building science, historic sensitivity, and regulatory compliance. We take a fabric-first approach, prioritizing passive strategies that improve comfort and efficiency without altering the soul of the building.
Our Expertise Includes:
- Certified Passive House Consultants (CPHC): Specializing in airtightness, ventilation strategies, and thermal bridging solutions tailored to older construction.
- LEED-Accredited Professionals (LEED AP): Experts in guiding preservation projects through sustainable certification pathways, including LEED for Homes and LEED for Commercial Interiors.
At Wright Architects, we merge historic preservation with modern performance through smart sustainability strategies tailored for legacy buildings. We enhance efficiency with vapor-open insulation, aerogel systems, and airtight detailing that protect original finishes. Our team discreetly integrates radiant floors, mini-splits, and hidden ventilation, while designing high-performance windows and solar-ready roofs that honor the past. We also guide clients in securing NYSERDA, IRA, and state incentives to make sustainability both practical and rewarding.
WRIGHT ARCHITECTS
Words We Live By
Our Promise to You
At WRIGHT ARCHITECTS, we’re not interested in cookie-cutter designs or short-term solutions. Our mission is to create spaces that last, architecturally, functionally, and emotionally. We are passionate about sustainability, but we’re also passionate about the people who live, work, and gather in the spaces we design.
When you’re ready to take the next step, we’re here to help you:
- Explore the possibilities of your property
- Design something unique, thoughtful, and efficient
- Navigate regulatory and logistical hurdles with ease
- Achieve a final product that’s as inspiring as your initial vision
Whether you’re at the dreaming stage or ready to build tomorrow, let’s talk. Let us show you why so many clients across Ulster County, the Hudson Valley, and NYC trust WRIGHT ARCHITECTS to bring their vision to life with creativity, integrity, and care.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Are you licensed and certified to design energy-efficient buildings?
Absolutely. Our firm is fully licensed in New York State, and our architects carry certifications in Passive House design, LEED accreditation, and various NYSERDA Clean Energy initiatives. We continue to pursue advanced education in building science, energy modeling, and emerging technologies to stay on the cutting edge of performance architecture.
Q: Do you only serve Ulster County?
No. While we are proudly headquartered in Ulster County, we serve clients across the entire Hudson Valley, including Dutchess, Columbia, Orange, and Westchester counties, as well as select projects in New York City. Our regional expertise ensures familiarity with various building departments, zoning requirements, and community design boards.
Q: Can you help with permitting and contractor selection?
Yes. We assist with every administrative and logistical step of your project. This includes:
- Preparing and submitting permit drawings
- Zoning variance and planning board presentations
- Bidding packages and contractor interviews
- Project scheduling and construction administration
We have strong working relationships with reliable builders, engineers, and local consultants, and we advocate for our clients at every stage of construction.
- Preparing and submitting permit drawings
- Zoning variance and planning board presentations
- Bidding packages and contractor interviews
- Project scheduling and construction administration
We have strong working relationships with reliable builders, engineers, and local consultants, and we advocate for our clients at every stage of construction.
Q: How do you ensure energy efficiency in your designs?
We take a multi-pronged approach:
1. Site and climate analysis to optimize orientation and shading.
2. Building envelope design focused on insulation, airtightness, and ventilation.
3. Mechanical system selection for optimal heating, cooling, and ventilation.
4. Energy modeling to simulate and optimize building performance.
5. Material selection based on environmental impact and durability.
Whether it’s Passive House, Net-Zero, or simply high-efficiency design, we help clients achieve exceptional performance.
1. Site and climate analysis to optimize orientation and shading.
2. Building envelope design focused on insulation, airtightness, and ventilation.
3. Mechanical system selection for optimal heating, cooling, and ventilation.
4. Energy modeling to simulate and optimize building performance.
5. Material selection based on environmental impact and durability.
Whether it’s Passive House, Net-Zero, or simply high-efficiency design, we help clients achieve exceptional performance.
Q: What kinds of projects do you specialize in?
Our core specialties include:
- Custom homes and estates
- Passive House and Net-Zero buildings
- Energy-efficient commercial developments
- Historic preservation and adaptive reuse
- Sustainable renovations and additions
We welcome projects of all sizes that align with our mission of thoughtful, environmentally responsible design.
- Custom homes and estates
- Passive House and Net-Zero buildings
- Energy-efficient commercial developments
- Historic preservation and adaptive reuse
- Sustainable renovations and additions
We welcome projects of all sizes that align with our mission of thoughtful, environmentally responsible design.