Preserving New York State’s Civic Legacy

AYON Studio Principal Angel Ayón was appointed by Governor Kathy Hochul in 2024 to the Commission for the Restoration of the New York State Capitol, which oversees the long-term stewardship of one of New York’s most significant civic landmarks.

Angel recently attended a holiday reception hosted by Governor Hochul at the Empire State Convention Center for members of her advisory commissions. The event brought together appointees from across New York State who contribute their professional expertise in service of the public realm.

His appointment reflects a longstanding commitment to historic preservation as public service—extending professional expertise beyond individual projects to the care of shared civic institutions. Through both practice and public engagement, AYON Studio remains dedicated to safeguarding significant buildings for the benefit of current and future generations.

Sharing a Passion for Preservation with Sisto Says

Principal Angel Ayón recently sat down with Sisto Martello of Design 2147 for Episode #109 of his “Sisto Says” podcast. In it, Angel starts with his origin story—becoming an architect in his native Cuba and falling in love with preservation.

“I love the notion that you have this dilapidated place that can be repurposed,” he says. ”That you can learn how to make it work, make it functional, make it liveable, and bring back something that has character and meaning.” 

“That's the part that I love about landmarks,” returns Sisto, “the history of it. Understanding who it was built for and why. What was their mission? What were they trying to achieve?”

With a shared passion for historic buildings, the two go on to talk about preservation in New York City. Walking around the city, says Angel, “I always try to think of the craftsman. Who designed that? How did they draw it? How did they detail it? Who was the lead person who watched hundreds of men lay this brick to that precise scale? It's that level of quality.”

“But there's always cost,” counters Sisto. “That is actually where the preservation specialization really comes handy,” explains Angel. “You understand what has value, what can and cannot be done, what should or should not be done, and then try to strike the right balance.”

“Yes,” agrees Sisto. “That actually makes it harder because you just can't do the obvious. You can't just do it the easy way.”

Check out the rest of the podcast to hear Angel and Sisto discuss the next generation, the benefits of mentorship, and the responsibility to do the right thing. And last but not least, the challenges that inspired Angel’s book, Reglazing Modernism.

Serving as Guest Critic at the New School

Lloyd DesBrisay, a Senior Associate at AYON Studio, was invited to serve as a guest critic for an interior design studio class at the New School, where he shared architectural insight and professional experience with students during a midterm review. 

His participation offered students an external perspective grounded in practice, materials, and the relationship between design intent and the built environment.

Engagements like this reflect AYON Studio’s commitment to education, mentorship, and cross-disciplinary exchange, and to supporting thoughtful design discourse beyond the office.

Reimagining a Harlem Treasure: Amsterdam News Open House

On December 8th, AYON Studio joined staff members, colleagues, and members of the public at an open house hosted by Amsterdam News at its historic Harlem headquarters to celebrate its 116th Anniversary. The event welcomed subscribers and neighbors into the building, drawing an estimated 200 attendees, many of whom shared publicly why the newspaper was important to them.

For our part, AYON Studio participated in conversations about the future of the Amsterdam News building and its role as a civic and cultural anchor in Harlem. While the main reception took place on the ground floor, we were stationed in the former editorial room on the fourth floor, where we met with attendees to discuss the building’s history, architectural significance, and unrealized potential.

The event provided an opportunity to share “Reimagining This Harlem Treasure,” an initiative we are leading with our colleague Jerome Haferd. The work centers on a comprehensive Preservation Plan prepared by AYON Studio that brings together building conservation, adaptive reuse, and long-term viability planning. Discussions focused on the fourth-floor editorial space, its role in shaping Black journalism in New York, and opportunities for its future use.

For AYON Studio, this work reflects a core belief that preservation is not about freezing buildings in time, but about extending their usefulness, relevance, and value. We are grateful to Amsterdam News for opening its doors and engaging the public in an important conversation about the future of this Harlem landmark.

Restoring the Langston Hughes House in Harlem

Construction is now underway at the historic Langston Hughes House at 20 East 127th Street. AYON Studio is honored to be the architect for this significant Landmark restoration project, made possible through the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund. Principal Angel Ayón spoke at the recent in-person event marking the start of construction, sharing its important historic relevance, as well as the Studio’s pride in being entrusted with the building’s restoration design.

A prolific African American author, and the first to support himself through his writing, Langston Hughes earned critical attention for his realistic portrayal of Black characters and advocacy on issues concerning Black culture. He was later heralded as one of the foremost figures of the Harlem Renaissance.

Hughes bought the home in Harlem in December 1947, with money he earned from Street Scene, a Broadway opera for which he wrote the lyrics, and shared it with his long-time family friends, Ethel (Toy) and Emerson Harper. He moved in the following summer, and stayed there for the remainder of his life, making a significant impact on the neighborhood and its children, who remembered the man at No. 20 fondly after his passing in May 1967.

Part of his community legacy included the transformation of a barren patch of land in front of the house, which he dubbed Our Block’s Children Garden, cultivated with plants from Amy Spingarn’s Dutchess County estate. He let every child pick a flower to plant and nurture and posted their name on a picket beside each plant. In 1954, The New York Times ran a photo of the garden in the “Around Town” column.

The row house itself, built in 1869 as part of the post-Civil War building boom, was designated a NYC Landmark in 1981 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places the following year. Designed in the Italianate style by architect Alexander Wilson, the three-story plus basement brownstone building features a stoop with cast-iron railings, double-hung windows, and a modillioned sheet metal roof cornice. The house, while physically understated, remains a vital part of Harlem's cultural fabric and a tribute to the enduring power of Hughes's voice, well into the 21st century.

Conversation, Memory, and Conservation at the Center for Architecture

On November 10, AYON Studio Principal Angel Ayón hosted a book talk at the Center for Architecture celebrating Dwell Time, a memoir by author and conservator Rosa Lowinger. The event brought together colleagues, friends, and members of the design and preservation community for an intimate, wide-ranging conversation.

The discussion explored themes central to both Lowinger’s book and AYON Studio’s work, including historic materials and conservation, Jewish heritage, immigration, resilience, and the intertwined cultural legacies of Cuba and the United States. Drawing on their shared Cuban origins and long-standing focus on heritage conservation, Angel and Rosa reflected on how personal history, craft, and memory inform preservation practice.

More than a literary event, the conversation underscored the idea that preservation extends beyond buildings alone. It encompasses the stories, communities, and lived experiences that give meaning to the built environment. For AYON Studio, this exchange reflects a core belief: that thoughtful conservation is as much about cultural continuity as it is about physical repair.

Presenting spatial mapping at Carnegie Mellon

Clara Zhao of AYON Studio recently returned to her undergraduate alma mater, Carnegie Mellon University, to present research developed for her MSc in Historic Preservation at Columbia University. Her presentation drew from her thesis, From the World to Henry Street: Tracing the Hidden Narrative of Women in Public Health Through Spatial Mapping, which was completed under the advisement of Paul Bentel. Clara’s talk shared insights from her thesis on spatial mapping methods in preservation practice, a topic she presented earlier at the APTNE Annual Symposium.

Clara’s engagement with academic audiences reflects AYON Studio’s commitment to advancing preservation through research, critical inquiry, and cross-institutional dialogue. The presentation highlighted the role of research and analytical tools in expanding how preservation professionals understand historic environments, reinforcing AYON Studio’s commitment to scholarship as an integral part of practice.

Advising on the New York State Capitol

Following his appointment by Governor Kathy Hochul, AYON Studio Principal Angel Ayón participated in a working meeting of the Commission for the Restoration of the New York State Capitol, which was recently reintroduced under the Governor’s administration. The meeting took place at the Capitol in Albany and focused on renewed stewardship of the building and its historic fabric.

Commission members engaged in site-based discussions and walkthroughs of key interior and exterior spaces, examining materials, craftsmanship, and major civic rooms that continue to support the daily operations of New York State government. The conversations emphasized the Capitol’s dual role as both a historic landmark and an active public institution.

Angel’s participation reflects AYON Studio’s commitment to historic preservation as public service, grounded in careful observation, material understanding, and the long-term stewardship of significant civic architecture.

Principal Angel Ayón Speaks to Preserving Harlem’s Living Legacy

In a recent feature with Save Harlem Now!, Principal Angel Ayón reflected on what preservation truly means for Harlem — and for the people and communities that give it life. A long-time Harlem advocate, Ayón shared that the work of saving Harlem now cannot be done alone. The mission requires shared responsibility, vision, and care.

Speaking about his involvement with Save Harlem Now!, Ayón described preservation not as the act of freezing history, but of continuing it. “We’ve inherited these buildings and stories from those before us,” he noted. “Our role is to care for them so that future generations recognize themselves in the places we protect.” Through AYON Studio’s preservation and adaptive reuse projects — from neighborhood landmarks to historic houses of worship — this belief guides every decision: design as an act of stewardship.

Ayón also remarked that preservation belongs to everyone. You don’t need to be an architect or hold a degree to defend what matters; the most powerful statement begins with belonging. “I live here, therefore I care,” he said — a message that captures the essence of both his work and Harlem’s enduring strength.

AYON Studio recognized at APTNE Fall Outing for Sponsor Appreciation

Pictured from left to right of the AYON Studio team: Clara Zhao, Sanika Kuklarni, Angel Ayón, Serena Fernandes, Constanza Lara, Rama Dadarkar and Lloyd DesBrisay

On October 6th, a few members of our AYON Studio team set sail on the Hudson River to enjoy an evening of yummy bites, engaging conversation, spectacular views and pure delight.

As sponsors of the Association For Preservation Technology Northeast, we were grateful to be recognized by the chapter.

We enjoyed the evening and look forward to many more!

Honoring a Friend at The Chocolate Factory Theater Gala

On September 30th, Principal Angel Ayón, along with his wife Sarah, attended The Chocolate Factory Theater’s Fourth Annual Gala in celebration of the legacy of, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Sheila Lewandowski whose dedication and perseverance has shaped both the organization and surrounding arts community in Long Island City for decades.

For AYON Studio, the evening held special meaning and warm memories. Since 2015, AYON Studio has partnered with The Chocolate Factory on the adaptive reuse of its industrial building—transforming a former factory into a home for performance, rehearsal, and community engagement. What began as early design conversations has grown into a deep collaboration guided by shared values of creativity, inclusion, and care for place.

“I look forward to seeing what else Sheila will do next and continuing to be inspired by her,” he remarked.

The Gala served as a reminder of why this work matters. The Chocolate Factory’s story—rooted in grassroots determination and sustained through collaboration—embodies the kind of community-centered transformation AYON Studio strives for in every project. We’re proud to stand beside Sheila’s work and The Chocolate Factory team as they continue building a space where art, architecture, and community intersect to question the present and imagine what’s next.

AYON Studio at the 2025 FTI Vitruvian Honors & Awards

On September 18, 2025, Principal Angel Ayón joined a gathering of fellow leaders across architecture, engineering, and construction at the Center for Architecture in New York City to celebrate the Facade Tectonics Institute’s 2025 Vitruvian Honors & Awards. It was an evening dedicated to the advancement of the art, science, and technology of high-performance façades.

Angel Ayón was recognized with the FTI Vitruvian Awards Jury Member 2025 emblem for his service on this year’s award selection. The jury evaluated projects across thirteen categories, honoring achievements in façade design, engineering, fabrication, and lifecycle performance — all centered on innovation, collaboration, and climate responsibility.

The Vitruvian Awards celebrate more than design excellence; they champion façades as critical instruments in addressing the global climate crisis. The program calls on the building industry to shift from being a major source of environmental impact to becoming a leader in resilience and sustainability. It challenges project teams to use the building envelope as a mechanism for integration — bridging performance, beauty, and planetary health.

Celebrating the Legacy and Future of Amsterdam News

Pictured from left to right: Principal Angel Ayón of Studio, Principal Jerome Haferd of Haferd Studio and Amsterdam News Publisher Elinor Tatum

On September 16th, the New York Amsterdam News welcomed friends, supporters, and community leaders to its historic Harlem headquarters for An Evening of Amsterdam News Harlem Heritage. The event featured live music, signature bites from Harlem eateries, and a celebration of the remarkable renaissance underway at one of the nation’s most influential Black newspapers.

Founded in 1909, Amsterdam News has long been a cornerstone of Black journalism and advocacy, amplifying voices and movements from W.E.B. Du Bois to Malcolm X to the Exonerated Five. Its Frederick Douglass Boulevard headquarters—steps away from the Apollo Theater—remains both a newsroom and a cultural landmark. But like the communities it serves, the building now calls for renewal.

That’s where AYON Studio, in collaboration with Jerome Haferd Studio, comes in. Together, our firms are working with Publisher Elinor R. Tatum and the Amsterdam News Educational Foundation to restore and reimagine the four-story masonry headquarters. Supported by the Mellon Foundation’s “Humanities in Place” program, the project honors the paper’s past while preparing it for future generations as a hub of culture, education, and advocacy.

Principal Angel Ayón, who lived in Harlem for a decade and remains deeply engaged with the neighborhood, emphasized that preservation is a long-term commitment. Reflecting on his earlier role in the rehabilitation of the Marcus Garvey Park watchtower, he noted, “Sometimes it takes 20 years to get certain things accomplished. What it takes is people involved, people committed, and people dedicated to it.”

“We have the privilege to envision that future in a way that speaks about the spaces here,” Ayón added, “to create something that is not just welcoming but also retains the history of Harlem and the incredible newspaper presence that shaped this place.”
The evening reminded us all that Amsterdam News is more than a paper—it is a living institution, a beacon of truth, and a space of community. Preserving its home ensures that this history, and its ongoing impact, endures.

Celebrating NYC’s preservation campaigns with HDC

Principal Angel Ayón and Associate Sanika Kulkarni attended the 25th Grassroots Preservation Awards on June 17, 2025, hosted by the Historic Districts Council (HDC). During the event, Angel personally introduced and presented New York State Senator Cordell Cleare with a Friend in High Places Award.

The annual event has taken place every year since 2000 and seeks to encourage public participation in the preservation process by recognizing the individuals and organizations that, with their time, effort and support, move preservation collaboration forward and form the foundation of all HDC’s work.

Other winners included International Hildreth Meière Association, presented with the Paul Rudolph Institute for Modern Architecture Award; Pamela Wolff for the Mickey Murphy Lifetime Achievement Award, named after the late Mary Ellen (Mickey) Murphy, a longtime passionate preservationist and HDC board member; and Frederick with the Jeffrey Kroessler Student Research Award.

Since 2000, HDC has presented more than 150 Grassroots Preservation Awards, which highlight the many entities -- public, private, and government agencies – that collaborate to achieve successful historic preservation efforts in New York City.

HDC celebrates the perseverance and dedication of the people behind these campaigns and community actions, and as an active member of the preservation community, AYON Studio continues to support and applaud their efforts.

Preserving a Critical Piece of America’s Black Press

Publisher Elinor Tatum is fighting to keep The New York Amsterdam News alive. A Black-owned weekly newspaper serving NYC since 1909, it has always been a powerful voice for the community, influencing public opinion and advocating for civil rights and social justice.

In a recent feature on ABC 7 Eyewitness News, Tatum discusses the planned preservation project for the building, located at 2340 Frederick Douglass Boulevard in Harlem. “We’ve got two phenomenal architects working with us,” she says (4:02).

AYON Studio is collaborating with Tatum, AmNews Educational Foundation CEO Siobhan Bennett, and fellow architecture firm Jerome Haferd Studio, to transform the historic Harlem newsroom into a public gathering and education center. The ultimate goal, however, is to get the building designated as a historic landmark that celebrates the Amsterdam News' work and the role of the Black press.

“This building has a presence in Harlem,” says Angel Ayón (4:50), “The first day we came here, we found a copy of a drawing by Robert L. Wilson. We’re standing on the shoulders of other prominent African American Architects who had the unique opportunity of working on this building. Because this is one of the few opportunities they had. That’s why Jerome and I are so privileged to be able to have a practice.”

One of the oldest newspapers serving the African American community in the United States, Amsterdam News has been associated with notable figures like W.E.B. Du Bois, Malcolm X, and Marvel Cooke.

Honoring Harlem’s architectural and cultural legacy

On May 22nd, AYON Studio attended the 2nd Annual Gene Norman Preservation Awards Gala at the beautiful Riverside Church South Hall in Morningside Heights, hosted by Save Harlem Now! Principal Angel Ayón, who serves as SNH! Board Vice President, offered opening remarks and was joined by his wife, daughter, and colleagues Sanika Kulkarni and Alicia Koledin.

The gala honored neighborhood icon Lana Turner with the A. Philip Randolph-Bayard Rustin Lifetime Achievement Award for her notable work in Harlem as an archivist, preservationist, and producer; the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture with the Arturo Schomburg Stewardship Award for preserving the contributions of Black individuals and communities; and Martin Spollen and Chen “Jenny” Jie with the Tandy & Foster Architectural Heritage Award for their work restoring the James A. Bailey Mansion. Jane Tillman Irving served as Mistress of Ceremonies.

Save Harlem Now! advocates for the designation of individual landmarks and historic districts in Harlem, for contextual zoning in Harlem, and educates the public about Harlem’s built heritage, history, and culture. The organization, which is dedicated to protecting, preserving, and celebrating Harlem’s irreplaceable heritage also celebrated its 10th Anniversary at the gala and presented its Board President Valerie Jo Bradley with a token of appreciation for her service.

Celebrating Preservation Month with two new National Historic Places!

The Church of St. Edward the Martyr (left) and Marcus Garvey Park (right), both in Harlem, are now listed on the National Register of Historic Places!

May is Preservation Month and we've got double the reason to celebrate this year. Two significant Harlem locations that AYON Studio has helped preserve—the Church of St. Edward the Martyr and Marcus Garvey Park—were added to the National Park Service National Register of Historic Places!

 At The Church of St. Edward the Martyr, located on East 109th Street, we are currently leading a comprehensive renovation of this Landmark quality church, including a roof replacement, façade repairs, a new entrance for accessibility compliance and flood resistance, renovation of the 4th-floor apartment, and renovation of the cellar for event space.

Marcus Garvey Park, a vibrant community resource in the center of the neighborhood, opened to the public in 1840 and has been the site many historic events, including the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival (featured in the documentary Summer of Soul). It’s also home to Angel Ayón's first and foremost advocacy project, the Mount Morris Fire Watchtower (previously listed), which was restored and reopened to the public in 2019. Originally designed by Julius Kroehl and constructed in 1857, this cast-iron structure, a beloved neighborhood landmark, is the last surviving tower of its kind in New York City.

Dancing with joy at Movement Research's new home!

On May 8th, we celebrated a truly momentous occasion with our dear client Movement Research—the opening of their new consolidated and collaborative space at Performance Space New York!

Our renovation design delivers two new rehearsal and performance studios—one named "The Bob" in honor of Robert Rauschenberg, the other named for Ishmael Houston-Jones—along with a resource room and lounge, dubbed the “Content Corner” for Lisa Nelson, Steve Paxton, and Nancy Stark Smith.

Despite being previously scattered in different spaces across the city, their tight-knit community has been together for over four decades, fostering inclusive and low-cost programming as one of the world’s leading laboratories for the investigation of dance and movement-based forms. And through this project, we are happy to say we've become true partners with them in every sense of the word.

Principal Angel Ayón reflected on the project—and the partnership—at the ribbon cutting ceremony. “The entire process has been extremely satisfying and personal for me. Coming from a dance family, and knowing the needs of this place, of this organization, it was extremely important to me to work and participate in a project like this and really help fulfill YOUR vision, YOUR desire to create here.”

Now united in place as well as mission, Movement Research has the opportunity to more wholly fulfill their mission to nurture and instigate discourse and experimentation, while reflecting the socio-political diversity of its artists and audiences alike.

This is a purpose we at AYON Studio can get behind, and we are so very proud to have designed their new home!

(As you know, the arts need more support than ever. If you can, please donate to their ongoing fundraising campaign.)

Teaching Preservation Advocacy at Yale

Teaching architecture students how to be active citizens of their communities can help them connect better with their future clients and design more meaningful buildings—and, in the case of historic preservation, more appropriate interventions.

Part of that often means standing up for what you believe in. On April 23, Angel Ayón gave a now annual guest lecture to students at Yale University entitled “Citizen Architect: Preservation Advocacy as Professional Practice.”

Sharing his unique personal perspective on this topic, Angel delved into his architectural schooling and early professional life as well as running his own architecture firm today.

The presentation also followed Angel's 20-year-long neighborhood advocacy campaign to save the 1857 Mount Morris Fire Watchtower in Harlem’s Marcus Garvey Park. As a result of Angel’s influence and leadership, this designated NYC landmark, also listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was rehabilitated and received numerous awards .

Part of the School’s “Historic Preservation in the 21st Century” seminar taught by Norma Barbacci, Angel delivered his lecture in Rudolph Hall, the famed Brutalist building by its namesake, architect Paul Rudolph.

Celebrating the 35th annual Lucys!

On April 22nd, a group from our office joined a sold-out crowd of 600 at the Edison Ballroom for the 35th annual Lucy G. Moses Preservation Awards, hosted by The New York Landmarks Conservancy.

We were excited to be there to honor many of our colleagues, particularly our dear friend and collaborator, Ann Friedman, who was presented with the Special Award for Preservation Service. Prior to her retirement last year, she spent 24 years at NYLC, much of it serving as Director of the Sacred Sites program. Previously, Ann spent 7 years in the Preservation Department at the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. As a champion for historic religious properties, her knowledge and dedication saved much of NYC's precious cultural heritage.

The program also celebrated Susan Olsen, Woodlawn Cemetery's Director of Historical Services for over 22 years, who was granted the 2025 Preservation Leadership Award.

Congratulations as well to all 17 project awardees, and thanks to NYLC for a great event!