Advanced CAD students help their community and get real life experience
Last year DVHS’s Advanced Computer Aided Drawing (CAD) Applications students, Alec Brown and PJ Testino, began what would become an amazing project and relationship between the school district and The Grey Towers National Historical Site.
They were asked by the mansion’s manager and historian, Ken Sandri and lead engineer, Kurt Kretvix, to create usable working digital drawings of one of the mansion’s out-buildings, the Milk House.
They worked alongside professional architects and engineers and their work will be used to restore one of the area’s most beloved historical sites. In addition, the work will be archived along with the original Grey Towers’ architect, Richard Morris Hunt. Finally, their drawings will be used by the local contractors to implement the future restoration of the deteriorating Milk House.
They are now starting the second phase of the project with a new team of Advanced CAD students. Todd Evans, Noah Toussaint and Peter Williams have already begun the process of measuring and drawing the next building, the Green House. They have visited the site twice now and have been working with Mr. Sandri and Mr. Kretvix to get the project underway.
The students will gain invaluable experience by working with and being educated by experienced professionals in the fields of architecture and engineering.
The students have also been recruited to take part in another community restoration project, the Port Jervis Railroad Turntable. They were contacted by Mr. William Schill, a local train enthusiast who is extremely passionate about bringing the PJ railroad turntable back to life.
Two more of the Advanvced CAD students, John Moricone and Tadhg Dowd, will make up the team that will measure, evaluate and electronically develop concept drawings and rendering. These drawings will illustrate Schill’s vision of what the site will look like upon completion.
John and Tadgh will work from Schill’s sketches, and notations in order to create the drawings. When they are complete, the team’s drawings will then be presented to the Port Jervis town council to help gain their approval of the restoration.
Ultimately, the goal is to raise funds to revitalize this historically significant landmark.