MOLLY O'DONNELL JORDEN

The New York State Capitol Eastern Approach

The New York State Capitol is a National Historic Landmark with contributions by the architects Thomas Fuller, Frederick Law Olmsted, Leopold Eidlitz, H.H. Richardson, and Isaac Perry. The eastern elevation features an elaborate multi-story monumental stair constructed of unreinforced brick and granite masonry with sophisticated geometry and ornate carving.

Years of neglect, settlement, and insensitive repairs have destabilized the historic site feature. JGWA is responsible for measuring the structure by hand and laser scanning, modeling the complex form in Revit, and producing construction documents for the complete disassembly and restoration of the iconic entry to the state's capitol. Molly has been involved in every step of that process while working closely with the Project Manager to coordinate and execute project decisions and submissions between the client and the design team. Additionally, she has prepared drawings digitally and by hand for presentation to the Governor of New York.

Missouri State Penitentiary

With plans first developed in 1833 by John Haviland, a British architect well-known for his prison designs, and the first incarcerated person admitted in 1836, Missouri State Penitentiary is the oldest prison west of the Mississippi. During its 168 years in operation, the site was in a state of constant change and expansion, operating in parallel with the ever-evolving United States criminal justice system. Working under the Auburn System with leased convict labor, inmates had a direct hand in the construction of the penitentiary, built largely of limestone quarried on site, as well as its financial standing, as dozens of industries and factories passed through the institution over the years. While the site has been condensed, following its decommissioning as a prison in 2004, themes of incarceration and industrialization are clearly and authentically communicated through the remaining structures that represent nearly all phases of the complex site history.

The Missouri State Penitentiary has persisted as a prominent institution in Jefferson City, transitioning from the penal system to a cultural and historical educational site just a few blocks from the State Capitol. Through extensive research and site study JGWA, together with PGAV Destinations, developed a robust Master Plan for the Penitentiary which details the history, existing conditions, preservation strategies, and recommendations for the site as a whole and each of the individual structures. Molly made multiple trips to the penitentiary to document and analyze the site then develop written and diagrammatic accounts of historic evolution, current conditions, and proposed adaptations of the powerful landmark. The watercolor Molly created by hand illustrated the value of preserving extant buildings and boundaries to maintain the containment as a character defining feature of the site and was presented with the report to the governor of Missouri.

Princeton Battlefield State Park

680 acres of land are preserved in Princeton, New Jersey to commemorate the Battle of Princeton as a turning point in the American Revolutionary War under the leadership of George Washington.

The beautiful park requires additional historical interpretation and facilities for its visitors and reenactors. This includes restoration of the historic landscape with special consideration for adjacent structures significant to the Institute of Advanced Studies. JGWA provided material for a persuasive presentation on the future use and development of the site in cooperation with the American Battlefield Trust. For this project Molly conducted a site survey, produced sketches for a new design, and created the two watercolor renderings pictured here.

Creek Meeting House

Built in 1777, Creek Meeting House in Clinton Corners, New York represents the quiet elegance of the Quaker traditions of construction and community. The doubled plan of the building illustrates an evolution in Quaker design and worship with separate entrances for men and women divided by a moveable partition to reinforce the idea of order and equality among the Religious Society of Friends. In this way, the architecture reflects the ideology of the community it housed.

A Historic Structure Report was produced by JGWA to ensure the thorough documentation of the building and its history in order to proceed with its sensitive restoration and continued use as a space for public gatherings. Molly developed the rendering pictured by hand in graphite on mylar and in watercolor to illustrate the earliest documented configuration of the the meeting house according to measured drawings of existing conditions, evidence uncovered in the documentation process, and historic images and accounts of the prominent and beloved structure. The cutaway axonometric describes all aspects of the character defining features in a single image that visually supports the text of the report and features prominently on the cover page.

Cincinnati Union Terminal

Completed in 1933 by the prominent New York City firm Fellheimer & Wagner with significant contributions by Paul Cret, Cincinnati Union Terminal is now an icon of the Art Deco style and widely considered to be the firm's finest work. After doubling its capacity and serving its intended purpose through World War II, traffic declined and the terminal was repurposed. Today, it is home to the Cincinnati Museum Center and is still served by Amtrak's Cardinal Line. Cincinnati Union Terminal has been a National Historic Landmark since 1974 and remains the largest half-dome in the Western Hemisphere.

In 2018, JGWA completed the comprehensive restoration of the terminal in cooperation with local architects and engineers. Since then, JGWA has been recognized nationally for the project with awards including the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation National Preservation Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Palladio Award from Traditional Building Magazine, and the Reconstruction Award from Building Design + Construction. As Molly's favorite building of all time, she took great pride in designing and rendering the above image of Cincinnati Union Terminal in watercolor for an award submission on behalf of JGWA. The original work now hangs in the office lobby.