The John & Alice Coltrane Home Renovation
Our sustainability and renewal teams helped transform an influential jazz couple's badly damaged former residence into an exciting new museum and music education center.
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Project Details
A Jazz Legend's Former Home Gets a New Groove
Architecturally, the house at 247 Candlewood Path in Huntington, New York, is unremarkable. Historically, it’s invaluable. The 1950s-era building was the home of legendary jazz saxophonist John Coltrane and his wife, Alice, an important jazz musician in her own right. Coltrane composed some of his most influential works there.
In 2007, the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places, but by 2012, it was suffering from neglect, damage from Superstorm Sandy, and widespread mold contamination.
To help transform it into a museum and music education center worthy of the Coltrane legacy, we performed a condition assessment and provided historic preservation services for structural and envelope restoration.
The extensive damage turned out to be a blessing in disguise: the interior finishes and exterior masonry had to be removed, creating the opportunity to pursue the passive house approach. Components of the wall assemblies will be more energy- efficient, while their historic appearance will be restored. Inspired by the mission of the Friends of the Coltrane Home and the cultural significance of this property, we provided our services on this project free of charge.
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