Author Steve Jordan and his book, "The Historic House Handbook"

By Evan Dawson,

Published July 9, 2025 at 5:04 PM EDT

Four people wearing headphones sit at a table in a radio talk studio: a man front left has short grey hair and is wearing glasses, a blue polo shirt, grey shorts and blue shoes; a man front right has short dark hair and is wearing a white button-down shirt with blue cuffs, jeans and sneakers and holding up a book with a blue, white and yellow cover; a woman back left has long brown hair and is wearing glasses and a green t-shirt; a woman back right has short brown hair and is wearing a blue t-shirt.

1 of 6 — (foreground) Steve Jordan, (background) Megan Klem and Ellen Olah with host Evan Dawson on "Connections"

(foreground) Steve Jordan, (background) Megan Klem and Ellen Olah with host Evan Dawson on "Connections with Evan Dawson" on Wednesday, July 9, 2025

George Yeadon / WXXI News

A smiling man with short brown hair and a brown beard is wearing a beige blazer, blue plaid button-down shirt and blue tie while standing in front of a stone wall.

2 of 6 — Huber (1).jpg

Bradley Huber

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3 of 6 — Ellen-Exterior 1.jpg

Ellen Olah's home before renovations

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A well maintained yellow house with a porch and large red tree in the front yard.

4 of 6 — Ellen-Exterior 5.jpg

Ellen Olah's home after renovations

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A dilapidated yellow and green house sits on a poorly maintained lot and has a for sale sign in the yard.

5 of 6 — Exterior Before.jpg

Bradley Huber's home before renovations.

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A red house with a green and yellow porch sits on a well maintained lot.

6 of 6 — Exterior After.jpg

Bradley Huber's home after renovations.

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A smiling man with short dark hair wearing a blue button-down shirt and a grey blazer. He is holding a pair of eyeglasses. The word "Connections" appears on the left side of the photo in vertical letters.

Maintaining and repairing old homes requires sensitivity, a commitment to preserving historic characteristics, and an understanding of modern functionality.

Author and restoration expert Steve Jordan provides guidance for homeowners in his new book, "The Historic House Handbook: A Sensitive Guide for Old-House Living."

This hour, we talk with him about what homeowners need to know: design concepts; material availability; and how to navigate difficult decisions, especially in 2025. We also hear from local homeowners about how they've revitalized their old homes.

Our guests:

Steve Jordan, author of "The Historic House Handbook: A Sensitive Guide for Old-House Living" and historic preservation and window restoration expert
Megan Klem, director of preservation services for the Landmark Society of Western New York
Bradley Huber, Irondequoit resident and old house DIYer
Ellen Olah, Rochester resident who is restoring her 1870s home

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