Keith Lescarbeau is president of Abcore Restoration Co., a Narragansett-based contractor specializing in historic restoration projects. Last week, Lescarbeau received a Rhody Award from Preserve Rhode Island and the R.I. Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission in recognition of his more than three decades of leading restoration projects.
Before picking up his award, Lescarbeau took some time to speak with Providence Business News about his company, the industry and the award.
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PBN: When did you get your start in historic restoration and what attracts you to the industry?
LESCARBEAU: I’ve always done it. The movement has certainly become more notable these days, but 30 years ago, it was just fixing places the right way. It’s just something that I went right into and always stayed with.
PBN: Why stay with it this long?
LESCARBEAU: To me it seems important. I think there are certainly a limited number of people that are going to deal with this stuff. It can be very tedious, and I feel there’s a need. These places deserve to be saved, and they’re important. There’s plenty of people doing other stuff and we need to preserve some of these properties – not all of them, but the worthy ones.
PBN: What’s been your favorite project to work on over the years?
LESCARBEAU: They all have a reason, and they all have a law. Some of the things that are motivating are if you can save something. For instance, the Plum Beach Lighthouse, the Woodman Farm, the Pomham Rocks Lighthouse, I consider those saves. What I mean by that is, if the organizations that were involved weren’t able to raise the funds, if the project didn’t commence, it could have been the demise of the building.
So when you go in knowing that, geez if no one did anything for a few more years, this place would not exist anymore. So saves are important to me.
But I like projects for different reasons. For instance projects that have a lot of the authentic materials there, a lot of the original fabric, like the Kinney Bungalow with its 9-foot overhang. [The building got] a roof every 40 or 50 years so a lot of the property stayed intact. So you really had the original fabrics. When you look at that property, you’re really seeing what was there. Everything hasn’t been replaced every three years like some restoration projects.
Of course, lighthouses in general are important to people, and now all you need is a skeleton tower with a beacon on top. You don’t really need lighthouses. But you don’t want to lose that heritage. Saving that heritage is important as well.
PBN: Do you think it’s become more difficult to do that with today’s economy or are you still just as busy?
LESCARBEAU: I’m just as busy as always. I’m certainly aware of what’s going on. Fortunately, projects have kept going. Initially there’s a delayed reaction. The funding is raised and then the planning has to take place. It can be so time consuming that the latency period has sort of surpassed the economy and projects that were approved and were coming down the pike are just becoming shovel ready.
So certainly, there’s a delay there, and I think there’s a lot of effort by people to make these projects happen. And they’ve continued to make them happen despite the economy.
PBN: Coming full circle, how does it feel to receive a Rhody Award?
LESCARBEAU: I always support anything that supports the cause and the awareness of this movement. I take every effort to do the highest quality of work I can do always in the most efficient way. There’s really no fat in this company. I’m hands on, everyone produces.
We’ve always delivered a good product, and I don’t need this, but I’m certainly very excited about receiving it, and I’m very pleased. In general, I’m really proud of the movement that’s come forth with this whole industry of restoration and how aware people are of it.
