ARG Conservation Services

02/26/2025

We're excited to welcome Maria Hardman to our team! With a background in conservation and restoration, Maria brings expertise in murals, decorative finishes, plaster, and metals. She has worked on historic sites across the country, including state capitols, churches, museums, and theaters. As a former on-site foreman, she has led teams on complex restoration projects. Maria holds a BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art, and we're thrilled to have her on board! 🙌👷‍♀️🖌️⚒️👌😊

01/17/2025

Ukrainian people are resilient, resourceful, and fearless. They are actively planning now for the recovery of their country with the intention of beginning the rebuilding of Ukraine immediately after the cessation of conflict. Design professionals can join and support this effort by entering the competition for the redesigning Irpin University (STU). This institution trains future government workers and leaders in democratic and honest processes that Ukraine is fighting to uphold. It is vital to the future of the country. Be part of this critical planning by entering the competition. Deadline to register is February 1st! Please see link in bio for more information.

12/31/2024

As we welcome 2025, we’re inspired by the beauty of the sun illuminating the historic monuments and artworks we’ve restored. These snapshots from our job sites capture how light brings life to the timeless landmarks we are proud to enhance. At ARG/CS, every project combines honoring history with innovative solutions, ensuring these treasures shine brightly for generations to come. Here’s to a New Year filled with inspiration, progress, and enduring legacies. Happy 2025!

12/24/2024

Wishing you and your loved ones and a season of meaningful moments and a new year filled with peace and joy. From our family of companies: , , and ! 🎉🎊🎁🎄✨This photo is from the and highlights our work this year which included the of the Trocadero Clubhouse at Stern Grove in San Francisco. We were privileged to assist in the protection of this cultural resource! ❤️👏🏻🥰👌🏻

12/19/2024

This year, our family of companies gathered at our bayfront office for our annual holiday party. We enjoyed wonderful company, engaged in a lively game of co****le, and wrapped up the celebration with a raffle that brought smiles all around. Here’s to another year of perseverance, success, and collaboration - with many more memorable times ahead. Cheers to 2024 and looking forward to an even brighter 2025! 🎄⭐️🎉🎊⭐️🎁🎅🏻✨

10/25/2024

Last night, ARG/CS mingled and had good fun with the Bay Area’s creative community at Root Division’s 23rd Annual Benefit. Art lovers and artists came together to enjoy and support emerging talents. The evening reminded us of our own value and importance in art restoration, preserving and honoring art for generations to come. It was inspiring to support an event that uplifts local artists and connects us through art.

07/12/2024

A new sculpture emerges from a large crate, set against the backdrop of the busy Embarcadero and Ferry Building. The sculpture, titled "As Sounds Turn to Noise," is now in San Francisco! What does this striking 9-foot bronze beauty hear in this City? Never mind that, our senior conservator, Johana Moreno, oversaw the install and performed touch-ups. Go by Pier 1 and check it out!

07/12/2024

Sitting on the edge of our seats while reading this blog…Wayfarers Chapel preserved! Impressive work by Architectural Resources Group! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

06/14/2024

We had a good time at our company BBQ with our family of companies - ARG/CS, Pacific Sealants, and Pacific Masonry Restorations! It was a day filled with delicious food, great conversations, and lots of fun before kicking off the busy summer season. It was wonderful connecting with coworkers who have been out and about on different jobs. Here’s to teamwork and even greater times ahead!
🥳🔥
- Pacific Sealants
- Pacific Masonry Restorations

06/07/2024

Once scarred by fire, these doors have been on a journey of careful restoration. We started by removing the burnt areas, revealing the stable wood beneath. Hand-selected rift sawn white oak was chosen to replace the damaged sections, ensuring a perfect match.

The original molding, with its unique charm, was replicated using custom ground cutter heads. We then added new trim to all four lower squares, bringing back their original elegance. Burned areas on the inset squares were painstakingly scraped and sanded, preserving as much of the original wood as possible.

To blend the new with the old, the fresh white oak was aged and stained to match the existing wood. Finally, a protective coat of oil-based spar urethane varnish was applied, enhancing the wood's natural beauty and ensuring its durability.

Swipe through the photos to see the transformation from fire-damaged to beautifully restored.

05/31/2024

Every year at ARGCS we look forward to attending the annual American Institute for Conservation (AIC) conference to learn the latest methods and practices being done in the field of conservation. Here we have photos of our principal, David Wessel, presenting at the AIC conference last week in Salt Lake City! His presentation highlighted the impact of political and social movements on cultural resource preservation. These movements lead to relocation, reinterpretation, and ownership disputes of cultural artifacts. Professionals face legal risks and ethical dilemmas, often pressured to act against industry standards. Wessel reviewed case studies and offered practical strategies to navigate these challenges.

– AIC

05/24/2024

🌸✨ What an incredible evening at the Superbloom Gala 2024! ✨🌸

ARG/CS and Pacific Sealants are thrilled to have been a Bronze participant at this beautiful event. A huge thanks to Family House San Francisco for their amazing support to families and children with cancer. Truly inspiring! 🌟

05/24/2024

🌸✨ What an incredible evening at the Superbloom Gala 2024! ✨🌸

We are thrilled to have been a Bronze participant at this beautiful event. A huge thanks to Family House San Francisco for their amazing support to families and children with cancer. Truly inspiring! 🌟

thanks for the invite! 🩷🩷🩷

04/26/2024

At ARGCS, we were honored to preserve a significant piece of history at the National Historic Landmark Harada House in Riverside, CA. We undertook the conservation of a plaster wall with an inscription left by a member of the Japanese American Harada Family, who were forcibly removed to concentration camps during WWII. These names, written into their home’s wall before their forced departure, narrates a story of racism, resilience, and memory. Our task involved stabilizing the plaster to protect this tangible legacy. Subsequently, our team, including expert masons, conservators, and art movers carefully removed the section of the wall containing this precious inscription, ensuring its preservation while the house receives major structural work.

03/07/2024

ARG/CS is honored to be part of the restoration of this "gem of San Francisco history..." 💎👷‍♀️👷⚒️🙌

Stern Grove's historic Trocadero Clubhouse suffered major damages last year. Its restorations will cost $2.5 million and be completed before the end of 2024.