Guidelines for Rehabilitating Old Buildings

Principles to consider U.S. Department of Housing and Guidelines for when planning rehabilitation Urban Development and new construction projects Washington, D.C. 20410 Rehabilitating Old and in older neighborhoods U.S. Department of the Interior Buildings: Washington, D.C. 20240 The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's GUIDELINES FOR REHABILITATING OLD BUILDINGS: Principles to consider when planning re habilitation and new construction projects in older neighborhoods Prepared in cooperation with the Office of Archeology and Historic Preservation National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Washington, D.C. 20240 January, 1977 TABLE OF CONTENTS 5 Introduction 5 Guidelines 6 Checklist for the Application of the Guidelines 11 Appendix 1 - State Historic Preservation Offices and Field Office Jurisdictions of HUD 21 Appendix 2 - Bibliography 22 Appendix 3 - Definitions 22 Acknowledgments 3 INTRODUCTION When the buildings or areas being considered for rehabilitation are listed or eligible for listing in the Across the Nation, citizens are discovering that National Register of Historic Places, property older buildings and neighborhoods are important owners and local officials responsible for the work ingredients of a town's or a city's special identity should, as a first step, contact the appropriate State and character. They are finding that tangible and Historic Preservation Officer, in addition to consult satisfying links to the past are provided by struc ing with experienced professionals. Where compre tures, shopping streets, and residential and industrial hensive surveys (to identify properties eligible for areas in their cities and towns that have survived National Register listing) have not yet been com from earlier periods. Often, however, these impor pleted in a project area, the undertaking of such tant buildings and neighborhoods have suffered surveys should be discussed with appropriate local years of neglect or they seem outdated for the officials and with the State Historic Preservation needs of modern living. But with thoughtful rehabil Officer. itation, many can be successfully revitalized. In Lists of HUD offices, State Historic Preservation rehabilitating older resources to contemporary Officers and other helpful offices and organizations, standards and codes, however, it is important that a bibliography of useful publications, and defini the architectural qualities that have distinguished tions of terms are attached as appendices to these them in the past are not irretrievably discarded and Guidelines. lost to the future. Although specifically developed to assist property owners eligible to receive Historic Preservation I. GUIDELINES Loans and for local officials responsible for the community development block grant program of the 1. Every reasonable effort should be made to pro Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, vide a compatible use for buildings which will these Guidelines will help any property owner or require minimum alteration to the building and its local official in formulating plans for the rehabilita environment. tion, preservation, and continued use of old build 2. Rehabilitation work should not destroy the ings, neighborhoods, and commercial areas.* They distinguishing qualities or character of the property consist of eight principles that should be kept in and its environment. The removal or alteration of mind when planning new construction or rehabilita any historic material or architectural features should tion projects. The checklist suggests specific actions be held to the minimum, consistent with the pro to be considered or avoided to insure that the posed use. distinguishing qualities of buildings or neighborhood 3. Deteriorated architectural features should be environments will not be damaged by new work. In repaired rather than replaced, wherever possible. In addition, whenever possible, advice should be sought the event replacement is necessary, the new material from qualified professionals, including architects, should match the material being replaced in com architectural historians and planners, who are skilled position, design, color, texture, and other visual in the preservation, restoration, and rehabilitation of qualities. Repair or replacement of missing archi old buildings and neighborhoods. tectural features should be based on accurate dupli cations of original features, substantiated by physi cal or pictorial evidence rather than on conjectural designs or the availability of different architectural features from other buildings. *A11 residential structures listed, or determined eligible for inclusion, in the National Register of Historic Places, either 4. Distinctive stylistic features or examples of individually or as part of a district, are eligible for Historic skilled craftsmanship which characterize older struc Preservation Loans. Informational leaflets concerning His tures and often predate the mass production of toric Preservation Loans are available from FHA-approved building materials, should be treated with sensi lending institutions, HUD offices, or State Historic Preserva tion Officers. Information concerning the National Register tivity. of Historic Places is available from the appropriate State 5. Many changes to buildings and environments Historic Preservation Officer (sec Appendix 1). which have taken place in the course of time are The primary objective of the community development evidence of the history of the building and the block grant program is the development of viable urban neighborhood. These changes may have developed communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment and by expanding economic opportuni significance in their own right, and this significance ties, principally for persons of low- and moderate-income. should be recognized and respected. This goal is to be achieved through elimination of slums and blight and detrimental living conditions, conservation and expansion of housing, increased public services, im proved use of land, increased neighborhood diversity, and preservation of property with special values. Information about the community development block grant program can be obtained from HUD offices (see Appendix 1). 5 6. All buildings should be recognized as products and character of the neighborhood, building, or its of their own time. Alterations to create an appear environment. ance inconsistent with the actual character of the 8. Wherever possible, new additions or altera building should be discouraged. tions to buildings should be done in such a manner 7. Contemporary design for new buildings in old that if they were to be removed in the future, the neighborhoods and additions to existing buildings or essential form and integrity of the original building landscaping should not be discouraged if such design would be unimpaired. is compatible with the size, scale, color, material, II. CHECKLIST FOR THE APPLICATION OF THE GUIDELINES CONSIDER AVOID The Environment In new construction, retaining distinctive features of Introducing new construction into neighborhoods the neighborhood's existing architecture, such as the that is incompatible with the character of the distinguishing size, scale, mass, color, materials, and district's architecture because of obvious differences details, including roofs, porches and stairways, that in size, scale, color and detailing. give a neighborhood its special character. Using new plant materials, fencing, walkways, and Introducing signs, street lighting, street furniture, street lights, signs, and benches that are compatible new plant materials, fencing, walkways and paving with the character of the neighborhood in size, materials which are out of scale or inappropriate to scale, material, and color. the neighborhood. Retaining existing landscape features such as parks, Destroying the relationship of buildings and their gardens, street lights, signs, benches, walkways, environment by widening existing streets, changing streets, alleys, and building set-backs that have paving material, or by introducing poorly designed traditionally linked buildings to their environment. and inappropriately located new streets and parking lots or introducing new construction incompatible with the character of the neighborhood. Existing Buildings: Lot Inspecting the lot carefully to locate and identify plants, trees, fencing, walkways, outbuildings and other elements that might be an important part of the property's history and development. Retaining plants, trees, fencing, walkways, and Making changes to the appearance of the site by street lights, signs, and benches that reflect the removing old plants, trees, fencing, walkways, and property's history and development. street lights, signs, and benches before evaluating their importance in the property's history and devel opment. Basing decisions for new work on actual knowledge Giving the site an appearance it never had. of the past appearance of the property found in photographs, drawings, newspapers, and tax records. If changes are made they should be carefully eval uated in light of the past appearance of the site. Existing Buildings: Exterior Features Masonry Buildings Retaining original masonry and mortar, whenever Applying waterproof or water repellent coatings or possible, without the application of any surface other treatments unless required to solve a specific treatment. technical problem that has been studied and identi fied. Coatings are frequently unnecessary,

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