Preserving Historic Properties, Preserves Historic Character
07/31/2023
Preserving historic properties is fundamental to protecting the historic character and legacy of our country. From government buildings to schools, from historic homes to places of worship, from banks to manufacturing facilities, all represent an important part of our cultural and architectural history.
Preservation is not just about protecting the beautiful but also culturally important places where events occurred that shaped our shared history,” as stated by Ashley R. Wilson, AIA, AID, the Graham Gund Architect for the National Trust for Historic Preservation in an AIA article titled, the Four Misconceptions about Historic Preservation.
Preserving landmark properties is not only about saving history but also about utilizing existing materials and infrastructure, reducing waste, and saving the historic character of many towns and urban areas. The greenest, most sustainable building is one that already exists.
Add the grand historic elements that are so costly to incorporate in today’s construction economy, and the formula is perfect for historic renovation and replication. These landmark buildings are too magnificent in their design to lose them to the demotion crew.
These properties are perfect candidates to be repurposed to meet contemporary needs while preserving the architectural features that make them buildings of distinction. The result is a historic property that is preserved, yet thoroughly modernized with the intrinsic ability to revitalize cities and neighborhoods.
National Historic Preservation Act of 1966
In 1966 Congress passed the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) to protect historical architecture by requiring the “existence and continuance of historic buildings for the public benefit and heritage.” NHPA charged the National Park Service, through authority delegated by the Secretary of the Interior, to establish and administer a national historic preservation program and to develop and publicize standards and guidelines for the treatment of historic properties.
National Park Service partners with:
- State, Territorial, Tribal, and Federal Historic Preservation Officers to identify, nominate, and list properties in the National Register of Historic Places, the list of places of local, state, tribal, and national historic significance.
- Internal Revenue Service and State Historic Preservation Offices to administer The Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives program, a tool designed to encourage private sector investment in the rehabilitation and re-use of historic buildings.
National Register of Historic Places
A listing on the National Register of Historic Places is governmental acknowledgment of a historic district, site, building, or property, however, the Register is mostly “an honorary status with some federal financial incentives.”
Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives
The Preservation Tax Incentives program is one of the nation’s most successful, cost-effective community revitalization programs and through this program, abandoned or underused schools, warehouses, factories, churches, retail stores, apartments, hotels, houses, and offices throughout the country have been restored to life in a manner that maintains their historic character.
Windows and doors are key historic architectural features that define a building’s character. Replicating historic color palettes, historic sightlines, and design elements, with modern replications, enhances the building’s legacy and provides another lifetime of sustainability.
If you’re considering reusing a building, contact us for a quote and learn more about St. Cloud Window’s historic aluminum doors and windows.