Restorations

1.0 Exterior Restoration on Building on the National Register of Historic places.

JAH design approach will fully comply with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties (SISTHP), following the guidelines of 37 CFR 68.  JAH can “restore” buildings exterior architecture, “rehabilitate”, “reconstruct”, or “preserve” them, depending on the need.

Reconstruction of a building’s geometry, with significant alteration, would be inconsistent with SISTHP. Every effort will be put forth, to maintain the historic character of original buildings, regardless of the selected scope. Historic items, such as relics, and similar objects including, but not limited to, commemorative plaques and tablets, antiques, and other items of interest or value to Owner, may be encountered during building demolition and would remain the Owner's property.  Carefully removal and salvage of each item or object in a manner to prevent damage and deliver promptly to Owner, will be outlined.

In the “restoration” efforts, the following guidelines will be adhered to:

1.1 Materials and features from the restoration period will be retained and preserved. The removal of materials or alteration of features, spaces, and spatial relationships that characterize the period will not be undertaken, without written approval from the contracting officer.

1.2 Buildings are recognized as a physical record of its time, place, and use. Work needed to stabilize, consolidate and conserve materials and features from the restoration period will be physically and visually compatible, identifiable upon close inspection, and properly documented for future scrutiny.

1.3 Materials, features, spaces, and finishes that characterize other historical periods will be documented prior to their alteration or removal, via photographic records. Based on site observations, we have identified a few instances of this occurring.

1.4 Distinctive materials, features, finishes, and construction techniques or examples of craftsmanship that characterize the restoration period will be preserved, in the restoration process.

1.5 Deteriorated features from the restoration period will be repaired rather than replaced. Where the severity of deterioration requires replacement of a distinctive feature, the new feature will match the old in design, color, texture, and, where possible, materials. This occurs in two main areas of this project.

1.6 Normally, replacement of any missing features from the restoration period should be substantiated by documentary and physical evidence. The design team will not add conjectural features, features from other properties, or combine features that never existed together historically.

1.7 Chemical and physical treatments will be undertaken using non corrosive, minimal impact, and least impactful, to the original design. Treatments that cause damage to historic materials will not be used.

1.8 Archeological resources are not affected by this project. If for any reason they had to be disturbed, they would be protected and preserved in place, and mitigation measures would be undertaken.

1.9 Designs that were never executed historically, as verified by the existing construction documents, will not be indicated in the new construction documents, nor constructed.

 There are a couple of areas that will require “reconstruction”, and the following guidelines will be followed.

1.10. An accurate duplication of the historic features and elements has been substantiated by physical evidence. A reconstructed element will re-create the appearance of the non-surviving historic property in materials, design, color, and texture.

 

   2.0 Steps in design process.

The design process is critical to a “value focused”, and historically authentic solution. The general process is as outlined below:

2.1 The design team will create high quality; large format scans of all of the original construction documents, and has all documents available in a CAD format for timely processing. 

2.2 The design team shall digitally photograph all building faces of Buildings including all balcony areas, areas behind trees, shrubs, and structures on the roofs (see example below). The digital photos shall be scaled accurately, and integrated digitally into the original historic construction documents. This overlay technique allows for immediate rectification, of the original historic deign, and the currently built buildings. Discrepancies will be identified to the contracting officer for direction, on any required action, beyond the planned solution.

2.3 Once the cataloging is complete on the building facades, a determination will be on the various typical “restoration”, and “reconstruction” conditions that must be addressed. Examples would include:

a. Identifying the various levels required on the window restoration, and a tagging to the scaled, updated, and photographically reproduced building elevations. The various levels of restoration would have unique details and specifications noted for execution.

b. Identifying the various conditions of cement plaster deficiencies that require “reconstruction”, and or “restoration”.

c. Identifying the paint and coating specifications for the cement plaster, the wood, the iron, the terra cotta ( if any), and the exterior ceilings.

d. Identifying the candidates’ for “reconstruction”, and the unique details associated with such.

e. Completing a dew point analysis, and a building envelope analysis, to specify the perm rating on the coatings, and make recommendation to the contracting officer regarding moisture infiltration.

 

3.0 Building Envelope Forensics