Regional Climate Effects on Historic Preservation · nation, and in Las Vegas, Michelle Larimer reminds us how cool those mid-century modern rock roofs really are. Finally, NAPC is

Greening a National Historic Landmark

Flood Hazard Mitigation for Historic Buildings

Saving Downtown: An Architectural Survey and National Register Nomination for El Paso, Texas

Cathodic Protection of Historic Bridges in Oregon

27

A Quarterly Journal of the National Alliance of Preservation CommissionsWinter 2017

12 4 20

Kool Rock Roofs Before Roofs Were Cool

32 State News 36

Regional Climate Effects on Historic Preservation

Cultural ResourcesClimate Change Strategy

38

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NAPC is seeking volunteers to help advance its missionof providing education and technical assistance to localpreservationists, particularly those involved in the work of localpreservation commissions. Volunteers may serve on a varietyof committees and in other capacities that take advantage oftheir individual skills and experiences. Editorial and produc-

tion work on The Alliance Review, membership recruitment and retention, resourcesdevelopment, education programs and technical assistance are just a few of thepossibilities. Join us today to make a difference in the future of preservation bycontacting NAPC at 757-802-4141 or [email protected].

NAPC STAFF:PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Stephanie [email protected]

COVER IMAGEThe Yaquina Bay Bridge locatedat Newport has been preservedby the use of impressed-current

cathodic protection. Featuringart deco styling, the bridge was

designed and built under thedirection of Conde B. McCulloughin 1936. Photo courtesy of ODOT.

t h e

All current NAPC members whoserve as city staff to preservation

commissions are encouraged todistribute articles in The Alliance

Review to commission membersand other staff and electedofficials within your member

organization.

NAPC can provide additionaldigital copies of The Alliance

Review to members of yourcommission. Simply email us [email protected]

with your commission member’sname and email address.

2016-17 BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Upd

ated

: 1.2

4.17

KATHERINE ADAMSWashington Architectural FoundationWashington, DC

TROY AINSWORTHCamino Real de Tierra Adentro TrailAssociationNew Mexico

DEBORAH ANDREWSCity of PortlandMaine

LISA CRAIGMain Streets Annapolis PartnershipMaryland

TIM FRYESan Francisco Planning DepartmentCalifornia

JAMES HEWATCity of BoulderColorado

ALISON HINCHMANNational Trust for Historic PreservationWashington, DC

JACQUELINE JOHNSONNational Trust for Historic PreservationWashington, DC

MICHAEL KOOPMinnesota Historical Society (SHPO)Minnesota

CAROLINE LABINERHarvard Heights Historic Preservation and Windsor Square Overlay Zone BoardsCalifornia

BRIANA PAXTON GROSICKIPlaceEconomicsWashington, DC

J. TODD SCOTTKing County Historic Preservation ProgramWashington

MATT SYNATSCHKCity of GeorgetownTexas

PHIL THOMASONThomason and AssociatesNashville, TN

MATTHEW HALITSKYCity of BoiseIdaho | Chair

PATRICIA BLICKQuapaw Quarter AssociationArkansas | Chair-Elect

MELINDA CRAWFORDPreservation PennsylvaniaPennsylvania | Secretary

CORY KEGERISEPennsylvania Historical and MuseumCommissionPennsylvania | Treasurer

The National Alliance of Preservation Commissions (NAPC) is governed by aboard of directors composed of current and former members and staff of localpreservation commissions and Main Street organizations, state historic preserva-tion office staff, and other preservation and planning professionals, with the Chair,Chair-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and Chairs of the board committees serving asthe Board’s Executive Committee.

OFFICERS

BOARD MEMBERS

A quarterly journal withnews, technical assistance,and case studies relevant tolocal historic preservation

commissions and their staff.

In this IssueBY J. TODD SCOTT, THE ALLIANCE REVIEW EDITORIAL COMMITTEE

2016-17 BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

This issue focuses on the effects of regional climate on historic preservation. In some instances theseimpacts are the result of rising sea levels, or the increased frequency of catastrophic storms. But someof these effects are simply the result of localized climate, such as the searing heat in the Las Vegasdesert, or the dry climate of El Paso.

The first article, by Ray Bottenberg, tells the story of how concrete bridges in coastal Oregon aregiven a new life through an innovative electrical technique. Dr. Max Grossman makes the case fordesignating historic barrios in downtown El Paso, where many simple vernacular buildings havesurvived because of the arid climate and stable soils. Rod Scott discusses the anticipated exponentialrise in flood insurance policies for historic buildings due to climate change, and how important it isto begin elevating historic resources in flood plains. In Boulder, Andrea McGimsey describes how theColorado Chautauqua is working to make their National Historic Landmark one of the greenest in thenation, and in Las Vegas, Michelle Larimer reminds us how cool those mid-century modern rock roofsreally are.

Finally, NAPC is also working to “green” our production of The Alliance Review. Beginning with theSummer 2017 issue (two issues from now), we will be asking our members to pay a “green fee” for aprinted copy of the Review. Members will continue to receive the full color version electronically, butfor those who would like the print version, we will begin adding a $30 surcharge to your member-ship. We’re trying to keep this surcharge to a minimum, as it will only cover our printing and mail-ing costs. And we’ll remind you of the charge again before we implement it. In the meantime, enjoythis issue of The Alliance Review and don’t hesitate to let us know if you have suggestions for futurearticles or topics to consider.

Flor de Luna Gallery, 300 W. Overland Ave., 1885-86. This is one of the many historic buildings within the Duranguito neighborhoodthat is slated for demolition. Photo courtesy of Marc Stone, Zephyr Works.

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Cathodic Protection of Historic Bridges in Oregon By Ray Bottenberg, PE, SE

The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) is entrusted with a collection ofhistoric reinforced-concrete arch bridges designed by Oregon’s legendary bridgeengineer Conde B. McCullough. Many of these bridges are exposed to the marineenvironment near the Pacific Ocean. Corrosion-induced spalling of concrete andunderlying corrosion of reinforcing bars led to the loss of the Alsea Bay Bridgeat Waldport in 1991. Following an experimental cathodic protection project withconductive graphite coating anode during the 1980s, ODOT in 1991 launched acathodic protection program using arc-sprayed zinc anodes to prevent the loss ofmore of these important and historic bridges. Several of the bridges were listed onthe National Register of Historic Places in 2005, under the Major Oregon CoastHighway Bridges MPS (multiple property submission).

Ray Bottenberg, PE, SE is the Bridge Preservation Managing Engineer in ODOT’s BridgeEngineering Section. A 1986 mechanical engineering graduate of Oregon State University,Ray worked as an aircraft structures engineer for The Boeing Company from 1986 to 1997

and as project manager/engineer for a commercial/industrial HVAC contractor beforejoining ODOT in 1999. He has authored the photo history books Bridges of the Oregon

Coast, Bridges of Portland, Grand Coulee Dam, and Vanishing Portland and enjoysspending time with his wife Jeanna and their thirteen-year-old son Ian.

The Cape Creek Bridge located north of Florencereceived ODOT’s first arc-sprayed zinc anode. Designedby Conde B. McCullough in 1931, the bridge is styledafter a Roman aqueduct. Photo courtesy of ODOT.

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BACKGROUNDIn 1919 Conde B. McCullough, a civil engineer-ing professor at Oregon Agricultural College, washired by the Oregon State Highway Division asthe State Bridge Engineer. Through the 1920s andmuch of the 1930s, McCullough earned his statusas a bridge engineering legend as he oversawthe design and construction of many bridgesalong the Oregon Coast Highway and throughoutthe state. McCullough was particularly noted forfavoring reinforced concrete spans in his quest forefficient, economical, and aesthetically pleasingbridge designs. A 1936 project funded by thePublic Works Administration completed the lastfive major bridges on the Oregon Coast Highway,replacing the last 5 ferries between Astoria andCalifornia. These five bridges provide the bestexample of McCullough’s bridges as masterpiecesof Art Deco and Streamline Moderne architecturewith classical, Gothic, and Tudor elements, care-fully matched to their stunning natural settings.

Application of zinc anode material by arc-spraying, on the Coos Bay (McCullough Memorial) Bridge.

Over the ensuing decades, the salty, marineenvironment of the Pacific coast slowly but surelyattacked these bridges. The mechanism of thisattack is well known. Chlorides slowly infiltratethe surface of the concrete through diffusion, andwhen the chlorides reach the reinforcing bars theydestroy the steel’s passive oxide layer (supportedby the high pH of the concrete) and enhance theelectrolyte properties of the concrete to facilitateaggressive corrosion of the steel. The resultingcorrosion products occupy 6 to 10 times thevolume of the original material, and this expansioncreates the forces to spall off the concrete coverover the reinforcing bars.

By the mid-1980s, the 3028-foot-long Alsea BayBridge had suffered from enough spalling thatfalling concrete became a hazard for boatersand the bridge required very frequent inspec-tions. Alsea Bay Bridge was deemed “too fargone”, and in 1991 the Oregon Department of

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Transportation (ODOT) replaced the bridge with a$42.5 million post-tensioned concrete bridge witha steel arch main span. During the replacement ofAlsea Bay Bridge ODOT learned how importantMcCullough’s bridges were to their communities,finding considerable public sentiment for preserv-ing the original bridge.

Hoping to keep additional McCullough bridgesfrom becoming “too far gone”, in 1985 ODOTstarted experimenting with cathodic protectiontechnology on a small portion of the Yaquina BayBridge at Newport. This experimental project wassuccessful enough for ODOT to launch a large-scale cathodic protection program in 1991 to

Oregon State Bridge Engineer Conde B. McCullough at work. On the wall behind him is a photograph of the Willamette River Bridgeat Oregon City, built in 1923 as a steel arch and coated with a protective layer of “gunite” (a cementitious material similar to modern“shotcrete”) to protect the steel from paper mill pollution.

The Oregon State Highway Department used a series of artistic renditions by Frank Hutchinson to promote the Oregon Coast Highwaybridges. This image shows the Yaquina Bay Bridge at Newport, which provides a stunning example of McCullough’s talent for matchingthe structure to its surroundings.

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concrete, and a direct current is applied to forcethe flow of ions in the electrolyte (i.e. through theconcrete) to make the reinforcing bars act as acathode.

Work during a typical ODOT cathodic protectionproject begins with erecting access platforms andcontainment systems. These access and contain-ment systems are built to Society for ProtectiveCoatings (SSPC) Guide 6 Class 1A standards,including walls and ceiling, sealed joints, negativeair pressure ventilation system, 100 feet per min-ute cross draft or 80 feet per minute down draftair movement, heating system to maintain tempera-ture between 70 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit andrelative humidity between 20 and 60 percent,and exhaust dust filtration with 99 percent clean-ing efficiency for particles above 39 microinchesand less than two grains of particulate per thou-sand cubic feet of exhaust air.

Since unsound concrete cannot be relied upon forthe flow of ions between the zinc anode and thereinforcing bars, the entire surface is sounded witha 16-ounce hammer to detect delaminated or un-sound areas of concrete. The entire surface is alsosurveyed with rebar locating instruments, and allreinforcing bars and miscellaneous metal such as

Corrosion damage is expensive. This 1991 photograph shows the new $42.5 million Alsea Bay Bridge and the demolition of theoriginal bridge. Demolition cost $778,000, more than the cost of the original bridge 55 years earlier.

prevent future losses of historic bridges.

CORROSION & CATHODIC PROTECTIONA galvanic corrosion cell includes an anode, acathode, an electrolyte, and an electrical con-nection between the cathode and anode. Theanode is a site where electrons are removed fromatoms, forming positively charged ions that enterthe electrolyte. The cathode is a site where thoseions combine with electrons, forming compoundssuch as hydrogen gas and water. Electrons flowin the electrical connection, and ions flow in theelectrolyte, between the anode and cathode. Inreinforced concrete the moisture and salt in theconcrete provides the electrolyte and the reinforc-ing bars provide both anodes and cathodes withelectrical connections.

Cathodic protection directly exploits the fact thatmaterial losses do not occur at the cathode of agalvanic corrosion cell. In galvanic cathodic pro-tection, a more active metal is electrically connect-ed to the reinforcing bars and kept in contact withthe concrete. The more active metal acts as ananode and forces the reinforcing bars to act as acathode. In impressed current cathodic protection,a conductive material is electrically connected tothe reinforcing bars and kept in contact with the

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bar, is welded to a primary reinforcing bar in thezone and coated with epoxy. The area around theterminal is masked before anode installation, toprevent short-circuiting.

While the reinforcement is exposed, a potentialsurvey is completed on 3-foot grids over the entiresurface. The results of this survey are used to selectthe most active or ideal locations for two silver-silver chloride reference cells in each zone. Refer-ence cells are electrochemically stable electrodes(the silver chloride keeps the surface of the silverelectrode at its true electrochemical potential),installed in a “well” cored into the concrete at theselected location. These reference cells are usedduring operation of the cathodic protection systemto verify that the system is protecting the reinforc-ing bars.

All near-surface miscellaneous metal which hasbeen identified is removed to at least 0.5 inchesdeep. Near-surface reinforcing bars are coveredwith a non-conductive epoxy grout to preventshort-circuiting.

An arch rib of the Rogue River (Isaac Lee Patterson Memorial) Bridge after concrete removal. Cathodic protection projects are verylabor intensive since all delaminated and spalled concrete has to be removed, steel reinforcement restored, and all reinforcement madeelectrically continuous.

tie wires located within 0.5 inches of the concretesurface are identified and marked on the concretesurface. The boundaries of the delaminated andunsound areas of concrete are sawcut 0.5 inchesdeep, and the unsound concrete is removed usingpneumatic hammers. The exposed sound concreteand reinforcing bars are then abrasive blasted.

New steel reinforcement is spliced in if exposedsteel reinforcement has section loss exceeding pre-determined limits. Welded splices and lap splicesare allowed. For adequate cathodic protection,all reinforcing bars in each zone must be electri-cally continuous. Resistance is measured betweenreinforcing bars throughout the zone using analternating current based test instrument. Addi-tional concrete often must be removed in discreteexcavations or trenches to expose reinforcing barsfor continuity testing. Wherever the resistancebetween bars exceeds 1.0 ohm, continuity isestablished by welding according to the AmericanWelding Society (AWS) specification D1.4. A ter-minal, consisting of a brass threaded rod, brazedinto a threaded hole in a short piece of reinforcing

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Concrete is patched using an approved non-shrinkportland cement concrete patching material. Thepatching material is dosed with sodium chlorideat a low rate to better match the adjacent existingconcrete and avoid creating corrosion cells at theinterface. The entire surface of the zone is lightlyabrasive blasted to establish a surface profile toanchor the arc-sprayed zinc coating, after curingof the patches.

An electrical connection is established at theanode by anchoring a small brass anode termi-nal plate to the concrete using plastic anchorsand epoxy. The anode terminal plate has a brassthreaded rod or bolt brazed to it. The threads areprotected by tape or a short section of rubberhose until the anode has been installed. The zincanode is installed by arc-spraying to a thicknessof 15 to 20 mils. This zinc coating overlaps theanode terminal plate to establish an electricalconnection.

After anode installation, conduits and wiring areattached to the bridge to connect the anode andthe reinforcing bars to a control cabinet and to

connect the reference cells to the control cabinet.For an impressed current cathodic protectionsystem, the control cabinets contain direct current(DC) power supplies and shunts for several zones,a data logger, and a modem. The DC powersupplies are powered from a metered alternatingcurrent (AC) electric power source. For a galvaniccathodic protection system, the control cabinetscontain shunts and simple electrical connectionsbetween the anode and cathode wiring foreach zone, a data logger, and a modem. Themodem allows the system to be monitored re-motely.

A SELECTION OF CATHODIC PROTECTIONPROJECTSThe experimental cathodic protection systeminstalled on Yaquina Bay Bridge during the 1980sprotected four zones and featured a conductivegraphite-based paint anode. Over time ODOThas experimented with other materials andtechniques. Some of these are listed below:

1991– ODOT began using arc-sprayed zinc withthe cathodic protection system installed on Cape

Rocky Creek (Ben Jones Memorial) Bridge before the beginning of a typical cathodic protection project.

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Creek Bridge. Aside from functioning well as ananode, it was found that the zinc has a naturalgray color that is compatible with concrete.

1996 – a cathodic protection system with 13zones of arc-sprayed zinc and one zone of arc-sprayed titanium was installed on Depoe BayBridge. The titanium anode was an experiment todetermine if the non-consumable anode materialcould be economically applied. The applicationwas difficult enough that no further arc-sprayedtitanium anodes have been installed by ODOT.

1997 – a cathodic protection system with 59zones of arc-sprayed zinc was installed onYaquina Bay Bridge. Also in 1997, a cathodic

Anode terminal plate after arc-spraying of zinc anode. Abrass bolt or threaded rod is brazed to a brass plate beforebeing attached to the concrete substrate with plastic anchorsand epoxy.

YEAR ZONES BRIDGE NAME LOCATION LENGTH(ft.)

ANODE AREA(sq. ft.)

ANODE TYPE GALVANIC ORIMPRESSED CURRENT

1985 4 Yaquina Bay Bridge (north) Newport 3260 6800 Graphite I.C.

1991 25 Cape Creek Bridge North of Florence 649 102,399 Zinc I.C.

1996 14 Depoe Bay Bridge Depoe Bay 297 63,958 Zinc, Titanium I.C.

1997 6 Big Creek Bridge North of Florence 235 20,075 Zinc, Titanium I.C.

1997 59 Yaquina Bay Bridge (south) Newport 3260 283,285 Zinc I.C.

1998 3 Cape Perpetua Half Viaduct South of Yachats 72 1838 Zinc, Al-Zn-In Galvanic

2001 6 Cummins Creek Bridge South of Yachats 185 19,106 Zinc I.C.

2001 10 Rocky Creek (Ben JonesMemorial) Bridge

South of LincolnCity

367 40,149 Zinc I.C.

2005 51 Rogue River (Isaac Lee PattersonMemorial) Bridge

Gold Beach 1938 361,022 Zinc I.C.

2007 4 Tenmile Creek Bridge North of Florence 180 14,769 Zinc I.C.

2010 * Lint Creek (Indian Slough) Bridge Waldport 104 * Zinc Galvanic

2011 37 Coos Bay (McCullough MemorialBridge (south)

North Bend 5305 263,676 Zinc I.C.

2011 * Big Creek Bridge South of Waldport 136 * Zinc Galvanic

2013 4 Pistol River Bridge South of Gold Beach 570 ** Zinc I.C.

2013 3 Hunter Creek Bridge South of Gold Beach 360 16,500 Zinc I.C.

2013 4 Big Creek Bridge North of Florence 235 20,075 Graphite I.C.

2013 2 Fogarty Creek Bridge Depoe Bay 126 12,400 Zinc I.C.

*** 41 Coos Bay (McCullough Memorial)Bridge (north)

North Bend 5305 *** Zinc I.C.

*** 52 Siuslaw River Bridge Florence 1568 *** Zinc I.C.

Table 1 – Oregon Bridges with Cathodic Protection Systems

* Galvanic system using discrete embedded zinc anodes at approximately 20 inch spacing** Subject of litigation*** Currently in construction

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protection system with five zones of arc-sprayedzinc and one zone of embedded titanium meshwas installed on Big Creek Bridge.

1998 – a galvanic cathodic protection systemwith one zone of arc-sprayed zinc, one zone ofarc-sprayed aluminum-zinc-indium, and one zoneof zinc hydro-gel (zinc sheets bonded to thestructure) was installed on the Cape PerpetuaHalf Viaduct.

In 2005, a cathodic protection system with51 zones of arc-sprayed zinc was installed onthe Rogue River (Isaac Lee Patterson Memorial)Bridge.

In 2010, a galvanic cathodic protectionsystem using discrete embedded zinc anodeswas installed on the Lint Creek (Indian Slough)Bridge.

In 2014, the five arc-sprayed zinc zoneswere renewed on the Big Creek Bridge nearFlorence. All five zones now have a conductivegraphite-based paint anode applied after wetabrasive blast removal of a damaged existingzinc anode.

Currently, a cathodic protection system with 4zones is being installed on the north approachesto the Coos Bay (McCullough Memorial) Bridge,and one with 52 zones is being installed on theSiuslaw River Bridge at Florence.

These projects currently cost approximately $85per square foot of anode surface.

CONCLUSIONODOT’s cathodic protection program has clearlydemonstrated the ability to preserve reinforcedconcrete bridges in a marine environment, bothfor historic preservation reasons and for economicreasons. While cathodic protection projects arelabor intensive and costly, they prevent the destruc-tion and much more costly replacement of these

historically and economically important bridges.Looking ahead, the primary challenges facedby ODOT’s cathodic protection program includeanode life and power supply life. In 25 years ofoperation with arc-sprayed zinc anodes, ODOThas found that corrosion products in the concretenear the zinc surface build up and cause anincrease in electrical resistance and a decrease inpH. ODOT has experienced anode failure due tothe heat from a campfire under one of the bridgesand due to operator error (reversed polarity ofimpressed current system), and also experiencedanode failure in several zones on another bridgedue to unregulated power supplies whose overcur-rent caused the zinc anode to be consumed andextensively disbonded in a matter of months. TheDC power supplies are themselves susceptible tofailure in the marine environment, even if locatedwithin fiberglass or stainless steel enclosures.

REFERENCESBottenberg, Ray. “Bridges of the Oregon Coast.” Arcadia Publishing, Charleston, South Carolina,2006.

Cryer, Curtis B., and Johnson, Bruce V. “UsingCathodic Protection to Protect Historic ConcreteBridges,” presented by Bruce Johnson, OregonState Bridge Engineer at Federal Highway Admin-istration Transportation Research Board meeting,Washington D.C., January 13-17, 2008.

http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/BRIDGE/docs/brlog.pdf. Oregon Department ofTransportation. Bridge Log. June 20, 2008, andNovember 15, 2016.

Salem, Oregon. Department of Transportation.Technical Services. Bridge Section. Bridge Draw-ing Files and Bridge Preservation EngineeringFiles.

Keywords: Arc-sprayed zinc anode, bridge,cathodic protection, Conde B. McCullough,corrosion, Oregon, reinforced concrete.

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The City of El Paso, founded on the north bank of the Rio Grande, is home tosome of the most significant and best-preserved historic building stock in the south-western United States. The vicissitudes of its long history are reflected in the variousarchitectural layers that define its densely populated urban core.

By Max Grossman, Ph.D.

Saving Downtown: An ArchitecturalSurvey and National RegisterNomination for El Paso, Texas

Max Grossman is a specialist of medieval and Renaissance architecture and urbanism in Italy and ofthe architecture of the American Southwest. He conducted research in Tuscany for seven years before

completing his Ph.D. dissertation for Columbia University. He is currently Assistant Professor of Art His-tory at The University of Texas at El Paso and Coordinator of its study abroad program in Rome. He alsoserves as Vice-Chair of the El Paso County Historical Commission, which promotes historic preservation

in West Texas and the surrounding region. At the moment he is working on two books: CivicArchitecture and Political Ideology in the Republic of Siena, 1270-1420, and a co-edited volume,

Condottieri and Courtly Culture in Renaissance Latium: The Orsini of Bracciano.

To be sure, human settlement of the region beganseveral millennia ago, long before the constructionof the Pyramids of Egypt. The conquistador Juande Oñate crossed the river at the Paso del Nortein 1598 and began exploration of the northernreaches of the Viceroyalty of New Spain a fullgeneration before William Bradford and theMayflower pilgrims founded Plymouth Colony inMassachusetts. The Spanish subsequently erecteda series of missions along the valley floor: NuestraSeñora de Guadalupe in Paso del Norte (1659),Corpus Christi de San Antonio in Ysleta del Sur(1682), and Nuestra Señora de la Limpia

Concepción de los Piros in Socorro (1691).1 In1818, Ricardo Brusuelas established a ranch inChihuahuita, in the southwest corner of the futurecity,2 and in 1827 Don Juan María Ponce de Leónbuilt his own ranch further to the north, in whatwould become the business district.3 Just over twodecades later, Anglo-American entrepreneurssuch as James Wiley Magoffin and Simeon Hartfounded their commercial operations nearby, andin 1849 the United States government constructedthe “Post Opposite El Paso,” which was the first ofa series of local forts that were designed to defendthe American frontier from attack.4


Saving Downtown: An ArchitecturalSurvey and National RegisterNomination for El Paso, Texas

By the time El Paso was incorporated in 1873,El Paso Street was the main north-south arterythrough the city center, and it connected theremains of Ponce’s ranch with the northern bankof the Rio Grande, just across from the Mexicantown of Paso del Norte (later renamed “CiudadJuárez”). In the oldest surviving photographs, oneobserves that both sides of the street were flankedby simple one-story buildings made of adobe,the only construction material that was abundantlyavailable.5 Other adobe structures, for the mostpart homes and remnants of Ponce’s ranch, werescattered throughout the area between St. LouisStreet (now Mills Avenue) and the future Segundo

Barrio. With the arrival of the Southern PacificRailroad on May 19, 1881, the populationgrew from less than 800 inhabitants to more than10,000 in less than one decade, and the citywas rapidly transformed into a raucous boomtown.6 The trains brought high-quality timber, brick,and other construction materials in large quanti-ties, and multi-story Victorian-style hotels and retailstructures began to line El Paso Street and theother major thoroughfares. In 1903, the brothersHenry and Gustavus Trost founded their celebratedarchitectural firm in downtown and began to erectlarge commercial buildings in and around thebusiness district. After the arrival of a third brother,

Anson Mills Building, 303 N. Oregon St., designed by Henry C. Trost, 1911. This recently restored building was the largest reinforcedconcrete structure in the world when it was completed.

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Adolphus Trost, in 1908, the firm designed thecity’s first reinforced concrete high-rises, beginningwith the Richard Caples Building.7 By 1930,the population surpassed 100,000 and El Pasoassumed the aspect of a bustling, modernmetropolis.

EARLY PRESERVATION EFFORTSMuch like so many other American cities, ElPaso’s downtown went into decline starting inthe 1960s, as people and businesses, thanks inpart to the completion of Interstate 10, moved farfrom the center of town. By the 1980s, many ofthe downtown skyscrapers and office complexes,including the iconic Trost buildings, were partiallyabandoned, and many were demolished to

clear space for revenue-producing parking lots.Fortunately, the arid climate and stability of thesoil prevented mold, termites, differential settle-ment, and other issues that commonly afflicthistoric buildings in other cities. Yet in spite ofthese advantages, blight began to spread throughresidential urban neighborhoods, especially inthe Segundo Barrio, accelerating the pace ofdemolitions.

Thankfully, a small group of citizens recognizedthe importance of preserving the city’s historicarchitecture and, in cooperation with municipaladministrators, succeeded in adding 20 down-town buildings to the National Register of HistoricPlaces in the period between 1975 and 1987.8

Most of these were designed by Trost & Trost andare located within a few blocks of San JacintoPlaza. In 1992, a small local historic district wasestablished in the center of downtown, providingat least minimal protection for the 23 contributingbuildings within its boundaries.9

A series of six additional historic districts, bothlocal and National Register, were created aroundthe periphery of the city’s urban core between1983 and 2016.10 With the exception ofChihuahuita, these districts honor and com-memorate the primarily Anglo-American residentialneighborhoods north of San Antonio Avenue.Unfortunately, nearly all the important historicbuildings in the overwhelmingly Hispanic urbanenclaves to the south of this corridor—SegundoBarrio, Chihuahuita, and Duranguito—were omit-ted from the National Register applications, includ-ing the El Paso Laundry Building (1897), Mansion(1901), Colón Theatre (1919), Sacred HeartChurch (1929), and Firehouse No. 11 (1930).11

This is especially problematic when one considersthe great historical significance of these barrios,which are the oldest continuously inhabitedneighborhoods in El Paso.

Plaza Motor Hotel, 106 W. Mills Ave., designed by HenryC. Trost, 1929-30. This Art Deco masterpiece is the tallest ofTrost’s skyscrapers.

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Even more troubling, the City of El Paso nevercreated historic districts for the Segundo Barrioand Duranguito, where demolition has continuedunabated, and there exists no mechanism forlearning when buildings in these neighborhoodsare threatened with modification or demolition.For example, the Emporium Bar at 423 S. El PasoStreet at the northern edge of the Segundo Bar-rio, where Pancho Villa frequently met with hisassociates during the Mexican Revolution, wasrazed in 2003 and replaced by a parking lot fora Burger King.12 By the time historians got word ofthe demolition, it was too late to stop it. Likewise,a 110-year-old Duranguito home at 336 Leon St.was demolished in 2010 and preservationists didnot discover the loss until 2016.

It is noteworthy that the City did, in fact, undertakean architectural survey of the commercial corridorof the Segundo Barrio in 1980 with the aim ofestablishing a “South El Paso Street Historic Dis-trict,” which would have also included S. OregonStreet and Sacred Heart Church. The project wasexecuted by the “Historic American Buildings

Survey (HABS) of the Heritage Conservation andRecreation Service’s (HCRS) National Architecturaland Engineering Record in cooperation with theCity of El Paso.”13 For reasons unknown to thisauthor, the plan was denied any official consid-eration and shelved, leaving the area vulnerableto redevelopment. Ten years ago the municipalgovernment, in collaboration with the Paso delNorte Group (consisting primarily of affluent localinvestors), attempted to demolish a large area ofthe Segundo Barrio for a new retail district, butthey ultimately failed because of intense neighbor-hood opposition.14

An attempt to provide Duranguito with a historicoverlay was also aborted. In 1998, the Cityconducted a survey of the neighborhood andidentified 17 sites of historical or archeologicalsignificance, including seven that were recom-mended for inclusion in the National Register ofHistoric Places. It went so far as to proposeestablishing there a “Union Plaza HistoricDistrict.”15 By 2006, however, city planners andprivate investors from the same Paso del Norte

View of historic buildings from an empty lot created by a mass demolition in 2014, corner of E, San Antonio Ave. and S. Mesa St.

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Group began formulating a plan to demolish mostof the neighborhood for the construction of a newmulti-purpose entertainment arena.16 In 2012, theCity put to a vote a $180 million bond to build a“performing arts and entertainment complex,” andit passed by a comfortable margin.17 Yet it wasnot until October 13, 2016 that the City finallyannounced the arena location, declaring that mostof the Duranguito neighborhood would be razedand that eminent domain would be used to seizethe private property of anyone unwilling to sell.18

The residents of the neighborhood tenements,many of whom are old and infirm, are to be“relocated” and their homes destroyed. Atpresent, the City is planning to move forwardwith the mass demolition project in the face ofdetermined public opposition.

BUILDING MOMENTUM FOR ANARCHITECTURAL SURVEYGiven the ongoing threats to downtown El Pasoand the adjacent barrios, the El Paso County

Historical Commission, and its ArchitecturalPreservation Committee, undertook to fund andhelp conduct a comprehensive architectural surveyof downtown El Paso, including the SegundoBarrio, Chihuahuita, and Duranguito. Recogniz-ing that most of this area had never been properlysurveyed and that the City had failed to offereven minimal protection for the architectural fabricoutside the established historic districts, theCommission collaborated with the HistoricPreservation Officer and other local professionalsand formulated a plan in 2014. The survey wouldcover almost the entire area between NevadaAvenue and the Rio Grande, and betweenCotton Street and Duranguito—well over onethousand buildings—and it would also include theexisting local historic districts of Downtown andChihuahuita, since the original surveys of thoseareas were fundamentally flawed. The idea wasto capture as much historic building stock as pos-sible and then submit a nomination to the NationalPark Service for creating one or more National

Saint Ignatius Catholic Church, 408 Park St., 1913-14. In the foreground is La Tiendita de Irma, a small family-run store. The twobuildings are located in the Segundo Barrio.

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Second Baptist Church, 401 S. Virginia St., 1903-07. This church has long served the African-American community of the SegundoBarrio.

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Register districts in downtown and the barrios. Thiswould, in turn, make available federal and statetax credits that could potentially pay for up to 45percent of the cost of renovating income-produc-ing properties.19 The ultimate goal would be toimprove the physical aspect of downtown and itsarchitecture so that the city could claim a largershare of the $3.34 billion heritage economy inTexas.20

Members of the El PasoCounty Historical Com-mission donated hundredsof volunteer hours to meetwith local stakeholdersand elected officials. Theyearned letters of supportfrom major preservation-ist groups and agencies,including the Texas Histori-cal Commission, Preserva-tion Texas, and the historicpreservation offices offour major Texas cities.Two institutions generouslyprovided $71,000 offunding toward the surveyand nomination costs.21 Itseemed all but certain thatthe city council, which hadbeen lobbied intenselyby preservationists andother stakeholders, wouldsupport the plan. Yet, theelected representatives, tothe dismay of manyEl Pasoans, rejected thesurvey in a 6-2 vote duringa special session of July20, 2015 and refusedthe prestigious grants ithad won.22

On the day of this humiliating defeat, this authorreached out to the leaders of El Paso County, whoimmediately agreed to take up the architecturalsurvey and National Register nomination which theCity had just rejected. After months of preparatorywork and discussions, on February 8, 2016 theCounty Commissioners Court voted 5-0 to proceedwith the project and fully subsidize the cost.23 The

S. H. Kress Building, 100 Mills Ave., designed by Edward F. Sibbert, 1937.

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1 Byron Browne, “The Missions and Presidios of El Paso,” in Spanish Missions of Texas (Charleston, SC: The History Press, 2017), 65-94.2 Fred Morales, “Chihuahuita: A Neglected Corner of El Paso.” Password 34 (Spring 1991), 23-25; City of El Paso Department of Planning,Research and Development, Chihuahuita Historic District (El Paso, Texas, 1995), 3-8.3 Mark Cioc-Ortega, “First Impressions: Anglo Travelers and the Origins of El Paso, Texas, 1846-1852,” Journal of Texas Archeology and History 2(2015), 61.4 Ibid., 68.5 Gordon Echols, Early Texas Architecture (Fort Worth: Texas Christian University Press, 2000), 167.6 Miguel A. Levario, “The Trans-Pecos—Big Bend Country,” in West Texas: A History of the Giant Side of the State, eds. Paul H. Carlson and BruceA. Glasrud (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2014), 82-83.7 Lloyd C. and June-Marie F. Engelbrecht, Henry C. Trost: Architect of the Southwest (El Paso, Tex.: El Paso Public Library Assoc., 1980), 32, 49-51.8 “National Register of Historic Places, TEXAS – El Paso County,” http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/TX/el+paso/state.html,accessed November 16, 2016. The El Paso U.S. Courthouse and Anson Mills Building were added in 2001 and 2011 respectively.9 Downtown Historic District (map), Department of Planning, Research and Development, City of El Paso, case no. 91-5648, ordinance no. 10877,effective January 21, 1992, revised July 13, 1992.10 Old San Francisco (1983), Sunset Heights (1984), Magoffin (1985), and Chihuahuita (1991) are local districts whose “contributing” buildingsare subject to Historic Landmark Commission review. Old San Francisco, Sunset Heights, and Magoffin were later upgraded to National Registerdistricts (1985, 1988, and 2016 respectively). Rio Grande Avenue (1999) and Montana Avenue (2004) are National Register districts only.11 The Silver Dollar Café at 1021 S. Mesa Street in the Segundo Barrio is the only National Register listing south of San Antonio Avenue. There isnot a single National Register listing in the barrios of Chihuahuita and Duranguito.12 Friedrich Katz, The Life & Times of Pancho Villa (Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 1998), 205.13 “South El Paso Street Project – Project Title Sheet,” National Architectural and Engineering Record, Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service,United States Department of the Interior, survey no. TX-3307, summer 1980.14 Julia Humbert, “Q&A with Jerry Rosenbaum,” El Paso Inc., October 9, 2006.15 John A. Peterson, Stephen Mbutu, and Mark D. Willis, eds., The Union Plaza Downtown El Paso Development Archaeological Project: Overview,Inventory and Recommendations, a report for the Sun Metro Transit Authority, City of El Paso, Texas, December 9, 1998. Fig. 5:52 is a map of the“Proposed Union Plaza Historic District.”16 Map for the City of El Paso drafted by SMWM, “Downtown El Paso, SCHEME A – East West Retail Streets,” February 6, 2006. The document islabeled “DRAFT – Not for Distribution.” See also Vic Kolenc, “Arena Plan Draws Support, Fire,” Business Section, El Paso Times, 1, June 29, 2006.17 “General Election – November 6, 2012, City of El Paso Sample Ballot,” https://el-paso-county-elections.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/files/000/000/622/original/SAMPLE_BALLOT_ELPASO.pdf?1450312156, accessed November 16, 2016. It is worth noting that on theordinance the structure was referred to as a “downtown arena” but the word “downtown” was omitted from the ballot.18 The City Council voted themselves eminent domain powers only five days after the announcement. El Paso City Council Minutes, October 18,2016, item 31.1, http://agenda.elpasotexas.gov/sirepub/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid=401&doctype=MINUTES, accessed November 16, 2016.The measure was voted into law by reps. Jim Tolbert, Emma Acosta, Carl Robinson, Michiel Noe, Claudia Ordaz, Cortney Niland, and Lily LimÒn.Elida S. Perez, “Council Oks Site for $180 Million Downtown Arena,” El Paso Times, October 18, 2016. Rep. Peter Svarzbein was absentbut he indicated that he supports the measure. David Crowder, “El Paso’s ‘astonishing’ transformation,” El Paso Inc., October 24, 2016, http://www.elpasoinc.com/news/local_news/article_221b14fc-99fd-11e6-a380-a3dec4fa9274.html, accessed November 16, 2016.19 “Texas Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program,” Texas Historical Commission, http://www.thc.texas.gov/preserve/projects-and-programs/preservation-tax-incentives/texas-historic-preservation-tax-credit, accessed November 16, 2006.20 Economic Impact of Historic Preservation in Texas, executive summary, University of Texas at Austin and Rutgers (2015), 10. The figure citedabove is from 2013.21 $56,000 was awarded by the Texas Historical Commission and another $15,000 from the Summerlee Foundation.22 Juliana Henao and Robert Carrillo, “Rechazan fondos para inventario de edificios históricos,” El Diario de El Paso, July 20, 2015,http://diario.mx/El_Paso/2015-07-20_5f1428ff/rechazan-fondos-para-inventario-de-edificios-historicos/, accessed November 16, 2016.23 Robert Gray, “County funds controversial historic survey. Downtown investors eye historic tax credits,” El Paso Inc., February 15, 2016,http://www.elpasoinc.com/news/local_news/article_3a4c590c-d40d-11e5-abb2-6b6daeec0223.html, accessed November 16, 2016.

survey will begin in early 2017 and be complet-ed 12 to 18 months later. By the end of 2018,it is expected that the new downtown NationalRegister district(s) will be established and thatfederal and state tax credits will become availablefor restoring hundreds of old buildings. The Countyhas announced that the survey will begin inDuranguito, which, as stated above, has been

slated for demolition by the City of El Paso. Giv-en that the wave of historic preservation projectscurrently sweeping across downtown has beendriven in large part by tax credits, one hopes thatthe County plan will result in a veritable explosionof renovations, including within the three barrios,whose historic architecture has been ignored bythe City for far too long.


Flood Hazard Mitigation for HistoricBuildingsBy Roderick Scott

Historic preservation faces challenges as we continue into a historic era of climatechange. Preservation as a movement has not yet determined that this is a his-toric era, but that realization is probably not far off. This article focuses on floodrisk hazard mitigation and flood insurance policy changes for historic buildings aswell as adaptations recognized for reducing flood risk and flood insurancepolicy rates.

Rod Scott has served as preservation commissioner, Trustee of the State Historical Society ofIowa, on the board of Preservation Iowa and as a founding board member of the National

Barn Alliance. Roderick is a certified flood plain manager who specializes in historic buildingflood mitigation projects using his 25 years of construction and contracting experienceHe is

currently completing a “How to Elevate Your Home” video series for Louisiana State University(LSU). This article is based on his presentation at FORUM 2016 in Mobile.

FLOOD MAPS AND HISTORIC BUILDINGSIn the US, our earliest European settlementpatterns (and subsequent development) werealong rivers and coastlines; the result is manyhistoric buildings remain in these locations,and consequently in flood-prone areas. Historic

Historic preservation commissions and staff havea unique interface with property owners, helpingguide and educate them about best treatments forchanges proposed to their buildings. In preserva-tion, we realize the many values of theseirreplaceable historic resources, but we mustalso realize that real estate is an investment andowners of historic buildings need to protect andrecover their investments when selling the property,while at the same time preserving them for futuregenerations. Those in preservation are advised tolearn as much as they can about issues related toclimate change and flood mitigation or adapta-tion. The most expensive disaster type in the US is

flooding, and the National Flood InsuranceProgram (NFIP) is over $20 billion in debt.Many people feel the deficit in the program isrelated to older buildings with a higher flood riskthat are not built to a flood resilient elevation.The government has decided those buildingswith subsidized flood policies are going to haveto pay rates that reflect the real risk of flooding.


buildings are more at risk from flooding becausethey were built before we had flood mapping,local flood ordinances, civil engineering designstandards and building codes intended to reduceflood risk. Current FEMA flood maps provide aminimum elevation requirement for all areas andthese are used to set flood insurance policy rates.The “FEMA Elevation Certificate” documents theelevation of the occupied floors and surroundingground elevations of the building. Many of ourhistoric buildings do not have a current elevationcertificate, and the author encourages owners ofhistoric buildings to get an elevation certificate asit can often help reduce flood insurance rates. In

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Historic home in Mandeville, Louisiana after elevation.

Historic home in Mandeville, Louisiana prior to elevation.

several communities, real estate agents are nowrequiring a current elevation certificate if the build-ing is in the flood plain in order for the agent totake the listing. The NationalFlood Insurance Program (NFIP) was formed inthe late 1960’s with the first Flood Insurance RateMaps (FIRM) adopted in the early 1970’s on-ward. The NFIP is backed by the federal govern-ment and sold by local insurance agents. In orderfor flood insurance to be sold in a community, thatcommunity must pass a “Flood Ordinance”. Theflood ordinance must meet minimum FEMA/NFIPrequirements. If there is a mortgage on a propertyin the flood plain, there is a mandatory floodpolicy coverage requirement.

Most historic buildings in your community werebuilt prior to the development of Flood InsuranceRate Maps (and consequently dubbed pre-FIRMbuildings). How many of these buildings are actu-ally in the flood plain? The NFIP has just over 1million of these pre-FIRM buildings in the program.


Since there is rarely more than 30% of a com-munity’s buildings in the flood plain covered, thatnumber should probably be tripled, with a result-ing estimate of 3 million pre-FIRM buildings nation-wide. Your local planning department should begathering data on how many structures are beingimpacted, their assessed values and the revenuescoming from those buildings. This data can beintegrated into a GIS layer with the assessor’sparcel data, providing an accurate overview of

the potential impacts fromflood insurance changesand future events. Theseevents include not onlythe issues of sea level risebut additional flood risksfrom increasing rainfallpredictions. Once themapping is completed,an honest evaluation ofthe financial impacts toproperty owners andtax revenue streams tolocal agencies can beestimated. Subsequently,treatments for floodhazard mitigation canbe evaluated and esti-mated for each buildingor groups of buildings. Agood, but under-utilizedprogram to assist thecommunity with mitigatingfor the flooding of his-

toric buildings is the US Army Corps of Engineers(USACE) “Silver Jackets Program”. This programorganizes multiple agencies, for evaluating,planning, financing and executing flood hazardmitigation projects for your pre-FIRM buildings.To initiate a Silver Jackets project, your commu-nity elected leaders should contact your regionalUSACE office.

HOW MANY PRE-FIRM BUILDINGS AREHISTORIC?Many historic buildings are not at the minimumflood map elevation, which leaves them open forflood insurance rate increases. Most buildingsconstructed between World War II and 1967 (thecurrent year for historic eligibility) have not beenevaluated for historic designation. For more than40 years these buildings have benefitted from adiscounted subsidized flood policy rate that wasartificially low compared to the actual cost ofthe risk should they be flooded. But those floodpolicy rates are changing. The NFIP is $20billion in debt and Congress has now implement-

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Fort Madison Santa Fe Station and associated buildings during elevation.

Fort Madison Santa Fe Station after elevating the building five feet.

Fort Madison Santa Fe Station during elevation.


ed changes to the NFIP that will increase policyrates for our historic buildings to reflect actuarialrates. In plain terms, the flood insurance policyrate changes will result in much higher flood policyrates for historic buildings in the flood plain. Theeastern seaboard, gulf coast, and many riverinecommunities are prone to more frequent flood-ing, as are many densely populated urban areas.With the development of new flood maps, chang-es in the real estate markets will begin to impacthistoric resources. Preservationists understand thathistoric buildings succeed when a combination ofacquisition and maintenance costs are balancedwith income and sustainable efficiencies. Theseolder historic buildings are now going to paymuch higher actuarial-based premiums for floodinsurance. The rise in premiums for these pre-FIRMbuildings is going to encourage many propertyowners to mitigate their buildings against flood-ing. This will begin to drive a substantial increasein flood hazard mitigation projects. Nationwide,preservation commissions and staff will see anincrease in reviews of projects proposing to flood

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260 Main Street in Owego, New York, prior to elevation.

260 Main Street in Owego, New York, after elevation.

hazard mitigate their buildings. The traditional “ex-emption” provided in the past for historic buildingsin terms of having to meet minimum flood mapelevation requirements will be a disadvantage forproperty owners. This “exemption” has been usedfor many years, with the rationale that mitigationchanges could endanger the historic designationof the building. But what criteria is used for ahistoric building that is elevated to the minimumelevation requirement? And does the historicbuilding lose its historic designation? The bottomline is there is no criteria or National Park Servicebrief to evaluate the impact of a flood mitigationelevation project on the designation of a historicbuilding. Now that subsidized flood policy rates


are being removed, building owners who choosenot to elevate or dry flood proof will see largeincreases in flood policy rates and a lowering ofproperty values for those that don’t mitigate. Localpreservation commissions need to start developingtheir own criteria for evaluating these mitigationimpacts to historic districts.

MITIGATION PLANSIdentifying which historic buildings are in thefloodplain is a valuable tool for flood hazardmitigation planning and the first step in preservingthese resources. Many communities are startingto overlay their historic designated buildings ontothe FEMA flood maps. Now your community canidentify these properties and educate propertyowners about flood hazard mitigation. Addition-ally, elected officials can benefit from understand-ing the significance of these properties and the

impacts to the community if they are not mitigated.In order for a community to receive FEMA disasterrecovery funding, it needs to have an approvedmulti-hazard mitigation plan. Many historiccommunities are now integrating historic resourcesinto their multi-hazard mitigation plans. Tradition-ally flood mitigation of historic resources/buildingshad not been identified in these plans, butseveral states are now utilizing the FEMA P386-6manual, Integrating Historic Property and CulturalResource Considerations into Hazard MitigationPlanning.

The actual mitigation of flood hazards for historicproperties is the next step. All pre-FIRM buildingsshould be architecturally or historically surveyedas well as traditionally land surveyed in order toestablish elevation certificates. Several coastal/riverine states that received FEMA mitigation fund-

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Concrete block home with a slab on grade wood frame addition, during elevation.

Concrete block home with a slab on grade wood frame addition,prior to elevation.


ing after Hurricane Sandy are currently undertak-ing this type of project. From this information,preservationists, communities and building ownerswill be able to develop mitigation projects forinclusion in local hazard mitigation plans and canstart to look at group or individual flood mitigationprojects.

Historic preservation, as a movement, has beenslow in understanding and responding to floodhazard mitigation. Flood mitigation projects likeelevation and dry flood proofing can adverselyimpact historic buildings, especially if donewithout regard to original materials, relationship toneighboring building or street, or utilizing compati-ble building materials. Depending on the minimumelevation requirements of the flood maps this canbe an obvious change in the visual relationship ofthe buildings in the district. But we must start some-where if the buildings are to be preserved. Onceone or two properties are elevated, others willfollow and ultimately most or all will get elevated.As flood policy rates increase, more and moreproperty owners will undertake these projects. Butworking with owners and design professionalsto get appropriate results is a key component. InLouisiana, there were 5 hurricanes in the 10 yearsfrom 2005-2016. As a result there have been ap-proximately 35,000 elevation projects completed.In 2016 the Louisiana SHPO published “ElevationDesign Guidelines” for use throughout the state.It provides significant information to help designprofessionals and local preservation commissionsmake appropriate decisions on the subject.Mississippi also published a similar document afterHurricane Katrina. Unfortunately, neither of thesepublications deal with historic resources between1945 and 1967, which are often the largest num-ber of pre-FIRM buildings in many flood zones.

ELEVATING STRUCTURESElevation is the only mitigation project recognizedthat reduces flood insurance policy rates for resi-dential buildings. Owners of commercial buildingsor nonprofit owned buildings can either elevateor dry flood proof to get the lowest rates. The firstthing needed is a FEMA Elevation Certificate for

the building. This document is not only part ofsetting policy rates but also provides importantoccupied floor and ground elevations along withminimum flood map elevation and flood zone rat-ing. Flood mitigation project designs must complywith NFIP requirements, building codes and theAmerican Society of Civil Engineers ASCE-24“Flood Resistant Construction Guidelines”. Withthis information, the design professional can getstarted on the construction plans. At this point theplans will undergo the required historic review fora certificate of appropriateness (COA) and any re-quired changes can then be made to the designs.Be sure to use a qualified elevation contractor,in part because specialized insurance known as“care and custody” or “riggers/cargo insurance”is required. Once the building is moved off theoriginal foundation this is the only insurance thatwill cover the building and its contents until low-ered back onto the new foundation.

Flood mitigation project financing can come fromdifferent sources. Most financial institutions donot yet fully appreciate the risk associated withincreasing rates. Imagine how many mortgages,renovation and commercial loans there are inthose 3 million pre-FIRM buildings in our floodplains. The author feels financial institutions willbecome more engaged in funding flood mitiga-tion projects in order to secure the resale valueof buildings as well as existing loans. The dra-matic reduction in rates after a building is floodmitigated will also help in paying off the cost ofthe project. There is a limited amount of FEMArepetitive flooding grant funding and these grantsare very competitive. They also take some timefrom application to project completion. The mostpowerful form of financing is cash, as it is the leastcomplex and usually can result in the best pricingdue to promptness of the payments. The new-est funding source for these projects is the FHA203K program. The Federal Housing Administra-tion (FHA) has for years offered this program forrenovation of properties that are being purchasedbut need some additional work. The programfunds the construction work and then converts intoa traditional mortgage. After Hurricane Sandy


flooded 600,000 buildings on the east coast theprogram was modified to allow foundation work,thereby enabling its use for flood hazard mitiga-tion projects. State and federal historic rehab taxcredit programs are also starting to be utilizedfor these projects. Louisiana and New York havereally embraced the use of the state income taxcredits for elevation or flood proofing projects andmore states are expected to follow suit within afew years.

CONCLUSIONHistoric buildings are often located in flood plainsand are more vulnerable to flooding and rapidincreases in flood insurance policy rates. Theserate increases will eventually start to negativelyimpact real estate values. Flood hazard mitigatedhistoric buildings are far less at risk from flooding,have much lower flood insurance policy rates,have stabilized or increased resale value and aremuch more resilient to the increased frequency ofcatastrophic storms and rising seas. Now is the

time to develop flood mitigation guidelines andprojects for your community in order to createmore resilient historic districts and protect ourirreplaceable historic buildings.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:Find your local flood plain at FEMA Flood MapService Center: https://msc.fema.gov/portal.

US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) “SilverJackets Program”: http://silverjackets.nfrmp.us/

FEMA Manual 386-6: https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/4317

Elevation Design Guidelines (Louisiana):http://www.crt.state.la.us/Assets/OCD/hp/uniquely-louisiana-education/Disaster-Recovery/Final%20Elevation%20Design%20Booklet%2012-07-15%20v2.pdf

Elevating Historic Properties (Mississippi): http://www.msdisasterrecovery.com/documents/historic_properties-hpc.pdf

· Tacoma, WA, March 7· Franklin, LA, March 18· Natchitoches, March 24· Monticello, FL. March 31· Gainesville, FL, April 7· Tampa, FL, April 25· Coral Gables, FL, April 27· Carson City, NV, April 28-29· Pittsburg, PA, April 30


Greening a National Historic Landmark

Boulder, Colorado is a charming historic city at the foot of the Rocky Mountains nearDenver, with a population of 100,000 residents. Founded in 1871 it served as asupply center for the burgeoning mountain mining communities of the 19th century.Its forward thinking leaders fought to land the University of Colorado in 1876, whichplaced it on the map as one of the most influential and innovative communities in theAmerican West. In 1898, Boulder won out over other Colorado cities to found theTexas-Colorado Chautauqua.

By Andrea McGimsey

Andrea McGimsey is the Executive Director of the ColoradoChautauqua in Boulder, Colorado. She is a graduate of

Massachusetts Institute of Technology and New York University.

Now

Chautauqua Auditorium and Boulder’s iconic Flatirons.Photo courtesy of Colorado Chautauqua Association.


Now known as the Colorado Chautauqua, thisNational Historic Landmark is a living reminder ofthe little-known but fascinat-ing Chautauqua movement,through which culture,education, and the artsspread around the nationin the 19th and early 20thcenturies. You can think ofthe Chautauqua circuit asthe Internet of its time. It ishow current thinking on hottopics such as the women’ssuffrage movement and cultural offerings wereshared across the vast reaches of our young andsparsely populated country.

Nestled at the foot of the Flatirons, iconic rockformations near Boulder, Chautauqua has beena private-public partnership between a nonprofit,currently known as the Colorado ChautauquaAssociation (CCA), and the City of Boulder sinceits inception in 1898. The city owns the land andbuilt several of the most significant historic struc-tures. The auditorium (b.1898) in its 120th season

of performances, was built in less than two monthsand was the center point of the opening day of the

Colorado Chautauqua inJuly of 1898.

Academic Hall (b.1900)was the center of educa-tion at the young Chau-tauqua, and now housesthe administrative andlodging offices of CCA.Its simple but gracefullobby and one of the

historic classrooms welcome guests who stay in thecharming historic cottages available for overnightstays. CCA owns two lodges and 60 cottages; theoldest (b.1882) — the original ranch house withfoot-wide walls — houses the association’s archiveschronicling the fascinating history of this nationaltreasure. First built to replace the tents of the originalsummertime “Grand Assembly”, the cottages lackedinsulation and heating. Over the past few decades,CCA and many of the private owners have winter-ized the cottages, allowing for year-round use.

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Chautauqua Auditorium today.


SETTING GREEN GOALSColorado Chautauqua Association gained astrong reputation in sustainability circles for itsstudy of three cottages which are of similar designand aligned in the same direction. This uniformityallowed Jeff Medanich, CCA’s longtime facilitiesand preservation lead, to test energy efficiencyinitiatives and measure the impact on energy usereduction. In 2008, CCA’s board of directors setthe lofty goal of becoming the greenest NationalHistoric Landmark in the country. CCA staff havefully embraced this direction and recently hireda full time sustainabilitycoordinator to green itsoperations in many ways,from aspiring to achievethe City of Boulder’s goalof zero waste to carefullymonitoring and purchas-ing of its large inventoryof furniture, bedding, andcleaning products.

In spite of its relatively small population, 21st century

Boulder has an international reputation for its ef-forts in resilience, sustainability, climate science,and clean energy. Accordingly, the city was in-vited to join an international alliance of large citiesaround the world known as the Carbon NeutralCities Alliance (CNCA). Other alliance cities withpopulations in the multi-millions include: London,Sydney, Copenhagen, Yokohama, San Franciscoand New York City. Boulder teamed with Seattleand Minneapolis to obtain a grant to showcaseclean energy transition projects in various neigh-borhood types. When the city approached CCA

in 2015 about takingpart in an internationaleffort to reduce carbonemissions, CCA enthusi-astically stepped up to thechallenge. Boulder chosethe historic Chautauquaneighborhood as a pilot formodeling how we can re-duce carbon emissions by

80% at a neighborhood scale. The resulting plancalls for a phased approach to reducing carbon

Chautauqua Auditorium today.


emissions, beginning with electrical use and thenmoving on to natural gas and transportation.

The CCA staff and boardworked with a consultantto identify the bottom-lineelectrical needs of Chau-tauqua, to determine whatwas needed to completeour energy efficiency efforts,and to figure out how theremaining energy could beproduced through cleanrenewable energy sources,specifically solar. Boulder lies in the Front RangeUrban Corridor, which consistently ranks high inthe amount of sunshine it receives each year, sosolar power is a perfect option for the region. Thecity and CCA began to explore the possibility ofplacing a solar array on a water reservoir with thepicturesque name of Enchanted Mesa Reservoir,lying on city owned land just above Chautauqua.Tests were done on the load-bearing ability ofthe concrete cover, and the city found that it

could hold enough solar panels to power all ofChautauqua’s needs.

However, there was aregulatory hurdle. Privatelyowned solar arrays areallowed to only powera single use, if not sim-ply connected to thepower grid – a ColoradoPublic Utilities Commis-sion regulation. In otherwords, power generatedby a private solar array

may not be “wheeled,” or distributed to multiplebuildings/users. The good news is that a full halfof Chautauqua’s electricity demand comes fromthe historic Dining Hall (b.1898), which welcomesalmost 200,000 visitors per year. Provided CCAcan make it through the permitting process andraise the needed funds, a full half of Chautauqua’selectrical needs can be transitioned to clean solarpower.

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Academic Hall today, one of the candidates for a solar panel installation.


But the question remains, how can 80% reductionin carbon emissions be achieved with only half ofthe power covered by the Enchanted Mesa solargarden? The historic preservation community hasbeen grappling with the notion of solar panels onhistoric buildings and in historic districts for years.Europe has led the way; for example, the Vaticanis the first country, albeit a small country, to be100% solar powered. In the United States, theSecretary of Interior’s Guidelines for RehabilitatingHistoric Buildings suggest that the solar panelsbe out of sight from the ground and that theinstallation not impact the historic character ofthe property.

An option identified by the CNCA consultantis to distribute solar panels around the historiclandmark; indeed, Boulder’s Landmarks Boardhad already approved the use of solar panels inhistoric districts a few years ago. CCA’s next stepis to fully explore the challenge of installing solarpanels in the National Historic Landmark in a waythat honors the Secretary of Interior’s Standardsand the beautiful aesthetics of the site. So how tostart the conversation?

First, CCA staff worked with local preservationarchitects and board members to identify the bestpotential sites for delivering the most power towhere we needed it. The proposed sites are the15-apartment Columbine Lodge (b.1919), theAcademic Hall, and the Picnic Shelter (c.1922).The solar panels would be proposed on the backside roofs which happily face south on the first twobuildings. The consultant found that the roof of theAuditorium is not strong enough to bear the solarpanels; the nearby Picnic Shelter is likely the bestoption for a small solar array to power the needsof the Auditorium. These possibilities will be fullyvetted through History Colorado, which holds acovenant on the Academic Hall and the PicnicShelter, and the community’s strong landmarkpermitting process which is overseen by Boul-der’s Landmarks Board. In addition to this public

process, CCA staff and board will reach out tothe many stakeholders of Chautauqua, the manypeople whose love and care have preserved thisnational treasure at a high level of integrity.

WHY CONSIDER SOLAR PANELS AT ANATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK?An argument could be made that there are plentyof modern buildings and sites where solar mightbe more appropriate, but CCA believes that it isimportant to fully consider and move forward withclean energy throughout the community, includ-ing historic sites. Increasing sea level rise, moreintense rain and snow storms, high winds, floods,and wildfires are damaging buildings, commu-nities and lives around the world. Chautauquarecently faced the threat of a raging wildfire just amountain ridge away, was severely threatened bythe 2013 floods which devastated many historicproperties in Boulder and other nearby communi-ties. Climate change is not a theoretical issuehere; the impacts are real and are seen on the his-toric landscape, in the loss of electric power withsignificant impacts on CCA’s business, and withthe need to air condition its cottages - leading toincreased financial and environmental costs.

Chautauqua is a beloved park for the Bouldercommunity and is visited by over half a millionpeople annually from around the world. As a lead-ing institution in the city, we believe that we shouldlead by example and model sustainability for ourvisitors and the community. CCA’s forward-thinking board of directors has set the goal to bethe greenest National Historic Landmark inAmerica. The staff and board look forward to arigorous and informative consideration of solar atChautauqua and to sharing the experience withthe nation. It is hoped the progress at Chautauquawill be of interest to anyone who is concernedabout historic preservation and clean energy.

Learn more and follow Chautauqua’s progress atwww.chautauqua.com/sustainability.


In the hot, arid climate of Las Vegas, we desert dwellers are constantly looking forways to cool off. Luckily, as humans we have plenty of options. Between diving intoa friend’s pool or martini hopping our way through air conditioned spaces, stayingcool is as much a part of our culture here as are neon lights, feather headdresses andcasino gaming.

Kool Rock Roofs Before RoofsWere CoolBy Michelle Larime

Michelle Larime is the director of education and advocacy at theNevada Preservation Foundation in Las Vegas, Nevada. Living in an

old ranch house of her own, Michelle can attest to the sustainablebenefits of living in a mid-century house

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Tropi-cool roof at residence of John Delikanakis and German del Gado, Las Vegas, Nevada.

P a g e 3 2 T h e A l l i a n c e R e v i e w | W i n t e r 2 0 1 7 | N a t i o n a l A l l i a n c e o f P r e s e r v a t i o n C o m m i s s i o n sP a g e 3 2

Kool Rock Roofs Before RoofsWere Cool

Our old buildings however don’t have the samemobile luxuries as we do. Instead, we count onthem to provide us with a cool and comfortablespace. But a lot more goes into keeping our inte-riors cool and comfortable than we might realize.Buildings are not always inherently cool spaces.And with the rising costs of energy consump-tion and climate change, effective and efficientcooling solutions are one of our primary needs.Because of this, recent sustainable technologyhas had a heavy focus on cool roofs and rooftop efficiency. The basic idea is the less sun thatis absorbed by the roof, the cooler the roof topand attic space will be. Luckily for us, a lot of ourolder, modern desert houses were built with similarcool roof strategies in mind. Before the sustainableconcept of cool roofs came on the scene, mid-century architects had some pretty “kool” roofs oftheir own. Let’s take a look at some of this earlyroof construction, before cool roofs were a thing.

Mid-century residential architecture has paidparticular attention to climate sensitive design and

strategies. Here in Las Vegas, this is easily seen inour old contemporary ranch and Desert Modernbuildings. Built in the fifties and sixties, mid-centuryhouses were ahead of their time in understandingdesign strategies for sustainable living. One majorfeature that contributed to a cooler standard ofliving was the roof itself. Mid-century roofs camein many shapes and forms, including flat, gable,butterfly and the folded plate roof, but the purposeof these roofs was always the same. Protect andshade the inside of the house from the outsideelements. And while that may seem like an obvi-ous statement, the way in which roofs and detailswere used between the 1940s and 1960s signifi-cantly contributed to the overall energy efficiencyof the home in ways they hadn’t previously.

One common detail of mid-century roofs is theextended roof overhang. This detail is attributed tothe Prairie Style, an architectural style popularizedby Frank Lloyd Wright early in the 20th century.The Prairie Style is best characterized by itsdominant use of horizontal lines, which had heavyinfluence over the modern mid-century architectureas well. This translated to long and low roofs withextended overhangs. But this was more than just adesign detail. The wide overhang also providedpassive heating and cooling for the building aswell. The wide eaves were designed in such away that they shaded the window from the hot sunin the summer months, yet allowed direct sunlightinto the home during the winter months. This helpskeep the interior of the home cool during thesummer and warm during the winter, reducing theenergy demand for extra heating and cooling.

In addition to the wide eaves, flat and low-slopingmid-century roofs also commonly used roof appli-cations known as tar and gravel and “Tropi-cool”roofs. As the name implies, both systems usegravel and rocks to cover the top of the roof, andboth work in multiple ways to keep the roof top

Tropi-cool roof detail at Delikanakis/del Gado residence.

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cool in the hot desert climate. The rocks are oftenlight in color and help to reflect the sun off of theroof’s surface, much like a light cotton tee helpskeep us cool in the summer. In addition, the rocksadd additional insulation to the roof top, and helpto protect the built up roof system below from sundamage as well.

Logistically speaking, the tar and gravel roof andthe Tropi-cool roof are very similar, and use apretty simple system. Both roofs consist of a basesheet that is nailed into place over the plywood.The base sheet is then covered with layers of feltthat are hot-mopped together with asphalt. Thefinal layer is the rock, and the type of rock useddistinguishes what type of roof it is. The tar andgravel roof uses a much smaller, light weight rocksimilar to gravel. Because of its lightweight nature,the final layer of rock is quite nice aestheticallyspeaking, as the small gravel provides an evenand uniform texture.

Tropi-cool roofs, on the other hand, use muchlarger pieces of rock. Sometimes, the rocks canbe up to 4 inches in diameter. The large mate-rial gives the roof a much rougher finish, and iseasily identifiable as a rock roof. Depending onyour personal preference, both roofs were quitemodern for their time and the cooling efficiency ofthe system holds up today as well. Tropi-cool® iscurrently a trade name for a white silicon roofingproduct made by Henry Company, but it was alsoa term used by architects in the 1950s and 60s todescribe this type of roofing.

Unfortunately, it can sometimes be hard to findroofing professionals who are knowledgeablein working with these roofing systems. If it isn’t inthe cards to have these early roofs repaired orinstalled, some current options exist with the sameprinciples in mind. A newer variation on the tarand gravel roof is the mineral cap, which insteadof gravel uses a light colored material with rocks

Tar and gravel roof at residence of Wendy Kveck and Michael Shetler, Las Vegas.

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embedded in it. It’s often used in commercial ap-plications, but can be used for residential homesas well. It has many of the same benefits of the tarand gravel roof with a similar look aesthetically,but is much easier to clean and maintain.

Other cool roof options for your modern dayhouse include: the sprayed polyurethane foamsystem, single-ply systems, and modified bitumensystems. If maintaining absolute historic integrity ofyour building is a top priority, then these systemsprobably aren’t your cup of tea. However, theydo provide significant cooling efficiencies for aroof top system, and overall provide the samecharacter and aesthetic of the tar and gravel andTropi-cool roof systems. For a full explanation ofthese types of roofs, take a look at this article byEichler Network (http://www.eichlernetwork.com/article/roofing-survival-guide). They havedone the initial groundwork in comparing all ofthese roof systems, and are a great resource for

deciding what type of roof might be best for yourmid-century home.

And while these early kool roofs are great, it’simportant to note that construction during the mid-century didn’t always follow today’s standards.Many buildings from the mid-century period werebuilt without roof and attic insulation, and withoutproper attic ventilation. Even if you have an ef-ficient roof system, you may be missing these otherkey elements in ensuring your roof is as efficient aspossible. Make sure to check for these additionalelements before dismissing your roof system asinefficient. And as always, talk to a professionalabout your options. If you are having trouble find-ing a solution that fits your preservation needs,reach out to your local preservation and/or oldhouse groups for advice. Chances are they haveexperienced similar problems that might have oc-curred in your region before.

Tar and gravel roof detail at Kveck/Shetler residence.

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CALIFORNIAAs the recognizable and much-memorialized singer for

The Doors, Jim Morrison is one the most iconic figures

in Los Angeles’s music history. His West Hollywood

apartment building where he lived from 1969 to

1971 is up for landmark status for its association

with a person of historic significance. In October, the

West Hollywood Historic Preservation Commission

unanimously recommended that the City Council

approve the property’s application for designation.

Currently, the building’s owner has withdrawn her

application after the commission sent a memo to the

council now recommending it deny the nomination.

The commission discovered that the owner had been

dismantling parts of the home and selling them for a

profit online to ardent Jim Morrison fans. The commission

determined that the owner has stripped the building of

many of its character-defining features, including the

tiles of the Spanish Colonial Revival home. This highlights

the unique challenges of preserving sites associated

with popular cultural icons.

http://la.curbed.com/2016/12/5/13848162/jim-

morrison-home-apartment-west-hollywood-craigslist

FLORIDA

Property owners and business advocates used sea-level

rise as an argument against designating Miami’s North

Beach neighborhoods during a contentious special

Miami Beach City Commission meeting in December.

Preservationists and local homeowners who attended

the meeting want the city to officially designate North

Beach as a historic district, thereby requiring any

demolitions or alterations to structures built between the

1930s and 1960s be reviewed. Many of these areas

are already listed on the National Register of Historic

Places and noted for their “Miami Modern” designs.

Residents fear that non-resident owners want to replace

older low-rise buildings with larger structures in the

area. Apartment building owners and professionals

affiliated with the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce

argued that the historic preservation board doesn’t

consistently factor in the prospect of sea-level rise in

the next 15 years or the high insurance rates that come

with it. Some claim that insurance carriers are already

gearing up to raise flood insurance rates dramatically.

In the future, it will be nearly impossible to obtain

a mortgage to purchase a historically designated

building that tends to flood 100 days of the year.

Preservationists are concerned that as soon as there

is a lift on demolition restrictions, there will be a rush

of demolition permits in North Beach. Some claim that

climate change is actually being used as a red herring

to cover up the real issue of historic preservation in this

case.

http://therealdeal.com/miami/2016/12/06/sea-level-

rise-at-center-of-heated-debate-over-future-of-north-

beachs-historic-designation/

MASSACHUSETTSBoston resoundingly voted yes to approve the

Community Preservation Act, in which they will join 161

other cities and towns in Massachusetts in support of

historic preservation. The CPA allows for investments

in affordable housing, protects open space, and

funds historic preservation projects across the state. In

Boston, 74 percent of voters approved the new one

percent real estate tax surcharge on the net tax owed

on a property starting in fiscal year 2018 to pay

for the measure. The ordinance sets up a Community

Preservation Committee, which will vet projects and

issue funds or localities. Property taxes traditionally

fund the day-to-day operating needs of safety, health,

schools, roads, maintenance, and more. But, until CPA

was enacted, there was no steady funding sources for

preserving and improving a community’s character and

quality of life.

http://allston.wickedlocal.com/news/20161128/

boston-moves-forward-with-community-preservation-act

NORTH DAKOTAFormer Tribal Preservation Officer of the Standing Rock

Sioux, Tim Mentz Sr. recently testified to the DC District

Court that the area that lay in the path of the Dakota

Access Pipeline corridor holds 82 cultural features and

27 graves. The passage of the pipeline over and under

waterways requires permits from the U.S. Army Corps

of Engineers. This federal authorization, in turn, requires

compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act

under Section 106. This considers a number of effects

on historic properties including direct and indirect,

short-term, long-term, or cumulative harm on a historic

site. Since 1992, Congress amended the NHPA to

formally include traditional cultural properties. These

are places that, because of their association with Native


http://la.curbed.com/2016/12/5/13848162/jim-morrison-home-apartment-west-hollywood-craigslist

http://therealdeal.com/miami/2016/12/06/sea-level-rise-at-center-of-heated-debate-over-future-of-north-beachs-historic-designation/

http://allston.wickedlocal.com/news/20161128/boston-moves-forward-with-community-preservation-act

American cultural practices or beliefs, are important

for maintaining the cultural identity of the community.

Federal agencies must consult with Native American

tribes, as well as the State Historic Preservation Office

before work can commence. Archeologists walked the

pipeline’s 357 miles in North Dakota, locating 149

National Register eligible sites. The DAPL engineer

routed the pipeline around all but nine sites during

the mitigation process. However, a complete tribal

survey was not undertaken for the DAPL. This means

that culturally relevant sites not expressly identified

by archeologists, which are can only be identified by

the tribe itself, were not taken into consideration. Since

nearly 90 percent of the pipeline has already been

completed, it is unknown how many traditional cultural

sites may have actually been disturbed. Given that

the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has now stopped the

project for more review, it is possible that there is more

time to consult with traditional tribe leaders.

http://www.ecowatch.com/sacred-sites-standing-

rock-2103468697.html

SOUTH CAROLINA

The College of Charleston recently added a new line

of coursework to study the automobile as a historic

artifact. The college is partnering with the Historic

Vehicle Association to see how the investigative

protocol traditionally applied to historic buildings to

can be applied to historic cars. For example, the 1918

Cadillac U.S. 125X is the only surviving vehicle from the

American Expeditionary Forces used in Europe during

WWI. It has a bullet hole in the engine block because it

was on the front lines. Preservationists would argue that

you should leave that hole because it’s a part of the

history of the car. However, among car enthusiasts, there

is a premium placed on 110% restorations that bring it

up to material standards that exceed even its original

condition. At the same time, preservationists are wary

to include automobiles in their canon, in part, because

preservation has always focused on buildings, structures,

sites, and objects in situ. Barry Stiefel, advocate for

this line of study, believes that historic cars can be

respectfully retrofitted according to the high standards

of building rehabilitation and still integrate modern

technology. In fact, he argues, historic preservation can

offer answers to many interdisciplinary fields where

technology necessitates a sea change and historic

significance is often left in its wake.

http://www.caranddriver.com/features/old-cars-new-

respect-extending-historic-preservation-to-automobiles-

feature

NATIONALThe National Park Service Centennial Act, which in

addition to better preparing the NPS for the next 100

years of stewardship, also included the reauthorization

of the Historic Preservation Fund until 2023. The bill

passed the House last week, and President Obama

is expected to sign the legislation into law. This

victory follows more than a year of advocacy to

reauthorize the Historic Preservation Fund after the last

authorization expired in September of 2015. For forty

years, the HPF not only provides funding for State and

Tribal Historic Preservation Offices, but it is also the

pathway for rural communities and urban areas alike to

receive millions of dollars in grants to preserve historic

places.

At the same time, the Historic Tax Credit (HTC) is under

threat as a part of tax reform legislation. President-

elect Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan have both

targeted tax reform as a top priority of the new

congress and administration. Republication members of

the House Ways and Means Committee met recently

and are expected to draft legislation soon. This

legislation is expected to be in line with the “A Better

Way” tax reform blueprint proposed in June. This

document proposed the elimination of tax credits and

deductions, which would include the Historic Tax Credit.

This is the most significant federal financial commitment

to historic preservation. Over the last 36 years, the

credit has created more than 2.3 million jobs, leveraged

$117 billion in investment, and rehabilitated more

than 41,250 buildings – all while generating enough in

federal revenue to pay for itself.


http://www.ecowatch.com/sacred-sites-standing-rock-2103468697.html

http://www.caranddriver.com/features/old-cars-new-respect-extending-historic-preservation-to-automobiles-feature

Cultural Resource Climate ChangeStrategyBy J. Todd Scott, The Alliance Review Editorial Committee

The National Park Service has just released their Cultural ResourcesClimate Change Strategy. The Strategy provides guidance to the ParkService’s many partners in the national historic preservation program, andto recognize and respond to a wide range of environmental changes thatare threatening cultural resources in communities throughout the Nation.

It defines the impacts of a changing climate ondifferent cultural resources and organizes methodsfor evaluating these resources, assessing theirvulnerabilities, and prioritizing our options torespond. It also recognizes that many of theresources we seek to preserve–from archeologicalsites to traditional structures and knowledge–hold valuable information on how earlier culturesresponded to changing environments, can bepart of a lower energy-demand future, and caninform us about the origins of modern climatechange. The CRCC Strategy underscores thecritical importance of preserving the informationrepresented in the most vulnerable of theseresources, and of taking steps to target oursurvey and documentation programs to capturethis information before the resources are lost torising seas, fire, and pests.

In 2016, the Park Service celebrated thecentennial of its 1916 Organic Act and the 50thanniversary of the passage of the National His-toric Preservation Act (NHPA), which establishedthe framework for the current national preservationprogram. In the words of Stephanie Toothman,Associate Director of Cultural Resources, Partner-ships, and Science at the Park Service, “Workingtogether with colleagues across disciplines andboundaries, we can continue to move forwardand realize the goals of both the Organic Act andthe NHPA–to preserve our irreplaceable culturaland natural heritage with their educational,aesthetic, inspirational, economic, and energybenefits for present and future generations.” Welook forward to exploring this new Strategy. Formore information visit the webpage at: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/climatechange/upload/ClimateChange_01-05_DigitalPrelim.pdf.



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Regional Climate Effects on Historic Preservation · nation, and in Las Vegas, Michelle Larimer reminds us how cool those mid-century modern rock roofs really are. Finally, NAPC is