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When
the property's design, architectural, or
historical significance during a particular
period of time outweighs the potential loss
of extant materials, features, spaces, and
finishes that characterize other historical
periods; when there is substantial physical
and documentary evidence for the work; and
when contemporary alterations and additions
are not planned, Restoration may be considered
as a treatment. Prior to undertaking work,
a particular period of time, i.e., the restoration
period, should be selected and justified,
and a documentation plan for Restoration
developed.
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Choosing Restoration as a Treatment
Rather than maintaining and preserving a building
as it has evolved over time, the expressed goal of the
Standards for Restoration and Guidelines for Restoring
Historic Buildings is to make the building appear as
it did at a particular--and most significant--time in
its history. First, those materials and features from
the "restoration period" are identified, based on thorough
historical research. Next, features from the restoration
period are maintained, protected, repaired (i.e., stabilized,
consolidated, and conserved), and replaced, if necessary.
As opposed to other treatments, the scope of work in
Restoration can include removal of features from other
periods; missing features from the restoration period
may be replaced, based on documentary and physical evidence,
using traditional materials or compatible substitute
materials. The final guidance emphasizes that only those
designs that can be documented as having been built
should be re-created in a restoration project.
Identify, Retain, and Preserve Materials and Features
from the Restoration Period
The guidance for the treatment Restoration begins
with recommendations to identify the form and detailing
of those existing architectural materials and features
that are significant to the restoration period as established
by historical research and documentation. Thus, guidance
on identifying, retaining, and preserving features from
the restoration period is always given first. The historic
building's appearance may be defined by the form and
detailing of its exterior materials, such as masonry,
wood, and metal; exterior features, such as roofs, porches,
and windows; interior materials, such as plaster and
paint; and interior features, such as moldings and stairways,
room configuration and spatial relationships, as well
as structural and mechanical systems; and the building's
site and setting.
Protect and Maintain Materials and Features from the
Restoration Period
After identifying those existing materials and features
from the restoration period that must be retained in
the process of Restoration work, then protecting and
maintaining them is addressed. Protection generally
involves the least degree of intervention and is preparatory
to other work. For example, protection includes the
maintenance of historic material through treatments
such as rust removal, caulking, limited paint removal,
and re-application of protective coatings; the cyclical
cleaning of roof gutter systems; or installation of
fencing, alarm systems and other temporary protective
measures. Although a historic building will usually
require more extensive work, an overall evaluation of
its physical condition should always begin at this level.
Repair (Stabilize, Consolidate, and Conserve) Materials
and Features from the Restoration Period
Next, when the physical condition of restoration period
features requires additional work, repairing by stabilizing,
consolidating, and conserving is recommended. Restoration
guidance focuses upon the preservation of those materials
and features that are significant to the period. Consequently,
guidance for repairing a historic material, such as
masonry, again begins with the least degree of intervention
possible, such as strengthening fragile materials through
consolidation, when appropriate, and repointing with
mortar of an appropriate strength. Repairing masonry
as well as wood and architectural metals includes patching,
splicing, or otherwise reinforcing them using recognized
preservation methods. Similarly, portions of a historic
structural system could be reinforced using contemporary
material such as steel rods. In Restoration, repair
may also include the limited replacement in kind--or
with compatible substitute material--of extensively
deteriorated or missing parts of existing features when
there are surviving prototypes to use as a model. Examples
could include terra-cotta brackets, wood balusters,
or cast iron fencing.
Replace Extensively Deteriorated Features from the
Restoration Period
In Restoration, replacing an entire feature from the
restoration period (i.e., a cornice, balustrade, column,
or stairway) that is too deteriorated to repair may
be appropriate. Together with documentary evidence,
the form and detailing of the historic feature should
be used as a model for the replacement. Using the same
kind of material is preferred; however, compatible substitute
material may be considered. All new work should be unobtrusively
dated to guide future research and treatment. If documentary
and physical evidence are not available to provide an
accurate re-creation of missing features, the treatment
Rehabilitation might be a better overall approach to
project work.
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In a project at Fort Hays, Kansas, the wood
frame officers' quarters were restored to the
late 1860s--their period of significance. This
included replacing a missing kitchen ell, chimneys,
porch columns, and cornice, as well as closing a later
window opening in the main block. The building
and others in the museum complex is used to interpret
frontier history. Photo: NPS files.
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Remove Existing Features from Other Historic Periods
Most buildings represent continuing occupancies and
change over time, but in Restoration, the goal is to
depict the building as it appeared at the most significant
time in its history. Thus, work is included to remove
or alter existing historic features that do not represent
the restoration period. This could include features
such as windows, entrances and doors, roof dormers,
or landscape features. Prior to altering or removing
materials, features, spaces, and finishes that characterize
other historical periods, they should be documented
to guide future research and treatment.
Re-Create Missing Features from the Restoration Period
Most Restoration projects involve re-creating features
that were significant to the building at a particular
time, but are now missing. Examples could include a
stone balustrade, a porch, or cast iron storefront.
Each missing feature should be substantiated by documentary
and physical evidence. Without sufficient documentation
for these "re-creations," an accurate depiction cannot
be achieved. Combining features that never existed together
historically can also create a false sense of history.
Using traditional materials to depict lost features
is always the preferred approach; however, using compatible
substitute material is an acceptable alternative in
Restoration because, as emphasized, the goal of this
treatment is to replicate the "appearance" of the historic
building at a particular time, not to retain and preserve
all historic materials as they have evolved over time.
If documentary and physical evidence are not available
to provide an accurate re-creation of missing features,
the treatment Rehabilitation might be a better overall
approach to project work.
Energy Efficiency/Accessibility Considerations/Health
and Safety Code Considerations
These sections of the Restoration guidance address
work done to meet accessibility requirements and health
and safety code requirements; or limited retrofitting
measures to improve energy efficiency. Although this
work is quite often an important aspect of restoration
projects, it is usually not part of the overall process
of protecting, stabilizing, conserving, or repairing
features from the restoration period; rather, such work
is assessed for its potential negative impact on the
building's historic appearance. For this reason, particular
care must be taken not to obscure, damage, or destroy
historic materials or features from the restoration
period in the process of undertaking work to meet code
and energy requirements.
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