As the title suggests, we are going to discuss the differences between historic renovations of your school building vs historic restoration. This discussion will also center on some do's and don'ts concerning renovations of this type.
The first decision to make regarding your historic school building is whether or not you want to provide a restoration or a renovation of the building. This can make a huge impact on the type of work that is done and the cost of the work. If I choose to restore an older building the implication is that the work to be accomplished will bring the building back to its original condition. For example, drop in ceilings may have been installed below the original stamped metal ceiling or carpet installed over the original wood flooring. Restoring would bring these finishes back to their original condition or replaced with new finishes that match the original.
If I choose to renovate the building, I am not so concerned with what the original finishes would have been. I am simply upgrading the components of the building to bring them into new condition.
Consideration must be given if the building is registered with your state's historical commission or is on the national historic register. If this is the case, then the historical commission has jurisdiction over the work to restore and or renovate the building. Each state will have different rules and regulations concerning what can be done. In the state of Texas, the historical commission does not have input on the interior work, they are not concerned with what goes on inside the building but are very opinionated on what goes on with the exterior of the building. For example, if the windows are scheduled to be replaced then you are required to go back with a window that is of the same style and material to match the original. I had a client that wanted to install an aluminum window in place of the original wood windows (for several reasons of cost, durability, energy efficiency etc) and the historical commission denied the request stating that the windows must be wood to match the existing. Realize that this is only for buildings that are on the historic register. Just because a school building is old does not mean that it is automatically on the historic register. You must go through a process to place your school building on the register.
The historic commission will want to see evidence of what the original building materials were prior to approving the restoration of any of the components. Samples of the roofing shingles, photographs of the original building, original handrails are just a few examples of components that can prove to be helpful in the restoration process.
Michael D. King AIA
