A Tale of Two Masonry Façade Rehabilitations

This presentation was initially provided at the 2021 Annual Convention in Phoenix, AZ.

Façade rehabilitation projects require design professionals to manage and balance a combination of many varied and sometimes opposing factors, including historic preservation issues and considerations, code requirements, and client expectations. This presentation will focus on the terms of preservation, restoration, rehabilitation, and the differences between each process as it relates to historic building façades and how they are interpreted relative to the other influences on a rehabilitation project. Unnecessary repairs and beautification in the name of restoration are often some of the most difficult challenges the preservation industry faces. Historic preservation is a constant balancing act of appropriate scope of repairs, justification of replacement of undamaged original fabric, when is it okay not to repair, and managing the client’s expectations with regard to a historic building not looking shiny and new. These conversations become even more challenging when incentives—including tax benefits or other financial means—are at stake.