Tag Archives: historical preservation

OSU Historic Preservation Plan

The Oregon State University Historic District is located within the main campus, and reflects the development of the main campus from its beginnings in the late 1880s as the state’s first land-grant educational institution, through post WWII (1957). OSU received The Getty Foundation Campus Heritage Grant, which assisted the OSU Foundation in writing and procuring funding for a campus-wide Historic Preservation Plan (HPP). The HPP was created to support specific preservation goals of the university, including the preservation of its historic resources.

PMA was the lead consultant of this multifaceted project responsible for several documents in conjunction with the Historic Preservation Plan including:

An Intensive Level Survey (ILS) of the Corvallis Campus
A National Register nomination for the OSU Historic District
Design Guidelines for the Historic District
City of Corvallis zoning code review
The graphic design and layout of campus signage for visitor orientation
Produced and designed a Campus Walking Tour Brochure

GA Building Historic Report for Pre-Design

Constructed in 1956, the General Administration Building in Olympia, WA, is a historically significant building for both its Modern architectural design, and for its representation of Washington State capitol growth following World War II, specifically the re-centralization of government to Olympia in 1954.

PMA was the Historic Architect on the project team retained to perform the General Administration Building Pre-Design Update for the Department of Enterprise Services, Olympia. PMA conducted a historic assessment of the building, including the preparation of a Historic Report. The report described and prioritized the character-defining features of the General Administration Building, and provided insight on how preservation regulations and historic design review could impact a major renovation to the building. Recommendations were provided with preservation strategies specific to the building.

Review an excerpt of our historic analysis of the GA Building:
GA Building Report Historic Analysis Excerpt

Mercy Corps World Headquarters Renovation

The historic Packer Scott building, now the World Headquarters for Mercy Corps, had significant damage to the original masonry resulting from inappropriate sand blasting cleaning techniques. PMA provided a complete building exterior assessment and identified areas of 50% or more cross section loss to the masonry and guided the design team towards suitable replacement material. In addition, PMA investigated foundation drainage issues during construction using non-destructive investigation techniques, and worked with the sub-contractors to provide proper techniques in the use of lime-based mortar.

Building Envelope Corrections:
• Analysis of exterior masonry and identification and specification of proper repair material and techniques.
• Analysis of the original construction means and methods of the sheet metal entablature as well as techniques for repair.
• Conducting full building window assessment and development of the drawings and package leading to support for window replacement.

Meier & Frank Warehouse Renovation: Vestas HQ

Peter Meijer Architect, PC (PMA) was the Historic Preservation Architect for the full restoration of the 160,000 square-foot Meier & Frank warehouse to office conversion for Vestas Headquarters, a wind turbine developer. Built in 1928, the renovation added a penthouse with ecoroof and outdoor gathering spaces to the original four story structure. For the renovation, PMA provided:

• Building condition assessment
• Analysis for the repair and design
• Construction documents

Additionally, PMA completed a limited exterior assessment of the roof for the added penthouse at the Meier & Frank building. The deficiencies noted at the penthouse level were similar in nature to the deficiencies at the lower elevations. The building is LEED platinum.

The Meier & Frank [Warehouse] built in 1927, was designed by the noted Portland architectural firm of Sutton and Whitney. The restoration of the Meier & Frank Warehouse required the evaluation and repair of extensive concrete cracking, replacement of reinforcing bar, and detail drawings suggesting the construction of repair concrete form work.

Oregon State Capitol Building Fire Restoration

The Oregon State Capitol was designed by the New York architectural firm of Trowbridge and Livingston in association with Francis Keally and completed in 1938. Erected in the Modernistic style, the Capitol was sensitively enlarged in 1977 by the Portland firm of Wolff Zimmer Gunsul Frasca in association with Pietro Belluschi. Constructed of reinforced concrete, the building is distinguished by angular, unadorned exterior elevations and a massive, ribbed lantern all sheathed in brilliant white Vermont marble.

In 2008, as part of the team creating a new Master Plan for the Capitol, PMA conducted a full exterior condition assessment of both the main building and east and west wings. On Labor Day 2008, an exterior fire damaged the Vermont marble and Oregon walnut interior panels adorning the Governor’s Ceremonial Suite. PMA was retained to guide the faithful restoration of this important Oregon icon.

Due to the third fire in the Oregon State Capitol’s history, the Governor’s Ceremonial Suite required complete restoration and renovation. PMA provided restoration documents for the repair and replacement of exterior marble, repair of interior walnut paneling, reinstallation of linoleum flooring, reintroduction of historic carpet, integration of preservation of historic materials, and the repair of plaster ceiling and walls. Additionally, PMA provided guidance to the conservationists repairing the WPA painting, which was also damaged. All restoration work was based on historic research and field analysis of existing materials.

Vernonia School Artifacts Display

Washington Grade School in Vernonia, Oregon, designed in the Colonial Revival style featuring Georgian classical elements, was constructed in 1930 in close proximity to the Nehalem River and Rock Creek. After suffering irreparable damages in a 2007 flood, the City of Vernonia, Vernonia School District, and local residents decided to deconstruct the original building, and build a new K-12 school complex outside of the floodplain with help from FEMA.

At the request of FEMA and the Vernonia School District, PMA assisted in writing the project’s Section 106 Memorandum of Agreement mitigating the deconstruction of Washington Grade School. PMA documented the school according to NPS Historic American Building Survey (HABS) recordation standards. Additionally, PMA created historical narratives, graphics and design for an educational panel, and design options for an architectural fragment display. PMA’s design options included reinstallation of some fragments in the new school library, creating an exterior display pavilion in a park, and an interior interpretive display wall. The library display was completed in 2011 and the park monument is scheduled to be completed in 2014.

OSU Buildable Land Area Study

Oregon State University’s Historic District, successfully written and nominated by Peter Meijer Architect, PC (PMA), reflects the development of the main campus from its beginnings in the late 1880s as the state’s first land-grant educational institution, through post WWII (1957). It encompasses several buildings, structures, and open spaces including landscaped areas with tree lined streets and walkways. Most of the district follows the plat map corresponding to a north/south grid pattern, although the first campus buildings at the east end of the district coincide with the diagonal City of Corvallis plat grid. In 2011, PMA was retained by OSU to review and study the potential buildable land area within the existing Historic District.

PMA focused the review on massing and scale concepts for potential future growth and development, and assessed the impact to the integrity of the Historic District. Oregon State University is trending towards rapid growth; translating to the need for more classroom and academic space with pressure to develop within the Historic District so as to retain a walkable campus. PMA looked at future growth potential through the analysis of historical development patterns, currently planned projects, and the spatial and contextual relationship between development, open space, and landscape areas. Additionally, PMA provided an analysis of the potential to convert the historic Heat Plant to lecture room use.