Preserving Historic School Buildings

Prepared by Martha J. Raymond, Technical Preservation Services Department Head, and Barbara A. Powers, Planning, Inventory, and Registration Department Head, Ohio Historic Preservation Office

Many Ohio communities treasure their historic school buildings as centers for neighborhood or community activity, symbols of civic pride, and often as local architectural landmarks. At the same time, communities face the challenge of ensuring that older school buildings meet the needs of today’s students and teachers. Meeting the challenge requires good planning, knowledge of preservation tools, and, at times, creative design solutions.

Here are some ideas to help your community plan for the long-term preservation of historic school buildings, for continued school use or adapted for new uses.

Planning for Rehabilitation - Some Helpful References

The Historic Schools Technical Assistance Consortium, Final Report presents the findings of the Columbus Landmarks Foundations-sponsored consortium of architects, engineers, construction managers, and educational planners who volunteered their efforts and produced an excellent document about the renovation of historic school buildings. As stated in the publication, "The Consortium's goal was to conduct an in-depth study of selected historic schools in the Columbus Public School district in an effort to demonstrate that the renovation of such buildings can achieve a high standard of educational adequacy at a cost that is less than new construction." While the focus is on Columbus schools, the approach to the study and the design solutions will be beneficial to hisotric schools throughout Ohio. The 86-page booklet is available from the Columbus Landmarks Foundation, c/o Kate Matheny, 61 Jefferson Ave., Columbus, OH 43215-3871. The phone number is (614) 221-0227; their website is www.columbuslandmarks.org.

A Community Guide to Saving Older Schools is a 32-page booklet documenting successful projects to keep older schools in use. Prepared by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the guide also addresses current issues affecting school rehabilitation, such as funding policies and design guidelines. The Trust has found that many states base their school policies on national guidelines that were intended to be flexible when applied to existing structures - for example, guidelines that address classroom size, lot size, or enrollment numbers. “When states turn these suggestions into their own inflexible requirements, that may doom otherwise viable school buildings.” Code compliance, technology upgrades, changing educational practices, energy efficiency, maintenance issues, and the desire for other enhancements and improvements, can be addressed: “…Again and again, preservation-savvy architects, building engineers, product suppliers and others have demonstrated how many of these practical problems can be solved through well-planned renovations, additions or code variances.”

Another excellent school publication by the National Trust is Historic Neighborhood Schools in the Age of Sprawl: Why Johnny Can't Walk to School. It contains a 12 point "Agenda for Change" - public policy recommendations to ensure that historic schools are considered on a level playing field with new schools.

The booklets are available at http://www.nthpbooks.org or by calling the National Trust’s publication office at (202) 588-6296.

The National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities was created in 1997 as an information resource for people who plan, design, build, operate, and maintain K-12 schools. At http://www.edfacilities.org/rl/ choose “Build New or Renovate?” for an annotated bibliography on the subject with links to full text publications and related web sites. You may contact NCEF at 1090 Vermont Ave., NW, Suite 7000, Washington, DC 20005-4905 or by telephone at (202) 289-7800.

The Preservation Briefs series from the National Park Service is an excellent source for reference materials on rehabilitation techniques. Especially helpful for school rehabilitation projects are the briefs on wood window repair; steel window repair; masonry repointing; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning; and making historic properties accessible. The Briefs are available on-line at http://www2.cr.nps.gov/ tps/briefs/presbhom.htm or from the Ohio Historic Preservation Office.

The Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings are used to guide the sensitive rehabilitation and long-term preservation of older schools. Developed by the Secretary of the Interior in 1977, the Standards offer a common sense preservation philosophy that emphasizes the repair of significant historic fabric, rather than replacement, and the preservation of a property’s historic character-defining features. The Standards are available from the Ohio Historic Preservation Office and are on-line as part of the National Park Service web site. Be sure to take the on-line course “Electronic Rehab” to learn how to apply the Standards in specific case studies.

Local Schools: Exploring Their History is an American Association for State and Local History publication that is useful in understanding the significance of historic school buildings. Written by Ronald E. Butchart, the book is available via the association’s web page at http://www.aaslh.org/publicat.htm or by calling (800) 462-6420.

Educational Architecture in Ohio: From One-Room Schools and Carnegie Libraries to Community Education Villages is an excellent reference on the history and significance of Ohio school buildings. Written by Virginia E. McCormick, the book is available from the Kent State University Press, 307 Lowry Hall, P.O. Box 5190, Kent, Ohio, 44242. You can find it on the web at http://upress.kent.edu/, or call (330) 672-7913.

The Preservation Tool Box

Are there special preservation tools that can facilitate the rehabilitation of older school buildings? Yes - and in some cases knowledge and use of these tools can make the difference between saving and losing a historic school building.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) allows special provisions for historic properties if full compliance with ADA would result in significant alterations to the property’s historic character. Historic properties are those listed or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places and those designated under state and local law. The “alternative minimum requirements” allow for more flexibility when providing access to a historic property. Flexibility is allowed, for example, in the location of accessible entrances and ramps. Creating ramped entrances at locations other than the main entrance may be more practical for an older school building if the original main entrance is situated above a flight of steps. Contact the Ohio Historic Preservation Office for the brochure Preserving the Past and Making It Accessible for People with Disabilities, the Preservation Brief Making Historic Properties Accessible, or for approval to use the alternative minimum requirements.

Section 3410 of the Ohio Basic Building Code applies to the repair, alteration, addition and change of occupancy of existing buildings. In use since 1986, it allows ways to meet safety requirements without complying with the standard sections of the code that apply to new structures. Historic buildings still undergo a safety evaluation under the three standard categories-fire safety, general safety, and means of egress. But under the provisions of Section 3410, they can earn the rating points they need by counting safety features inherent in the construction of the historic buildings. This means that the building may be able to comply with the building code without significant alterations as long as it earns enough rating points to demonstrate that it is safe. Section 3410 is especially helpful for older school buildings that feature open stairwells, wide corridors, and doors with glass panels and transoms. Such features are often slated for removal or enclosure under conventional code requirements. Contact the Ohio Historic Preservation Office for a fact sheet on Section 3410.

Local Survey and Designation are means of identifying and recognizing significant historic properties in a community. In communities with an effective historic preservation ordinance in place, local designation can ensure that there is, at minimum, a public process for discussing what will happen to a designated historic school building. Some local ordinances do even more toward ensuring that a building will be preserved, for example requiring consideration of appropriate rehabilitation proposals or even a “stay of demolition.” In any case, it is important to survey local school buildings and seek appropriate designations before the buildings become threatened. It is even better to consider historic schools as a normal part of the local land use planning process. Cincinnati provides an example of a historic school inventory used in the local school facilities planning process. Beth Sullebarger, former executive director of the Cincinnati Preservation Association, organized the survey which was conducted by volunteers: “When the Facilities Master Plan Advisory Committee started the plan, historic significance was not one of the criteria, but they made it one after we presented members with the inventory.” Community members cited survey results in their lobbying efforts to save local schools, and ultimately added three schools to the rehabilitation list. Contact the Cincinnati Preservation Association at 342 W. Fourth St., Cincinnati, OH 45202-2603 or at (513) 721-4506 for information about their project. City or village planning offices can provide information about local planning efforts and local property designation.

The National Register of Historic Places offers a means of recognition for historic properties of national, state, and local significance. The National Register lists buildings, sites, structures, objects, and districts worthy of preservation for their significance in American history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, and culture. School buildings are listed in the National Register for their associations with broad patterns of history, the contributions of important individuals, as displaying distinct characteristics of a period of architecture, type of building, or method of construction, or for the important information they may yield. Schools may be recognized individually or as contributing properties within historic districts. Listing a property in the National Register does not affect an owner’s right to alter or sell it. National Register recognition can raise a community’s awareness and pride, as well as provide solid documentation for informed decision-making regarding the property. Properties listed in the National Register or determined eligible for listing are considered in the planning of federally funded or licensed projects under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended. Income-producing buildings listed in the National Register individually or as contributing to a district may be aided financially by the 20% rehabilitation tax credit for certified rehabilitation. And, as noted above, both locally designated and National Register-listed properties are given special consideration under the Americans with Disabilities Act. For more information and a list of National Register properties contact the Ohio Historic Preservation Office, or visit the www.ohiohistory.org/resource/database/histpres.html . National Register information is also available through the National Park Service at http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr. If you are interested in nominating a school to the National Register, contact the Ohio Historic Preservation Office for a National Register questionnaire. Completing the questionnaire is the first step in determining whether a property should be nominated to the National Register.

Federal preservation tax credits offer a financial incentive for the rehabilitation of income-producing properties. Over forty former school buildings in Ohio have been rehabilitated utilizing the tax incentives and now serve as senior housing, new offices, and other adaptive uses. Current incentives, established by the Tax Reform Act of 1986, include a 20% tax credit for the certified rehabilitation of certified historic structures, and a 10% tax credit for the rehabilitation of non-historic, non-residential buildings built before 1936. For the 20% credit, the necessary certifications are requested via an application process. To qualify, a building must be either individually listed in the National Register of Historic Places or be certified by the National Park Service as contributing to the significance of a National Register Historic District or a Certified Local District. In addition, the rehabilitation work must meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and be certified by the National Park Service. Additional National Park Service and Internal Revenue Service requirements apply. Complete information about the tax credits is available at http://www2.cr.nps.gov/tps/tax or from the Ohio Historic Preservation Office.

Case Studies:
Success Stories in the Preservation of Older School Buildings

The following projects offer examples of schools maintained as schools, others that adapt the school building for a new use, plus a non-school building converted to school use.

Jones Middle School, Upper Arlington, Ohio. Completed in 1924, with later additions, the neo-classical style Jones Middle School is a focal point in the retail, governmental, and educational community center of the Upper Arlington Historic District, an early 20th century planned community listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Designed by Howard Dwight Smith, architect for the OSU stadium, the school terminates the east axis of the Mallway in the center of Old Arlington. Two initial architectural studies proposed demolition of the Jones Middle School, but a third proposal was chosen - to rehabilitate the historic school. A committee of teachers and parents together with the architect and contractor guided the work with respect for the historic character of the school. As a result, historic features and details remain inside and out. The auditorium was preserved, with tile walls and wood seats retained and air conditioning added. Classroom doors fitted with new ADA-compliant hardware were reinstalled, as were the original lockers. Although asbestos contamination necessitated removal of the plaster walls, care was taken to reinstate archways in the halls. The cafeteria and library addition was built in a former courtyard and another creative location was found for the elevator - in “found” space, where an old chimney had been. The three-year project took place while school was in session, and was used as a learning experience for students who toured future classrooms in hard hats. A local bond issue provided funding for the project, which cost $3 million less than the projected new construction costs.

Stewart Avenue School, German Village, Columbus, Ohio. Located in Columbus’ German Village Historic District, the Stewart Avenue School was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. In 1999, the Stewart Avenue School received the prestigious Caretakers of the Legacy Award from the German Village Commission. As presented during the award ceremony, “…The building has been used continuously as a school since it was constructed. The school became an alternative traditional elementary school [focusing on the basics of education] almost twenty years ago, as a response to a declining school age population in the neighborhood. …The Stewart Avenue School has been a significant part of the physical and social fabric of German Village for over a century. The first and most important factor in the preservation of this neighborhood institution was the decision to continue using the school for its originally intended purpose. Maintenance and even replacement of original materials is sometimes necessary in a building as old and well used as Stewart Avenue. Those charged with the care of this building have been able to successfully balance tight public budgets with a concern for the historic integrity of the structure.”

Former Camden Public School, Camden, Ohio. Camden School is individually listed in the National Register of Historic Places for its significance as a centralized public school facility, dating from 1904, in the rural community of Camden. It is an excellent example of a former school building re-used as senior citizen housing. The developers used the Affordable Housing Tax Credit as well as the federal 20% historic rehabilitation tax credit as part of the project financing. The rehabilitation preserves the historic character of the school, while creating attractive living quarters and recreational areas that feature all new mechanical systems (plumbing, electrical, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems) and are fully accessible for wheel chair users.

Former Hamilton Catholic High School, Hamilton, Ohio. Significant in parochial school history as an early centralized Catholic high school in southwestern Ohio, the former Hamilton Catholic High School is individually listed in the National Register. The 1923 school building features Italian Renaissance Revival details including an arcaded entrance and round arched bell tower. The school was rehabilitated as offices for the Ohio Casualty Insurance Group in 1985. “This project enabled us the opportunity to establish some much-needed, additional office space” stated Ohio Casualty President Joseph L. Marcum, “…while at the same time affording us the chance to demonstrate good corporate citizenship in the preservation of this historic building.” In 1998, the building was re-rehabilitated as the company’s development and education center. In this project, a compatible new exterior addition helped bring the building up to code. The new elevator addition was built on a secondary elevation and was designed to blend well with but not duplicate the appearance of the historic building. Both projects utilized the historic rehabilitation tax credits, which made the project financially attractive.

Building 110, Fort Hayes Arts and Academic High School, Columbus, Ohio. Built in 1894 as a general mess hall to feed 700 soldiers, Building 110 contributes to Fort Hayes, a Civil War era federal military installation recognized for its history and architecture in the National Register. Years of neglect had left the building in disrepair. Following rehabilitation, designed according to the Standards for Rehabilitation, Building 110 is now part of an alternative high school for students interested in an intensive academic and arts curriculum. In addition to all new mechanical systems, a new ramp of compatible design provides wheel chair access via the building’s main entrance. The completed rehabilitation project received an Ohio Historic Preservation Office Preservation Merit Award in 1993.


Click here for more case studies

Recommended Contacts:

National Trust for Historic Preservation
1785 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 588-6000
http://www.hthp.org

Midwest Office
National Trust for Historic Preservation
53 W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 350
Chicago, IL 60604-2103
(312) 939-5547

The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a nationwide non-profit preservation organization. In addition to their Community Guide to Saving Older Schools, one of the Trust’s preservation initiatives is to put the renovation of historic schools on an equal footing with construction of new schools. To that end, they are working with the National Park Service, the Council of Educational Facility Planners, International, and other organizations. Contact the Trust for more information.

U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Ave., SW
Washington, DC 20202
1 (800) USA-LEARN
http://www.ed.gov

The U.S. Department of Education is the federal education agency, working to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence throughout the country. Their web page provides information about the agency’s 175 programs. Of particular preservation interest are “Qualified Zone Academy Bonds” which were created in 1997 to help schools raise funds to renovate and repair buildings, invest in equipment and technology, and more. In Ohio, contact the Center for School Finance and Accountability, (614) 466-6891.

Council of Educational Facility
Planners, International
9180 E. Desert Cove, Suite 104
Scottsdale, AZ 85260
(480) 391-0840
http://www.cefpi.com

The Council of Educational Facility Planners, International, is an educational facilities planning organization that brings together educators, planners, architects and construction professionals committed to facilitating creative and responsible planning, design, construction and renovation of schools and colleges. The Council is a participant in the National Trust’s school preservation initiative, and are working with the Naitonal Park Service on a publication entitled Appraisal Guide for Older / Historic Schools due for publication in 2004. The Primer for Renovating Older / Historic School Facilities will be available in late September 2003..

Ohio School Facilities Commission
10 W. Broad St., Suite 1400
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 466-6290
http://www.osfc.state.oh.us

The Ohio School Facilities Commission provides funding, management oversight, and technical assistance to Ohio school districts for the construction and renovation of school facilities. As authors of the Ohio School Design Manual and having funded over $1.8 billion in school replacement and renovation projects since 1997, the Commission is a key contact for those working to preserve Ohio’s historic school buildings. Local school districts and proponents of historic school preservation should work closely with the Commission in the earliest project planning stages for full consideration of preservation options. For example, guidelines used by the Ohio School Facilities Commission have generally capped rehabilitation funding at two-thirds the costs of constructing a new school building. However, in an important development for historic school buildings, local school boards can request funding for rehabilitation projects at up to 100% of the cost of new construction. Decisions are made on a case-by-case basis. Contact the Ohio Schools Facilities Commions for details or for copies of their brochure Renovate or Build? and New Life for Old Schools.

KnowledgeWorks Foundation
One West Fourth Street, Suite 200
Cincinnati, OH 45202
1 (877) 852-3863 (toll free)
http://www.kwfdn.org

The KnowledgeWorks Foundation of Cincinnati, Ohio, is a non-profit organization committed to furthering universal access to educational opportunities. One of their key interests is school facility planning and design. In April, 2002, KnowledgeWorks hosted a statewide conference on the subject, focussing on effective practices in planning school facilities. Their web site provides information about statewide conferences on school facility planning and design.

Heritage Ohio, Inc.
846 1/2 E. Main St.
Columbus, OH 43205
(614) 258-6200
http://www.heritageohio.org

Heritage Ohio, Inc. is a statewide, non-profit preservation organization dedicated to the advancement of knowledge pertaining to historic preservation and downtown revitalization. Heritage Ohio works to promote preservation, redevelopment, improvement, renovation and maintenance of sites and structures in Ohio. Check their web site for Saving Ohio's Historic Neighborhood Schools: A Primer for School Preservation Activities, a publication of Heritage Ohio, Inc., and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

In February, 2002, Heritage Ohio, Inc., co-sponsored, with the National Trust, "Ohio's Historic School Summit" to develop intitial strategies needed to prevent demolition of historic schools.

Ohio Historic Preservation Office
567 E. Hudson St.
Columbus, OH 43211-1030
(614) 298-2000
http://www.ohiohistory.org/resource/histpres/

The Ohio Historic Preservation Office is the official historic preservation agency of the State of Ohio. Staff members nominate properties to the National Register of Historic Places, review federally-assisted projects for effects on historic and archaeological properties, review applications for the federal historic preservation tax credit for income-producing properties, advise on the physical conservation of buildings, administer grants for preservation projects in communities which have been designated as Certified Local Governments, and offer educational programs and publications. Contact the Ohio Historic Preservation Office for information about preserving historic school buildings and to share success stories or information about threatened historic schools.

Ohio Preservation Alliance
120 Harding Way East, Suite 104
Galion, Ohio 44833
(419) 462-7060
http://www.ohiopreservation.com
OhioPresAlliance@aol.com

The Ohio Preservation Alliance is a statewide non-profit preservation organization established to enhance the understanding and appreciation of Ohio's cultural heritage. The membership organization works to address a wide range of preservation issues, including a school preservation initiative primarily focused on preservation and adaptive reuse strategies for historic schools in Ohio's non-urban communities, small towns and rural areas. Contact the Ohio Preservation Alliance for more information.

Information from the National Trust for Historic Preservation Preliminary Research Findings on Public Policies Affecting Older and Historic Schools:

“In June 2000, the National Trust for Historic Preservation included historic neighborhood schools on its annual list of ‘America’s Eleven Most Endangered Historic Places.’ In taking this action, the National Trust sought to make the general public aware of threats to irreplaceable historic schools.

“The threats include: deferred maintenance, lack of money for needed repairs, demolition plans, public policies that make it hard to preserve these schools, and sprawl development that drains the economic vitality from older communities.

“The ‘endangered listing’ came in response to requests from parents, neighborhood conservation advocates, and other citizens across the country who are fighting to save these schools as schools.

“…Citizens are struggling to save the schools for several reasons: They can still provide a good education, often in smaller settings in which students receive personal attention. They are located in neighborhoods that allow children to walk to school. The schools anchor and stabilize older, established neighborhoods. They are often distinctive landmarks that inspire civic pride. And they serve as important centers of community.

“The National Trust for Historic Preservation is not an expert in education, but the organization and its members have five decades of experience in revitalizing older neighborhoods, which are the proverbial village that it takes to raise a child. To the extent that the quality of the communities in which students function affects the mindset that they bring to school, to the extent that a strong and cohesive neighborhood can provide a safety net and positive outlets for young people, and to the extent that schools serve as community anchors, the interests of historic preservationists and educators converge.”