Category Archives: Beagles

Spring 2018

Architecture, Beagles, Building Preservation, Hardlines Design Company, Historic Preservation

President Charissa Durst Honored as a Progressive Entrepreneur

Charissa Durst was named a 2018 Progressive Entrepreneur Honoree at the Smart Women Breakfast on April 17, 2018. The award recognizes female entrepreneurs who have forged their own path and developed a company that has achieved substantial growth.  Charissa was honored for establishing herself as a leader in her field and among other women business owners, as well as for building Hardlines Design Company (HDC) from the ground up into an award-winning company that has earned an excellent reputation for its creative approach to architectural design and its love for the renovation of historic buildings.
Charissa Durst receives her award. (Photo by Jay LaPrete)

Demonstration of D/2

Cathie Senter gave the office a demonstration on how to clean masonry using D/2 Biological Solution, which is a non-toxic cleaner that can be sprayed onto masonry at full strength or diluted with water. We used bricks obtained from the Dawn Theater during the last field visit and confirmed that the brick featured black speckles that matched the original black mortar. The longer the brick was in contact with the solution, the cleaner it became. D/2 is also commonly used to clean historic gravestones in cemeteries.


Bricks from the Dawn Theater in a D/2 bath

Woodward Opera House Gets Partial Occupancy Permit

After 17 years, there is a light at the end of the tunnel! The Woodward Opera House project received partial occupancy at the end of March, which allowed portions of the building (the commercial sections) to be leased and occupied. Areas still under major construction include the theatre areas, which likely will not be ready until the fall season at the earliest. Charissa Durst and Brad Curtis have been working through the federal historic tax credit reporting forms as well as responding to issues brought up by the contractors and state inspectors. Many people have been asking about a grand opening, and we hope to have some news on that soon!


View of new main stair in the Promenade, April 2018

 
View of the Stage (left) and view of the Balcony (right)

HDC works with Commonwealth Heritage Group at the St. Louis Arsenal

Last fall, Commonwealth Heritage Group asked HDC to team with them on a project at the historic St. Louis Arsenal in Missouri for Scott Air Force Base in Illinois. HDC’s portion of the project was to conduct a conditions assessment and prepare repair and mothballing recommendations for when the Air Force transferred ownership of the buildings to the General Services Administration in the near future. Cathie Senter conducted the field work and recently contributed to the executive summary currently under review.
The Arsenal has a long history that began in 1827, when the site was used to manufacture and repair small arms and gun carriages for the Army as well as territorial militias west of the Mississippi River. It played a key role in settling the American West from arming U.S. troops during the Indian Wars of the 1830s to being a Union outpost during the Civil War. The Arsenal property is today a satellite to Scott Air Force Base and is highly secure, and all field team members had to be escorted and could not take photographs. However, the following historic images are already in the public domain and can be shown here.


Historic photo of Building 7, built 1849-50 as the Ordnance Coal House and now the Visitors Center.


Historic photo of Building 6, built in 1852 as the Carriage-Maker’s Shop and now demolished.

When the Boss is Away, the Dogs Will Play

When HDC President Charissa Durst attended the Women Presidents Organization annual conference in Los Angeles, Donut the Beagle stayed home to be tended by Charissa’s husband, Don Durst. Meanwhile, back at the office, the staff’s dogs made guest appearances.


Brad tries to teach Baxter the building code.


Megan’s Sherlock refuses to do any work and prefers to watch traffic.


Donut, who turned 14 on March 25, goes to Prairie Oaks Metro Park the weekend after the WPO conference and would rather be splashing in the water than posing for a photo.

Winter 2018

Architecture, Beagles, Hardlines Design Company, Historic Renovation


It’s Called a WHAT?

While attending Heritage Ohio’s 7th Annual Appalachia Heritage Success Stories meeting in December, Charissa Durst, Megan Claybon, and Cathie Senter got a tour of the Ohio statehouse. From the floor of the atrium connector you could see the underside of the soffits of the Greek Revival annex building, and what appeared to be Lego pieces on the underside. Cathie was able to identify these pieces as mutules, since she once taught a restoration class where they cleaned and restored so many wooden versions that they were all sick of the word.

Officially, a mutule is a rectangular block that hangs from the soffit of the cornice in the Doric order and appear over the triglyphs. They are likely a stone translation of the round pegs used to fasten structural pieces together when Greek temples were made entirely of wood. Even so, they still look like Legos pieces to me!

  

HDC Commissioned to Rehabilitate the Dawn Theater

The City of Hillsdale, Michigan, commissioned HDC in December to rehabilitate the Dawn Theater, a vaudeville/movie house that opened in September 1919. The building was renovated in 1938 with the addition of “Nu-Wood” acoustical paneling and again in 1970 when the brick façade and windows were covered with cement panels, which also unfortunately removed the stepped parapet. The theater’s latest use was a nightclub, where tiers infilled the sloped floor to make room for dining tables. Two rows of original movie seats still remain in the balcony. The goal of the rehabilitation is to restore the front façade and rehabilitate the interior for continued use as a banquet and meeting space.


The facade of the Dawn Theater as it looks today

The facade of the Dawn Theater when it opened in September 1919.

HDC employee Cathie Senter measures the slope of the parapet


Devon Pool Project Out to Bid

In Spring of 2017, the City of Upper Arlington commissioned HDC to make improvements to the existing pool house constructed in the 1950s. After a series of public meetings and presentations, the City decided to replace the existing building. The new building is scheduled to be open by Memorial Day 2019 with new shade structures and deck furniture provided this Memorial Day 2018. The new pool house will contain enlarged facilities for the staff, dressing rooms and interior showers, a concession stand with kitchen, and ample storage.


REVIT rendering of the new pool house


Clark County Exterior Work Almost Completed

When HDC was commissioned by the Clark County Commissioners to renovate their administration buildings in 2015, all parties knew that the wish list of work exceeded the available budget, especially at the historic courthouse and A.B. Graham building. HDC’s prioritized the work by securing the exterior envelope before considering interior improvements. HDC saved the county money by creating separate bid packages for roofing, windows, and masonry, negating the need for a general contractor and their markup. With the completion of the exterior work, County agencies are meeting to decide where the remaining funds should be spent and whether to appropriate additional money for the entire wish list.


Exterior of the A.B. Graham Building

Exterior of the Clark County Courthouse

Exterior of the Jobs & Family Services Building


Donut Defies the Cold!

Right after Christmas the temperature dropped to the teens and single digits. When it gets this cold, Donut’s paws usually start hurting after a few minutes when she walks through snow/ice. However, when she sees the sun shining through the window she just wants to go outside and run. Spraying her paws with non-stick cooking spray seems to buy more time outside when it’s cold. Here’s a picture of her enjoying the sunny weather and facing down the wind.


Donut on a rock at Prairie Oaks Metro Park

Holiday 2017

Beagles, Hardlines Design Company, What's New

Best wishes for a safe and happy holiday season and a prosperous 2018 from all of us at Hardlines Design Company!

Cathie, Brad, Megan, John, Charissa, and Donut

And here are our canine companions, who also want to chime in:

Charissa’s beagle Donut, in 2017
Brad’s buddy Baxter, dressed up in 2016

Sadly, John’s dog Roscoe passed away in 2017; here he is in 2011
Megan’s baby Sherlock, in 2017
Cathie’s 14 years old Casey, in 2017

If you would like a copy of the 2018 Donut calendar, click HERE.

 

June 2017

Beagles, HABS/HAER Documentation, Historic Renovation

HDC Says Good Bye and Good Luck to Intern Ellie Ervin!

During her senior year, Columbus Alternative High School student and Clintonville resident Ellie Ervin interned at HDC one day per week. It was good timing for Ellie—she was able to attend several job site meetings at John Bryan State Park (from pre-construction through punchlist). She also helped take field measurements on a 0-degree winter day and conducted primary research at the Franklin County courthouse and historic city directories for the documentation of 790 East Long Street. A funny memory during the research was Ellie’s reaction to the directory notes that indicated which houses had a phone–Millennials! Ellie was accepted by multiple colleges and has chosen to attend the architecture program at the University of Cincinnati. We know she will be a success and hope she comes back often for her work-study internships at UC!

John Bryan Day Lodge Renovation Nears Completion

Completed Interior of the Day Lodge Looking East

HDC was commissioned by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to renovate the Day Lodge in John Bryan State Park near Yellow Springs, which was built in the 1930s. Exterior work included a new roof, repair/replace deteriorated wood siding, new windows, and new paint finishes. Interior work included new floor finish, cleaning and refinishing the interior wood surfaces, and refinishing the historic one-piece table. Other improvements included adding PTAC units for air conditioning and heating, converting a wood burning fireplace into a propane gas one, new water heater, and new electrical panel.

HDC Documents Building on the Near East Side

Photo of 790-792 East Long Street in Columbus, Ohio, by Jeff Bates, March 2017

Columbus Next Generation Corporation commissioned HDC to document the building at 790-792 East Long Street prior to its demolition. The building is caddy corner from the Lincoln Theatre and is not structurally sound. The building was constructed c. 1875 and housed a grocery store on the corner with a residence next door and on the second floor. The residential areas housed a restaurant/bar for 100 years before closing in the 1990s. HDC prepared black and white photographs, a historical report, and measured drawings of the two accessible floor levels. The final documentation will be submitted to the City Historic Preservation Office and the Columbus Public Library for inclusion in their respective archives in perpetuity.

Donut Visits a Job Site

Donut poses by the southwest corner of the Day Lodge in April 2017

During fieldwork in 2016 and the cooler months of construction of the John Bryan State Park Day Lodge project in 2017, HDC president Charissa Durst often took Donut with her. After the project meeting, Donut would go for a long walk in the park. When the weather was too warm for her to wait in the car, Donut waited outside under a tree, tied to a picnic table. Once she barked and howled during the entire meeting, urging it to end so she could go on an expedition in the park.

January 2017

Beagles, Hardlines Design Company, Historic Renovation, Historic Theatres

(Originally posted January 31, 2017)

Hardlines Design Company (HDC) has a new look for our website! We’ve updated information and images, and hopefully made it more informative and useful.

HDC welcomes Megan Claybon!

Megan joined HDC at the end of 2016 due to her interest in historic preservation projects. Megan holds a Master of Architecture and Certificate in Historic Preservation from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from Georgia Tech. She has also studied abroad in Paris. Megan’s previous experience includes managing several Kroger supermarket design projects from programming to bidding as well as the design of historical style high-end custom residential homes. Megan is from Atlanta and she and her Boston terrier Sherlock are trying to get used to Ohio winters.

 

Clark County Juvenile Court Courtyard Project Nears Completion

 

HDC is currently punching out the project to enclose the existing courtyard at the Juvenile Court facility. The new multi-purpose room will provide space for meetings, classroom lectures, and even amateur theatrics. A new exterior entry vestibule and kitchenette area were also added. The enclosure features skylights that provide required light levels to the holding cells whose windows previously looked into the exterior courtyard.

Woodward Opera House

  

After we’ve been working on this project for 16 years, the Woodward Opera House is racing to finish by the end of 2017! Most of the work completed to date has been in the adjacent Annex building and the new construction behind it. The photo on the right shows the Promenade that forms the lobby serving the opera house on the third and fourth floors. The openings mark the location of the new main stair. The photo on the left shows the new top floor that encloses and showcases the Italianate roof brackets.

Donut Visits a Project Site

  

Due to the decent weather over the Christmas and New Year holidays, Donut went for walks at Franklin County Metroparks five times, 5-6 miles each! The last trip was to Glacier Ridge Metropark in Dublin, where we unexpectedly ran into a historical marker Hardlines Design Company had designed for the Ohio Department of Transportation marking the site of Mulzer Mill

Fall 2016

Beagles, Cultural Resources Management, HABS/HAER Documentation, Hardlines Design Company, What's New

(originally posted October 31, 2016)

This Fall’s edition of What’s New highlights the company’s big move, showcases a rehabilitation project and a HABS project, and a new video offering featuring Donut.

Hardlines Design Company Sells Cultural Resources Division to Commonwealth Heritage Group

On April 11, 2016, HDC decided to divest itself of the cultural resources department in order to focus on architecture, historic architecture, preservation planning, and architectural history. See the following news articles for coverage:

Columbus Business First

Clintonville This Week

HDC Completes Rehabilitation of Historic Church

View of Exterior and Interior of the Wildermuth Memorial Church in Carroll, Ohio

In the Fall of 2015, HDC was commissioned by the Wildermuth Memorial Church Board to prepare an assessment and recommendations report to rehabilitate the church for the congregation’s 200th anniversary in 2016. The church was likely built in the 1830s and then moved across the street to the current location in 1875 and moved further back from the road in the early 1950s to accommodate a road widening project.  The Board approved the recommendations and commissioned HDC to move forward with the design and construction of all the recommended work. Exterior work consisted of a new faux wood shake roof on the church and a new asphalt shingle roof on the attached youth center, reconstruction of the furnace flue/chimney, and repair/refurbishment of the windows, siding, trim, and shutters. Interior work included removal of two levels of acoustical ceilings to restore the original ceiling height with a new drywall finish, removal of the carpet and restoration of the wood floor and base, and restoration of the original chancel floor with carpet only in the area of the 1970s expansion. The church held a 200th anniversary public open house on July 30, 2016, that was attended by almost 300 people.

HDC goes to Alaska for the First Time!

Exterior and interior views of Building 1190 at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska

HDC was sub-contracted by Versar, Inc. to complete HABS documentation of a hangar proposed for demolition at Eielson Air Force Base near Fairbanks, Alaska, for the Alaska Air National Guard. In October, HDC President/Historic Architect Charissa Durst traveled to Fairbanks with Jeff Bates, who has been HDC’s HABS/HAER photographer for over 20 years. Building 1190 was one of four identical hangars constructed from 1946-1948 to prepare aircraft for transport to the Soviet Union under the lend-lease program after World War II. The other three hangars were lost to fire or demolished to make way for new construction. This hangar (Building 1190) was retained and has been used since 1958 as an air freight terminal under Air Mobility Command to deliver supplies to locations all over the world for all branches of the Department of Defense.

A Day in the Park with Donut

If you ever wondered what exactly Donut does when she’s at the park, check out this compilation video:

 

Fall 2015

Archaeology Surveys, Beagles, Stewart Elementary School, Sustainable Design, What's New

(originally posted on October 22, 2015)

This Fall’s edition of What’s New showcases archaeologists in the field, historical building surveys, a special achievement for one of HDC’s marquee projects, and a special treat from Donut, the office beagle

Stewart Elementary School project achieves LEED for Schools Silver Certification

Stewart Elementary School in the German Village neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio

In August 2015, Stewart Elementary School in Columbus, Ohio, was awarded LEED for Schools Silver Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council for its sustainable design and construction methods. Hardlines Design Company, the project’s Architect of Record, led a team that consisted of Columbus City Schools (Owner), Schooley Caldwell Associates (Associate Architect), MKSK Studios (Landscape Architects), Korda/Nemeth Engineering (MEP Engineers), Kabil Associates (Structural Engineers), Williams Interior Design (Furnishings), Smoot Elford Resource (Construction Manager) and Miles McClellan Construction Company (Contractor) to implement 51 points towards the school’s  certification.

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the nationally-accepted benchmark for the design, construction, maintenance and operation of green buildings. LEED ratings are based on a point system that measures the impact on the environment and those who use the building. The school’s sustainable design and construction efforts included:

  • Water savings of more than 20% through the use of low-flow fixtures and faucets.
  • Energy cost savings of 34% by utilizing a Variable Refrigerant Flow (VFR) system for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning to optimize energy performance.
  • Diverted more than 861 tons of construction waste from the landfill, or about 96% of all construction waste generated.
  • Using more than 10 percent recycled materials and 10 percent regionally sourced materials in the building’s construction, thereby saving transportation and production costs.
  • Rehabilitating an existing downtown structure to minimize demolition waste and combat sprawl, eliminating the need associated with new buildings to clear new land and build new roads and other infrastructure.

HDC Archaeologists Complete Fieldwork on Prehistoric Sites in Maryland

HDC archaeologist Terry Glaze excavates a test unit in Queen Anne’s County, Maryland

In August and September of 2015, HDC archaeologists were tasked by AECOM/URS to evaluate six prehistoric sites located within the construction limits for the expansion of Maryland Route 404 in Queen Anne’s County, Maryland. The six sites had been previously identified after a survey in 1990, with no further work conducted until this year. Working in the steaming late summer weather of Maryland’s Eastern Shore, HDC excavated 378 shovel test pits and 56 one-meter-square test units at the six sites, recovering approximately 1,600 artifacts. The artifacts mainly consisted of debitage, with a limited amount pottery, projectile points, fire-cracked rocks, and groundstone tools recovered as well, along with a handful of historical artifacts dating from the mid-1700s to the present. The sites appeared to represent a series of short-term resource procurement camps. Analysis of these sites for National Register eligibilty is ongoing.

HDC surveys historic resources at the NASA Glenn Research Center

Building 4 at the NASA Glenn Research Center in Brook Park, Ohio

HDC was sub-contracted by Ross Barney Architects to conduct a Historic Resources Survey and National Register of Historic Places assessment for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) at Glenn Research Center (GRC) at Lewis Field in Brook Park, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. The survey and National Register assessment included architectural survey of the exteriors of all standing structures within the Central Area of GRC, development of a historic context, and recommendations for a National Register-eligible district. The survey and National Register evaluation was completed to assist NASA and GRC in maintaining compliance with Sections 106 and 110 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, and to provide guidance for the management of historically significant built resources on the campus.

The GRC is highly significant in the history of American aeronautics. In 1940, the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics (NACA), the precursor to NASA, acquired land near the Cleveland airport for an aeronautics research facility, the Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory. The focus of this facility would be on developing and improving liquid-cooled and air-cooled engines. Over the years, this facility would contribute to advances in turbojet technology, deicing, and rocket propulsion.

HDC staff performed the survey in June and documented 128 buildings, structures, and objects. After evaluating the resources, HDC proposed the creation of a historic district composed of 82 contributing resources. In addition, HDC recommended that two wind tunnel complexes, the 8×6 Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel complex and the 10×10 Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel complex, are individually eligible for the National Register, in addition to contributing to the proposed GRC historic district. HDC also recommends that Building 4, the Flight Research Building, is individually eligible for the National Register and contributes to the proposed historic district, because it is the most iconic building on the GRC campus, and the building retains the integrity necessary to convey its significance as a large open hanger and support facilities still used to house aircraft for GRC.

Donut’s First Movie!

Donut the Beagle has often been the target of still photographers since she first arrived at the office in 2004. When she posed for a photograph with Santa Claus at a local Petsmart, the photographer commented that she was “very attentive for a beagle.” (Was that a compliment?) When HDC president Charissa Durst first got a smartphone with video, she made test videos of Donut running around the backyard. It wasn’t until this year that she attempted to edit one of her videos and add free online music to it. This video shows Donut actually swimming in Big Darby Creek at Prairie Oaks Metro Park, with music by The Builders and the Butchers called “Cradle on Fire.”

 

Spring 2015

Beagles, What's New

(originally posted by Charissa Durst on March 13, 2015)

2015 is a special year for Hardlines Design Company. Twenty-five years ago, Charissa Durst and Don Durst founded our company, never imagining the places it would take them and the people they would form relationships with. Throughout the year, our blog will highlight some of the special projects we’ve completed over the last 25 years. Read on for a sample!

The Ohio History Connection Commissions HDC with a Historic Structure Report

The Ohio History Connection (formerly the Ohio Historical Society) awarded HDC a contract to prepare a Historic Structure Report (HSR) of the Locktender’s House at the Lockington Locks Historic Site in Lockington, Shelby County, Ohio. The HSR will support the client’s efforts to obtain funding to complete the restoration and stabilization of a bypass spillway that lies between Lock 1 and the house, and to restore the house to its 19th century appearance. This site is the highest point of the Miami and Erie Canal. Construction on the canal started in 1831, and the canal was in active operation between 1845 and 1877. The village of Lockington (originally Lockport) was specifically founded in 1837 as construction on the Miami and Erie Canal moved north from Piqua. The Locktender’s House was the residence of the lock master during the period of operation for the canal. The lock master was in charge of overseeing the locks, including operation and maintenance.

The project is particularly challenging since very little documentation exists for the property. HDC staff field measured the building in order to produce CAD plans and elevations, and constructed a history of alterations through physical inspection and interviews with long-time nearby residents. This project is of special interest to company president Charissa Durst, who, as a graduate student, completed a design studio project at the site and inventoried several buildings in nearby Piqua for an architectural history class.

25 Years of Hardlines: A Look Back at HDC’s Work at Hill Air Force Base 

In the spring of 1993, the National Park Service in Denver issued a request for proposals to prepare a Cultural Resources Management Plan (CRMP) for Hill Air Force Base in Utah. HDC had recently completed a similar project at the Naval Submarine Base in San Diego, and decided to submit a proposal. We were in the process of wrapping up the fieldwork for the documentation of the River Street Historic District in San Jose, California, which is why President Charissa Durst ended up writing and submitting the proposal from her aunt’s house in Lafayette, California, and made the discovery that back then, Federal Express offices in the Pacific Time Zone close way earlier than those in Eastern Time Zone!

The Hill AFB project involved inventorying all buildings/structures on the base that were 50 years of age or older. In the end, we completed 396 State of Utah inventory forms. The base originally consisted of two installations that later merged: Hill Field and the Ogden Arsenal. The buildings on the Hill Field side were fairly typical Army Air Corps facilities associated with World War II. The Arsenal buildings, however, were very interesting. They dated back to the 1920s and were designed to store explosive ordnance. The buildings included underground igloos, above-ground munitions magazines, and a railroad complex to move the ordnance around the base. We also encountered two civilian buildings associated with the Uintah Pipeline Company and the Wasatch Gas Company built in the 1930s.

In addition to the inventory forms, HDC was also tasked with preparing National Register of Historic Places district nominations for two potential Historic Districts: Hill Field and Ogden Arsenal. After completion of the base scope, the National Park Service commissioned HDC to prepare Level I HAER drawings of the more significant buildings. HDC ended up documenting three buildings associated with Hill Field and seven associated with the Ogden Arsenal.

HAER drawing of the various ordnance igloos on the base and cover of popular history.

After completion of the HAER documentation, the Air Force commissioned HDC to prepare a popular history titled From Arms to Aircraft. The historical text was prepared by a local university, which HDC incorporated into the book along with the HAER drawings and photographs. The book proved to be very successful and for many years was given to employees when they retired from the base.

Donut’s Christmas Sweater

Back when Bagle the Beagle and Sadie the Beagle roamed the office, they would each receive a Christmas goodie bag of rawhide treats. Although rawhide is reputed to cause dogs to become aggressive, we never had a problem with Bagle or Sadie. Donut, however, definitely became aggressive over rawhide treats, proving that it isn’t just an urban myth. As a puppy, she really liked rope toys (Bagle refused to touch them) and toys where she had to unscrew parts in order to get to the treat, which she figured out in 5 minutes. These days, we just get her clothing, such as bandanas, sweaters, and coats. Bagle refused to wear even a bandana, but Donut seems to prance around to show them off. We figure it’s because she has long legs for a beagle so the bandana doesn’t trip her. This holiday season, Donut received a bright green “Snoopy” sweater, just in time for the sub-zero temperatures in January!

Spring 2014

Archaeology Surveys, Beagles, Hardlines Design Company, Historic Building Restoration, Historic Preservation, Ohio Department of Transportation

(originally posted by Andy Sewell on April 15, 2014)

Welcome to Hardlines Design Company’s Spring 2014 update! As I write this, it sure doesn’t seem like spring, with snow on the ground and 30-degree temperatures, but that just exemplifies how the weather was a big factor in our projects during the last quarter, with numerous weather-related schedule modifications. Despite the weather, HDC archaeologists managed to complete two field projects; more on those in another post. Other updates of note include the following:

HDC Completes Work on Mulzer Mill Plaques for Highbanks Metro Park in Delaware, Ohio

HDC recently completed the design of two interpretive signs for the Ohio Department of Transportation, Office of Environmental Services (ODOT-OES). The signs were created to commemorate the site of the former Mulzer Mills and an associated house located near the intersection of State Route 315 (SR 315) and West Powell Road, at the northwest corner of Highbanks Metro Park in Delaware County. As part of a mitigation effort for the construction and alterations on this intersection, ODOT-OES agreed to install interpretative signs to commemorate the former mill complex, whose foundation ruins were sited within the construction zone. These signs will be erected along the walking path along the Olentangy River in Highbanks Metro Park.

HDC used historic and modern photographs and brief descriptions in the design of the signs to allow for the best possible user experience. Potential sign designs were reviewed and improved over a series of meetings with the public until the text, photographs, and overall design of the signs were approved. High-pressure laminate signs were chosen over the traditional bronze plaque, as they allowed for images and more detailed written descriptions of the site. After the design phase was completed, HDC was able to work with Fossil Industries, a high pressure laminate sign company operating in Deer Park, New York, to have the signs manufactured. Because of the low cost offered by the high pressure laminate versus bronze, an extra sign panel for each sign was delivered to Highbanks Metro Park to provide a spare in case a sign is vandalized or destroyed by an act of nature. The weather this winter has delayed the final installation of the signs, but Highbanks Metro Park will have the signs installed later this spring.

HDC CRM staff attend GAPP conference

HDC was well represented at the Gas and Preservation Partnership (GAPP) Conference, held in the ballroom of the Fairmont Hotel in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A historian and archeologist from HDC attended the conference, which is aimed at formulating a working partnership between historic preservation professionals and the oil and gas production industry. The boom in natural gas production in eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania has resulted in a substantial increase in hydraulic fracturing. or “fracking’” projects. Because these projects are currently exempted from federal environmental permitting, fracking projects are not legally required take into account any impact to cultural resources. To address the concern of preservationists about the impact of fracking on cultural resources, GAPP hopes to create a voluntary “best practices” approach for the fracking industry to follow regarding the treatment of cultural resources without requiring additional government regulations. HDC will continue to stay appraised of this developing partnership, and will continue to work to preserve and document cultural resources, hopefully with the help and support of the oil and gas industry.

HDC’S Camp Perry Project Nears Completion

Construction on HDC’s project at four barracks buildings and the historic chapel at Camp Perry in Port Clinton, Ohio, is now nearing completion after a slowdown due to excessive cold. The project involved replacement of the asphalt shingle roof with metal, new metal soffit, fascia, gutters, and downspouts at two barracks; and replacement of existing siding, door, and windows at the other two barracks. Exterior work for the historic chapel consisted of washing, tuckpointing, and resealing the brick masonry, along with repair/replacement of fascia, soffits, steeple vents, exterior doors, and entry steps. Interior work included painting the chapel space as well as replacing the aisle carpet and refinishing the woodwork. HDC was also commissioned to prepared construction documents for a new HVAC system at two of the barracks, which would be bid at a later date when funding became available. Construction started in August of 2013 with construction completion in mid-April 2014.

Hard to Believe, but Donut the Beagle turned 10 Years Old on March 25!

This event almost slipped HDC’s collective mind if it wasn’t for an email from her vet reminding us of her birthday and upcoming vaccinations.  The year 2004 went by very slowly with her weekly training classes and daily homework assignments, but once she stopped deliberately biting people, time seem to just speed by!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

As you can see in her 2004 photograph, Donut was like a cartoon of a “cute puppy.” This image was once posted on the Daily Puppy website and one of the comments received was “with that face she could get away with murder!” Well, she did get away with biting everyone who touched her but luckily we were able to get her to stop after she was 7 months old. In her early photographs, many people also commented on the “wild animal” look in her eyes.

Like Bagle her predecessor, Donut started going gray at the age of 5 in 2009. However, Sadie the Beagle didn’t go gray until she was 10. Our theory is that beagles (dogs) who are smart and worry a lot go gray by age 5, and those that don’t think about things too much, like Sadie, keep their color until sheer age catches up with them. Donut definitely calmed down by the time she turned one, which led one engineer to comment that she was like a totally new dog. In this Christmas photograph, Donut definitely looks calm!

In 2013 Donut was taken to one of the Columbus Metroparks on nice weekend days. After the recent polar vortex winter, Donut started going to a park whenever the weather was sunny and over 40 degrees Fahrenheit. We’ve learned that it takes a couple of miles to take the edge off her and get her to stop pulling at the leash, and after 5 to 7 miles she’s happily tired and ready for a nap. In this photograph, Donut also needed a long bath to wash the melting snow/mud off her!

Fall 2013

Beagles, Hardlines Design Company, Historic Building Restoration, National Register Nomination

(originally posted by Andy Sewell on November 6, 2013)

Our quarterly update for Fall 2013 focuses on recent work we have done with historic buildings and historic districts. And of course, there’s a beagle update at the bottom!

HDC assesses the Canal Fulton Public Library’s moisture issues

HDC completed a moisture penetration assessment of the historic Canal Fulton Public Library, which received a grant from the Ohio Historic Preservation Office. The original building was constructed in 1879 as a residence known as the Sullivan-Held House. The library moved into the house in 1949 and built an addition in 1958. The library is a contributing element of the Canal Fulton Historic District, which was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on December 2, 1982. In 1992, the library constructed a second addition, and in 2003 underwent a complete renovation, along with the erection of a third addition. The Library commissioned HDC earlier this year to identify sources of ongoing moisture penetration and to provide recommendations and cost estimates to remediate the problems.

Canal Fulton Public Library, ca. 1882

HDC identified two active areas of active moisture penetration caused by improper installation of roofing materials in the previous renovations. In one area of the EPDM roof, improper slope caused water to pond, aggravated by improper roof drain locations and flashing details. In another area, EPDM roofing improperly overlapped an existing asphalt shingle roof, causing water to get under the shingles. Both of these problems could be easily remedied without adversely impacting the building’s historic features.

HDC also identified areas of excessive moisture content in the wooden siding, caused by too many coats of paint, as well as excessive humidity in the basement caused by an open crawl space. HDC also provided work recommendations and cost estimates for these items that followed the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.

National Register Nominations in Middletown, Ohio

For the past several months, HDC has been working with Downtown Middletown, Inc., to list a former railroad depot and two historic districts in the city of Middletown, Ohio, in the National Register of Historic Places. The former Big Four Depot National Register nomination was approved by the Ohio Historic Preservation Advisory Board (OSHPAB) at the end of September and was sent to the National Park Service for final approval. The Main Street Commercial Historic District nomination will create a new historic district in Middletown to encompass several historic buildings along Main Street including its intersection with Central Avenue. A revised draft of the nomination will be reviewed by the OSHPAB during their December meeting. The Central Avenue Historic District will create a new historic district comprised of more than 40 of Middletown’s historic commercial buildings. This nomination has been submitted to the Ohio Historic Preservation Office (OHPO) for their comments. After the OHPO’s comments are received and addressed, the Central Avenue Historic District nomination will be sent onto the OSHPAB for their approval as well. By listing these historically significant buildings and districts on the National Register, they will be granted some protections from federally funded and/or permitted projects, and the property owners can qualify for historic preservation tax credits. In addition, listing on the National Register assists downtown revitalization efforts by adding a sense of significance to the historic downtown, and can be a source of pride for the local community.

Donut L-O-V-E-S her Backyard!

Since the day she came home from the shelter at the age of 8 weeks, Donut has just been obsessed with the backyard. Where our previous beagle (Bagle) would head straight for her supper dish when she got home, Donut heads straight for the back door for a chance to run around in the yard. One side of the backyard is separated from a public walkway by only a chain link fence, so Donut can seen everyone (and every dog) who walks by and bark at them. We discovered long ago that Donut has a 30-foot turning radius (she fought every tie out length until she got 30 feet), and have avoided putting in raised garden beds that would interfere with her ability to get up to full speed.

Donut posing with sunflowers from [her] garden Donut posing with gardening tools
There are days when Donut will spend hours by herself outside, happily barking at passers-by and only coming in for a drink. Her favorite days are sunny cool days where she lays in the sun and soaks up the warm rays, but the ground is still cool enough to she won’t overheat. After an hour she flips over very slowly and does her other side.