Category Archives: Historic Theatres
3D Drone Photographs Assist with Exterior Envelope Repairs
Left: Detail of attic dormer at the Clifton Opera House. Right: Detail of Sign Plaque at Clifton School.
HDC has been working on preparing construction packages to rehabilitate the historic Cedarville Opera House in Cedarville and the historic Clifton Opera House and Clifton School in nearby Clifton. All three buildings were constructed in the late 19th century and have varying degrees of roof, brick wall, and wood window deterioration. HDC commissioned MAJ Consulting LLC to take high resolution photos of the exterior of each building and stitch the photos together into a high-resolution 3D exterior model of the building that is so clear we can conduct an exterior assessment and prepare remediation drawings based on the model alone! This method is extremely helpful for steeply sloped roofs and tall buildings where exterior conditions had to be observed and assessed from the ground.
Detail of Fire Department Hose Tower at the Cedarville Opera House.
January 2017
(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
Five Things to Keep in Mind About Historic Building Renovation
(by Charissa Durst, originally posted on October 4, 2012)
We often take for granted the history of a neighborhood. Where once stood an Art Deco office building, now sits a cookie-cutter strip mall. But what if an architect had taken the time to study the history behind the Art Deco building? How would they have gone about completing an historic building renovation that not only would house shops but could also have a positive impact on the neighborhood as a whole? By following a few guidelines, renovating a historical building doesn’t need to be the money pit many developers would have you believe.
Do your research. Understanding the history of a community will give you a huge advantage when beginning your restoration project. Just as architectural periods segue from one style to another, neighborhoods reinvent themselves over time. Through careful research, patterns will emerge that will help you tackle your project while maintaining the building’s integrity. Historically, research has always been a bit of a treasure hunt. Hours of library research often turned up scant details while other days you could immerse yourself in a building’s original plans. Luckily, the internet has opened up the world’s historical archives and sources such as Sanborn Fire Insurance maps collection give you an instant picture of a neighborhood’s character.
Review regulations. Every city has its own regulations on historical preservation. Taking the time to learn know your area’s regulations will definitely save you time, money and headaches. Submit plans early in the process; you might need the extra time to make design adjustments. Also, check the historical designation of the building you are restoring. Is it listed in the National Register of Historic Places or as a contributing structure to a historic district? Contact the state historic preservation office, the agency that oversees historic preservations, and ask if your project has any restrictions you’ll need to follow. Generally, historic renovations should follow the Secretary of the Interior’s Guidelines for Rehabilitation (link to NPS site?). Finally, check if your property is located in an area subject to review by a local area commission, architectural commission, or historical commission. I sit on the German Village Historic Commission here in Columbus, and believe me, we are way more strict with buildings in our district than a property that is merely subject to state or federal regulations!
Secure funding. Historic building renovations can qualify for a variety of federal grant programs. These programs, which help offset the high cost of preservation projects, have various requirements so make sure you know your projects parameters and goals before applying. The Main Street Grant program assists historic downtown areas retain their tradition and character. Our company is currently working on a façade improvement project in the City of Xenia that was partially funded by a Main Street grant.
Rendering of proposed facade improvements in Xenia, Ohio
Federal historic tax credits and new market tax credits have been a source of funding for renovation projects since the 1980s. When coupled with state historic tax credits, a significant percentage of the project’s costs can be covered. Our Woodward Opera House project recently applied for federal and state tax credits, which allowed the project to expand from a $2.5 million “just fix-it” construction budget to an almost $15 million state-of-the-art performing arts center budget.
The Woodward Opera House in Mount Vernon, ca 1916
Reuse and recycle. Bringing modern conveniences and materials into your historical renovation can be a labor of love. By installing environmentally friendly products during your renovation, you can bring warmth and savings to your building. Reuse, restore or repurpose flooring you salvaged during demolition. Creating a ‘sustainable-use plan’ prior to construction will expedite the material recycling and help you organize the inventory for future use. If your goal is a sustainable project, consider obtaining LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. A project earns points for each sustainable criteria met. A total building renovation qualifies as a LEED New Construction project, which requires 40 points for basic certification, 50 for Silver, 60 for gold, and 80 for platinum. HDC is currently renovating a historic elementary school with the goal of achieving LEED for Schools Silver Certification.
