Considerations for a historical home
By Miriam Schakat
Q: I am interested in purchasing a home. One of the homes I have
been considering for purchase is potentially an historically
significant structure. How does a structure qualify as historically
significant? And what are the consequences of owning such a
structure?
Considerations for a historical home
By Miriam Schakat
Q: I am interested in purchasing a home. One of the homes I have been considering for purchase is potentially an historically significant structure. How does a structure qualify as historically significant? And what are the consequences of owning such a structure?
A. How does a structure become historically significant? First and foremost, is the prospective house fifty years old? Fifty years is a guideline established by the National Register Bulletin to establish whether a structure could be potentially historic. This fifty-year time frame permits the establishment of an historic context within which the potential resource may be properly evaluated. Knowledge of historic context permits us to understand the relative importance of the resource in question. A resource may be significant within its first fifty years, however it must be exceptional. Examples of exceptionally important structures that have achieved historic significance within the first fifty years are Charlie Parker House in New York or launch sites such as the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Secondly, if the building is greater than fifty years of age, then it must fall within the four California Register of Historical Resources criteria. These criteria are:
– Association with events that have made a significant contribution to broad patterns of local or regional history or the cultural heritage of California or the United States;
– Association with the lives of persons important to local, California or national history;
– Embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, region or method of construction or represents the work of a master or possesses high artistic values;
– Has yielded, or has the potential to yield, information important to the prehistory or history of the local area, California or the nation.
If the building falls into one of the above listed criteria, then it may be historically significant. If the structure falls within criteria 1 or 3, then it must also be an important example within the specified context. If the structure qualifies under criterion 2, then the important person must have conducted the work that made him or her significant at the time they resided or worked in the specified building.
If the building is more than fifty years old, and it qualifies under one or more of the California Register criteria, it still has to have retained its integrity. Integrity of structure is preserved if the building is substantially unchanged. The more changes that have been done to a building, the more the integrity will be diminished thereby also destroying its historical significance. Consequently, to qualify as historically significant, a building must be greater than fifty years old (unless it is exceptional); it must be significant under one of the four criteria of the California Register of Historic Resources and it must have retained its historic integrity.
Before purchasing a potentially historically significant structure, the following should be considered:
– Are additions or improvements a significant possibility in the future;
– The local historic building regulations;
– Does the house require any type of renovation;
– Are original or substitute materials available for repairs;
– Are builders available that are knowledgeable about repairing and remodeling historic structures.
A historically significant home is restricted as to the type and amount of remodel that may be done. Subsequently, a potential buyer should make sure to be aware of any structural problems and the time and money required to repair them. Additionally, unless some type of exceptionally overriding considerations exist, the historically significant structure can not be demolished. Any type of remodel must be done according to the National Secretary of Interior Standards. This means any identified historically significant features of the building can not be remodeled or touched unless some type of mitigation measures are in place.
When a structure is deemed historic, and the owner applies for a permit to remodel, the permit processing procedure is also more complicated. When changes are proposed to the historically significant structure, a second analysis must be done by an historic consultant, analyzing whether the proposed changes are in accordance with the Secretary of Interior Standards. This requires a full report, and a hearing before a Historic Review Board. The Historic Review Board will then either deny or approve the proposed changes followed by the permitting process.
In summary, the remodel or renovation of a historically significant structure is restricted by the National Secretary of Interior Standards and involves a more complicated than standard permitting process.
