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Perhaps you’ve just closed on your “new” historic home or inherited your childhood dwelling and you’re considering nominating it to the Hawai‘i State Register of Historic Places.  Here are some useful tips and resources to help you on your way. How do I get started? Download Historic Hawai‘i Foundation’s “Guide for Nominating Residences to the Hawai‘i Register of Historic Places” at this link: https://historichawaii.org/resource-center-2/register-guide/  This comprehensive manual can walk you step-by-step through the process. Why List? Does your home tell a piece of the collective story of our history? Listing honors a residence by recognizing its importance to the community, State, or the Nation and by deeming it to be worthy of preservation. Everyone benefits from preserving our historic resources, which are an integral part of the familiar local landscapes of our island home. Recognizing this importance, the government offers certain tax incentives such as the Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credit. This federal program is applicable for income-producing residential homes certified as historic or listed on the Register. While owner-occupied residences are not eligible, historic properties, or a portion thereof, used as a source of rental income (for example as a Bed and Breakfast operation) would qualify. You can learn more here https://www.nps.gov/tps/tax-incentives.htm At the county level, Honolulu, Kaua‘i, Maui, and Hawai‘i, offer tax relief for owners of residences listed on the Hawai‘i Register. These programs are similar in each County and offer a property tax exemption from real property taxation for homes listed on the Register. More information is available at https://historichawaii.org/resource-center-2/tax-info/ How do I know if my home is eligible? In deciding whether a residence should be placed on the Hawai‘i Register, state law requires that the Hawai‘i Historic Places Review [...]

By Melanie Islam It’s undeniable that preserving an existing building is one of the most sustainable building actions. Embodied energy is conserved and environmental impacts are limited by building reuse. Yet, nearly 74% of the energy produced in the U.S. is used to operate buildings and 38% of CO2 emissions are byproducts of buildings. Inefficient building operations are a result of many things that can be contributed to a building envelope’s response to the natural elements, specified equipment and its performance, or user behavior. Existing building stock represents a majority of building portfolio and addressing the role historic buildings have in positively reducing the larger impact buildings have towards the environment requires a holistic approach that involves all parties – owner, consultant, and occupants—in the decision-making process. By applying the “SWOT process” to building analysis, all parties have the opportunity to understand why historic buildings are inherently sustainability, while identifying the challenges to meet energy efficiency targets. For example, we know that many historic buildings were originally designed to be passive and low-energy structures. These buildings have tall ceilings with operable windows, beautiful day lit stairwells, good wall-to-window ratios, and facades that respond to the local climate conditions. All of these qualities support key sustainability strategies for day lit and naturally ventilated spaces. But, historic building envelopes are often poor thermal barriers, as the walls, roof, and windows lack the required U-value to accommodate for the temperature difference between indoor and outdoor air caused by the introduction of air conditioning. A solution to this problem could be to insulate the walls or roof and properly seal windows and doors to reduce coolth loss by infiltration. This may not be the exact answer, but the [...]

By Lee H. Nelson, FAIA Adapted from Preservation Brief 17 “Identifying the Visual Aspects of Historic Buildings as an Aid to Preserving their Character” The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties embody two important goals: 1) the preservation of historic materials and, 2) the preservation of a building's distinguishing character. Every old building is unique, with its own identity and its own distinctive character. Character refers to all those visual aspects and physical features that comprise the appearance of every historic building. Character-defining elements include the overall shape of the building, its materials, craftsmanship, decorative details, interior spaces and features, as well as the various aspects of its site and environment. Character-defining features at the Wakamiya Inari Shrine include the o-mune (ridge beam), chigi (X-shaped elements along the top of the ridge) and katsuyoi (barrel-shaped pieces that run horizontally along the ridge). Photo by Alec Freeman There are different ways of understanding old buildings. They can be seen as examples of specific building types, which are usually related to a building’s function, such as schools, courthouses or churches. Buildings can be studied as examples of using specific materials such as concrete, wood, steel, or limestone. They can also be considered as examples of an historical period, which is often related to a specific architectural style, such as Gothic Revival farmhouses, one-story bungalows, or Art Deco apartment buildings. There are many other facets of an historic building besides its functional type, its materials or construction or style that contribute to its historic qualities or significance. Some of these qualities are feelings conveyed by the sense of time and place or in buildings associated with events or people. A [...]

By Michael J. Auer, “The Preservation of Historic Signs” Preservation Brief 25  Historic signs once allowed buyers and sellers to communicate quickly, using images that were the medium of daily life. Historic signs can contribute to the character of buildings and districts. They can also be valued in themselves, quite apart from the buildings to which they may be attached. However, any program to preserve historic signs must recognize the challenges they present. These challenges are not for the most part technical. Sign preservation is more likely to involve aesthetic concerns and to generate community debate. Added to these concerns are several community goals that often appear to conflict: retaining diverse elements from the past, encouraging artistic expression in new signs, zoning for aesthetic concerns, and reconciling business requirements with preservation. The City Mill sign is a familiar landmark on Nimitz Highway. Courtesy of City Mill Co. The Hawai‘i Theatre marquee sign is one of the most photographed locations in Chinatown. Courtesy of Mason Architects.   Maintaining and Repairing Historic Signs Maintenance of historic signs is essential for their long-term preservation. Sign maintenance involves periodic inspections for evidence of damage and deterioration. Lightbulbs may need replacement. Screws and bolts may be weakened, or missing altogether. Dirt and other debris may be accumulating, introduced by birds or insects, and should be cleaned out. Water may be collecting in or on sign cabinets, threatening electrical connections. The source of water penetration should be identified and sealed. Most of these minor repairs are routine maintenance measures, and do not call for special expertise. All repairs, however, require caution. For example, electricity should be turned off when working around electric signs. [...]

From “Preservation Brief 47: Maintaining the Exterior of Small and Medium Size Historic Buildings” by Sharon C. Park, FAIA. Maintenance is the most important preservation treatment for extending the life of a historic property. It is also the most cost effective. Understanding the construction techniques of the original builders and the performance qualities of older building materials, using traditional maintenance and repair methods, and selecting in-kind materials where replacements are needed will help preserve the building and its historic character. Over time, the cost of maintenance is substantially less than the replacement of deteriorated historic features and involves considerably less disruption. Stopping decay before it is widespread helps keep the scale and complexity of work manageable for the owner. Maintenance can be managed in small distinct components, coordinated with other work, and scheduled over many years to ensure that materials are properly cared for and their life span maximized. A written maintenance plan is the most effective way to organize, schedule, and guide the work necessary to properly care for a historic building. The maintenance plan should include a description of the materials and methods required for each task, as well as a schedule for work required for maintenance of different building materials and components. Historic house journals, maintenance guides for older buildings, preservation consultants, and preservation maintenance firms can assist with writing appropriate procedures for specific properties. Priorities should be established for intervening when unexpected damage occurs such as from broken water pipes or high winds. Worker safety should always be paramount. When work is beyond the capabilities of in-house personnel and must be contracted, special efforts should be made to ensure that a contractor is both experienced in working with historic buildings [...]

Graffiti are markings that are applied illicitly on walls or other surfaces, usually in a public place. It can damage or weaken the original building material (the substrate), and also leave unsightly markings both from the original tags and the effects of visible overpainting or shadows after removal. Graffiti also have a strong correlation to crime and undesirable activities that affect the public perception of an area.  If applied without owner consent or proper approvals (such as compliance with sign codes or other land use requirements), graffiti is considered vandalism or defacement. Most local jurisdictions have laws against graffiti, with civil and criminal penalties for violations. The National Park Service Preservation Brief on removing graffiti from historic masonry emphasizes that quick response to remove graffiti as soon as it appears is important both for its elimination and its recurrence. Quickly removing the applied coating can keep it from permanently adhering to the building material. Quick removal also acts as a deterrent to vandalism and reduces the likelihood of recurrence. The goal for graffiti removal is to remove the marking without damaging the underlying material. It is important to use the gentlest means possible to avoid harming the substrate. Otherwise, the graffiti removal can be as harmful or disfiguring as the markings themselves. To select an appropriate removal method, it is necessary to identify both the material of the substrate (such as brick, basalt, glass, concrete, or wood) and the media of the coating (e.g. spray paint, ink, wax, or markers). Download the WJE Report on Graffiti Cleaning & Prevention (PDF) A recent technical study of graffiti prevention and removal in Honolulu’s Chinatown identified four major graffiti removal methods: microabrasion, chemical methods, water methods, and overpainting. [...]