{"id":1281,"date":"2018-01-29T20:17:08","date_gmt":"2018-01-29T20:17:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/orbisec.com\/?p=1281"},"modified":"2018-01-29T20:17:08","modified_gmt":"2018-01-29T20:17:08","slug":"five-ways-to-avoid-disaster","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/orbisec.com\/index.php\/2018\/01\/29\/five-ways-to-avoid-disaster\/","title":{"rendered":"Five Ways to Avoid Disaster with Historic Buildings"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Whether for public or private use, historic structures are\u00a0important parts of our communities.\u00a0 Owning and maintaining a historic building, however, can bring unique challenges. But with a little planning you can keep these problems from growing into ,\u00a0 full blown disasters.<\/h3>\n

The City of Muncie, Indiana recently experienced a storm that\u00a0severely damaged the historic Muncie Fieldhouse. Built in 1928, the fieldhouse has been the center of the Muncie community for generations, but due to budgetary issues, maintenance and care had not been able to keep up with the needs of the building, leading to larger structural problems. Now,\u00a0the damage from the recent storm is so severe that the future of the fieldhouse is in jeopardy. Losing the Muncie Fieldhouse would be a significant loss for the community.<\/h3>\n
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The historic Muncie Fieldhouse – after suffering recent storm damage.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

While it is impossible to predict when a severe storm may\u00a0damage a specific historic building, proactive steps can help prevent the further deterioration or loss of a historic structure. Below are some ways that private owners and the public can help aid in historic preservation of buildings, which\u00a0contribute so much to our communities:<\/h3>\n

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    Capitalize on community interest<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Getting the community involved and excited about your historic property is a great way to help raise funds, create allies, and find resources to help you with your building.\u00a0 There may already be a group that values your building. You may just need to look around and connect with them.\u00a0 Some of these groups might be your local historical society, town historic preservation commission, or a local university. All of these would have expertise and resources to help you maintain your historic property.<\/h3>\n

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      Crowdsource funds<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Another way to fund upkeep for your historic property is to crowdsource funds.\u00a0 There are many effective ways to involve interested parties and raise funds.\u00a0 By creating a goal and stating your purpose, you can connect with people who value your project and want to help fund you.\u00a0 Through this you will involve others\u00a0who can help raise the money you need for larger projects.<\/h3>\n

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        Apply for grants<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Finding the funds for larger maintenance\u00a0needs can be difficult.\u00a0 But there are numerous grants available to help with historic preservation projects, such as building rehabilitations and reconstructions.\u00a0 Grants come from a variety of sources and have various requirements.\u00a0 You can apply for these grants on your own, but\u00a0 you may wish to consult with a professional architectural historian, who\u00a0can help you determine the best course of action in pursuing grants for your historic building.\u00a0 An architectural historian would also be able to help navigate the language and complexity of these historic preservation grants.<\/h3>\n

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          Consult with an architectural historian<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          Regardless of your funding sources, it can help to contact an architectural historian.\u00a0 Even a brief discussion may help clear up some questions or help point you in the right direction.\u00a0 A more developed and professional relationship can help you research your historic property and learn about its original use and significance, or help determine eligibility in the National Register of Historic Places, which in turn opens more grant possibilities and provides some legal protection for your property.\u00a0 An architectural historian can also\u00a0help apply for historic properties tax deductions.\u00a0If you have access to a professional, they can\u00a0help you better understand your historic property,\u00a0guide you through\u00a0 maintenance projects, and help you prepare for the future upkeep and preservation of your building.<\/h3>\n

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          Which brings us to the most important step;<\/h3>\n

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            Keep up with maintenance<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            It can be\u00a0more expensive to preserve and maintain a historic structure compared to a modern building. This is largely due to more frequent\u00a0repairs, or the need for skilled specialists\u00a0familiar with the unique materials and problems of historic buildings. Admittedly, gathering the\u00a0funds and expertise to maintain a historic building can be a daunting task.\u00a0 While\u00a0the frequency and types of repairs may be\u00a0different than what you are used to,\u00a0staying on top of the day-to-day upkeep of a building can help avoid a major issue that will take you unaware or unprepared.<\/h3>\n

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            The cost and commitment to larger projects is frequently so daunting that\u00a0projects are postponed until there is more money and time.\u00a0 But often the resources and right time never come.\u00a0 Simply feeling\u00a0overwhelmed by a large historic property can also make it difficult to begin.\u00a0 But indecision will almost always lead to small problems becoming larger problems, and larger problems leading to unexpected disasters.<\/h3>\n

            This doesn’t have to happen.<\/h3>\n

            Seeking out community involvement through interest, resources, and funding, and applying for historic preservation grants are good ways to meet your goals of maintaining a historic property.\u00a0 If you need additional guidance, an architectural historian\u00a0can\u00a0help you establish a course of action, find the resources you need, and achieve your goals in maintaining and preserving your historic building.<\/h3>\n

            Forearmed with these ideas, it is possible to avoid disaster.<\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

            Whether for public or private use, historic structures are\u00a0important parts of our communities.\u00a0 Owning and maintaining a historic building, however, can bring unique challenges. But with a little planning you can keep these problems from growing into ,\u00a0 full blown disasters. The City of Muncie, Indiana recently experienced a storm that\u00a0severely damaged the historic Muncie […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1281","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-history","category-public-outreach"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/orbisec.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1281","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/orbisec.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/orbisec.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orbisec.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orbisec.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1281"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/orbisec.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1281\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/orbisec.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1281"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orbisec.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1281"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orbisec.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1281"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}