Many building types–particularly single-use properties such as banks, theaters, churches and hotels–have unique and dramatic interior spaces that are character-defining yet challenging to adapt for contemporary uses. […]
News
Historic Tax Credits and Local Landmarks
June 2017
Historic buildings are celebrated as local landmarks across the country. From the tallest skyscrapers in large cities to the quaint Main Streets in small town America, these landmarks form the identity of communities. Due to their status, these landmark buildings can attain multiple levels of historic designations, including listing in the National Register of Historic […]
Change Over Time: Certification of Altered Buildings
May 2017
Commercial buildings are not static and do not exist in a vacuum. Intact buildings are rare. Rather, commercial structures are creatures of the real estate market and success invariably means they must be updated to meet evolving market expectations.Read full article here.
Maintaining Character In Multiple- Building HTC Project
March 2017
Like movies, buildings are full of character: usually a couple of lead characters, aided by supporting characters. When rehabilitating a historic building using historic tax credits (HTCs), the National Park Service (NPS) requires the character-defining features of a building to be maintained. To ensure that this character is maintained, the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards […]
Documentation, Documentation, Documentation
February 2017
The importance of documentation in a historic tax credit (HTC) development cannot be overemphasized. There are actually three distinct forms of documentation, all of which are critical to a successful historic tax credit application. Historic Documentation: First is documenting the historic evolution of the building. With few exceptions, buildings change over time. Tenants move in […]
Opportunities to use Federal Historic Tax Credits on Multi-Tenant Office Buildings
January 2017
When undertaking a rehabilitation development using historic tax credits (HTCs), the functional use of the building greatly influences the approach to proposed interior finishes. Reusing historic structures as office buildings requires foresight to understand the needs of future tenants, who may have a specific aesthetic in mind and to balance those needs with the HTC […]
Back to Basics: The Ingredients of a HTC Application
December 2016
Heading into the New Year is timely opportunity to take a step back and revisit the fundamentals of a good tax credit application. The quality of that application is important for three reasons: First, it demonstrates to the reviewing agencies that you know the program and what is important to them as they evaluate your […]
Brutalism: A New Frontier for Historic Tax Credits
November 2016
Brutalism has long been viewed negatively in the architectural community as “monolithic” or “imposing,” but has come back into vogue as changing tastes redefine design. At the same time, many of these buildings, built in the late 1960s through the 1970s, are reaching the 50-year threshold for National Register historic designations; thus, are potentially eligible […]
Rehabilitating the So-Called ‘White Elephant’–How to Make a Challenging Project Succeed
October 2016
When you visit a city, you’re bound to see all types of buildings: commercial, residential institutional and ecclesiastical. These come in all ranges of styles and sizes, depending on your location. In more than 30 years of being in the historic real estate redevelopment industry, I’ve seen many types of buildings rehabilitated using historic tax […]
Defining Character: What is a Character-Defining Feature?
September 2016
In reviewing projects for historic tax credits (HTCs), the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and National Park Service (NPS) evaluate proposed work under the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation (Standards). While the Standards are general in nature, there is published guidance to illuminate how the Standards are applied to projects.Essentially, the intent of […]
The Importance of Follow-Through in HTC Applications
August 2016
Some developers look upon the historic tax credit (HTC) process as straightforward paperwork: Completing and submitting the Part 2 application; receiving approval from the National Park Service (NPS); and moving forward with the approved project, no longer in need of an HTC consultant.There are many projects where this approach has worked, but it is not […]
Hotel Branding and the Historic Tax Credit
July 2016
Using historic tax credits (HTCs) and
successfully completing a hotel rehabilitation
project is a logical choice to cater to the
growing group of heritage-minded tourists. However,
these projects can pose a variety of challenges…
