Preservation Plan Grade Listing Criteria

UMW Preservation Plan

Grading Criteria for Buildings and Landscapes: Objectives of Grade Classifications: The grading of the University of Mary Washington’s structures and landscapes is an attempt to appropriately address, both from an historical, as well as fiscal perspective, potential impacts in a manner that coincides with the significance and integrity of the impacted site. Therefore, structures and landscapes deemed to retain a high level of significance and integrity will receive higher grade designation and be afforded a more intensive evaluation when interventions are proposed by either general maintenance concerns or larger Master Planning conflicts. Such evaluation will diminish progressively as significance and integrity, therefore grade level, decreases. In this manner, fiscal resources and time can be allocated most appropriately to those structures deemed worthy. Guidelines for treatment will also be developed for each grade category.

It should be noted however that grade classifications are apt to change over the course of time or in the case of substantial alterations to the structure or site. Therefore, it is necessary to re-evaluate grade listings every five years.1 This time frame has proven to allow enough time to pass for changes to occur as well as not burden the institution with costly annual inspections and Preservation Plan changes.

Exceptions: While most buildings will be covered by a single grade classification, there are exceptions. The first exception would occur should a particular feature, such as an interior room, or exterior architectural detail, warrant a higher grade classification as compared with the entirety of the building. In this instance, a separate grade listing can be applied to the particular feature allowing for different guidelines to be used in its treatment. However, because of the potential for such designations to confuse the implementation of the Preservation Plan, such designations should be used sparingly. The other exception would occur under the evalaution of landscapes where a particular façade of a structure contributes significantly to the space in question. For example, a structure like Chandler Hall may not be eligible for grade I listing under its own merits, however, as part of Ball Circle, Chandler Hall’s front façade becomes a contributing assest to a grade I listed landscape, and therefore, would need to be considered under those guidelines. Such exceptions can be applied to a site iregardless of the sites age.

Terminology: Understanding both significance and integrity, as defined by the Secretary of Interior, is important to assuring proper grade listing of structures and landscapes owned by the University of Mary Washington.

Through these definitions, in association with the sites age, history, context, and level of significance, grade listings should be developed.

Significance: The quality of significance in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture is present in districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects that possess integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association, and: 1

Quinquenial, English system of re-evaluating and inspecting churches based on anticipated changes and economy.

Grade Listing Criteria A. That are associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history; or B. That are associated with the lives of significant persons in or past; or C. That embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction, or that represent the work of a master, or that possess high artistic values, or that represent a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction; or D. That have yielded or may be likely to yield, information important in history or prehistory.2 Sites only have to satisfy one criteria (A,B,C,or D) as well as the seven aspects of integrity to be determined significant. Significance however, can be further categorized into those structures which exhibit national, regional, state or even local significance. This is important to consider when evaluating the grade listing of Mary Washington structures as distinctions will have to be made as to the level of significance the structure conveys. Simply being significant is not enough to warrant a grade I listing.

Integrity: Integrity is the ability of a property to convey its significance. The evaluation of integrity is sometimes a subjective judgment, but it must always be grounded in an understanding of a property's physical features and how they relate to its significance. It should be noted that integrity is not to be directly associated with building condition which will not be determined within the scope of the Preservation Plan. Therefore, the grade listing of a structure should not take into consideration condition at the time of assessment.

Historic properties either retain integrity (this is, convey their significance) or they do not.

Within the concept of integrity, the National Register criteria recognizes seven aspects or qualities that, in various combinations, define integrity.

The retention of specific aspects of integrity is paramount for a property to convey its significance. Determining which of these aspects are most important to a particular property requires knowing why, where, and when the property is significant. The seven aspects of integrity are; Location: Location is the place where the historic property was constructed or the place where the historic event took place. Integrity of location refers to whether the property has been moved or relocated since its construction. A property is considered to have integrity of location if it was moved before or during its period of significance.

Relocation of an aid during its active career if the move enhanced or continued its function is not a significant loss of integrity.

2

National Register Bulletin, How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation�, U.S. Department of the Interior.

UMW Preservation Plan

Marye House would be one example of a structure that has lost its location integrity as it was moved after its period of significance that being its use as the President’s house.

Design: Design is the composition of elements that constitute the form, plan, space, structure, and style of a property. But properties change through time. Changes made to continue the function of the site during its career may acquire significance in their own right. These changes do not necessarily constitute a loss of integrity of design. However, the removal of features that served to convey the buildings significant function can have a considerable impact on the integrity.

Chandler Hall is a good example of a structure that has lost its design integrity.

Originally created as a teaching school, certain features such as observation rooms were incorporated into the original design and played a role in establishing the buildings significance. However, these were removed during subsequent renovations damaging the design integrity of the structure.

Setting: Setting is the physical environment of a historic property that illustrates the character of the place.

Framar is a good example of a structure that has lost its setting integrity. Originally constructed as a standalone house with a landscaped yard providing a distinct buffer from other structures, the subsequent construction of South and Jefferson Halls, after its period of significance, has destroyed this buffer and therefore its setting integrity.

Materials: Materials are the physical elements combined in a particular pattern or configuration to form the site during a period in the past. Integrity of materials determines whether or not an authentic historic resource still exists.

Fairfax Hall is a good example of a structure that has lost material integrity with the application of vinyl siding.

Workmanship: Workmanship is the physical evidence of the crafts of a particular culture or people during any given period of history. Workmanship is important because it can furnish evidence of the technology of the craft, illustrate the aesthetic principles of a historic period, and reveal individual, local, regional, or national applications of both technological practices and aesthetic principles.

Monroe Hall is a good example of a structure that has lost portions of its workmanship integrity, specifically the manufacture of its terra-cotta portico capitals. The replacement capitals no longer convey physical evidence of past technologies or manufacturing methods associated with the structures period of significance.

Feeling: Feeling is the quality that a historic property has in evoking the aesthetic or historic sense of a past period of time. Although it is itself intangible, feeling is dependent upon the sites significant physical characteristics that convey its historic qualities. Integrity of feeling is enhanced by the continued use of an historic structure corresponding to its period of significance.

Grade Listing Criteria Trinkle Hall is a good example of a structure that has for the most part lost its integrity associated with feeling as it no longer serves as the campus library.

Association: Association is the direct link between a property and the event or person for which the property is significant.3 The demolition of Civil War lunettes and entrenchments near Goolrick Hall is a good example of loss of association. These features provided a direct link with the battles of Fredericksburg and their demolition erased any physical link between those historic events and that location.

While retention of all seven aspects of integrity is important to determining significance, at times not all seven aspects need apply. Preference should be given to those aspects which most importantly relate to the structures significance.

Grade Classification Criteria: Grade I: Grade I listed buildings and landscapes are of exceptional interest. These sites exhibit significance beyond just the local level and maintain high degrees of integrity. Structures listed at this grade should be at least 50 years of age (see exception below).

Seacobeck Hall represents a good example of a grade I listed structure. While it has been updated and repaired, the building retains high levels of the seven aspects of integrity pertaining to its areas of significance; as one of the last works of a master architect Charles M. Robinson, known throughout Virginia, and as a structure with high artistic value.

Grade II: Grade II listed buildings and landscapes should be of local interest. While notable these sites are not necessarily the most exceptional examples. High levels of integrity and significance should still apply although certain aspects of integrity may be absent. Structures listed at this grade should be at least 50 years of age (see exception below).

Westmoreland Hall is a good example of a grade II listed structure. Many of the seven aspects of integrity still apply based on its period of significance as a PWA dormitory. However, the structure lacks the detail and ornamentation of Ball Hall which is also a PWA dormitory on campus.

Grade III: Grade III listed buildings and landscapes should be at least 50 years of age however much of their integrity has been compromised over time thereby diminishing their significance.

Combs Hall is a good example of a grade III listed structure. While the building played a significant role in the development and expansion of the campus during the late 1950s, the structure has lost many aspects of integrity due to renovations. Furthermore, the design and architectural merit of the structure, by itself, is not of local or regional significance.

3

National Register Bulletin, How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation�, U.S. Department of the Interior.

UMW Preservation Plan

Grade IV: Grade IV listed buildings and landscapes are those which are not yet 50 years old or; have little or no integrity remaining to their period of significance.

Jepson Hall is a good example of a grade IV listed building as the structure has not reached the 50 year benchmark at this time.

Exception: While structures that are less than 50 years of age are not considered historic and therefore are not to be considered for Grade I-III listing, however certain exceptions can apply. If a site from its creation is deemed to be of exceptional architecuitral or cultural value or should an important national event take place at the site, then it may be classified as a grade I-III site.