Minnesota State Preservation Office Weblog

Archive for January, 2014

PMN 2013: Building Codes and Preservation

Friday, January 31st, 2014



PMN 2013: The Archaeology of Architecture

Wednesday, January 15th, 2014

With brushes and backhoes, archaeologists document the locations of former buildings. What can their work tell us about structures that were once part of our communities? How can archaeology inform our understanding and interpretation of existing historic buildings? Using examples from Minnesota excavations, this presentation will demonstrate the preservation benefits of doing the archaeology of architecture

Presenter: Michelle Terrell, Two Pines Resource Group, Shafer, MN

PMN 2013: Keynote Address: Preservation Means Change

Tuesday, January 7th, 2014

Some people assume preservation means freezing a building in time, but many property owners know that restoring a building often requires making changes. This can mean replacing a missing detail, building an addition, or retrofitting for energy conservation. These, and other changes, are essential in maintaining our historic districts and for keeping historic buildings in active service. The key is to make these changes while preserving those features that contribute to a property’s significance. How can property owners make design decisions that will meet new functional needs and preserve our historic properties?  Noré Winter, a principal with Winter & Company, Boulder, Colorado asks that we refocus the definition of “preservation,” and provides case studies for what that means.