Title
Vote to award a contract to hmwPreservation for the Chatham County Architectural Survey update and approve the contract for up to $300,000
Abstract
Introduction & Background: With the support of the Board of Commissioners, the Planning Department has initiated an update to the county’s Architectural Survey, originally completed in the late 1980s. It is standard practice to revisit and revise these surveys every 30–40 years. Updates are often prompted by major weather events—such as hurricanes or floods—that threaten historic resources, or by infrastructure projects, like those led by NCDOT, that may impact historically significant sites.
Chatham’s approach is more proactive. The county is continuing to experience record residential growth that continues to expand into the rural and agricultural areas of the county. These changes impact the county's historic resources catalogued in the original architectural survey, and the updated inventory will support preservation efforts and foster greater appreciation of both historic and newly recognized architectural assets, with a special emphasis on documenting Chatham’s history of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities, particularly in relation to agricultural heritage.
Planning staff have selected hmwPreservation to lead the update. Heather Slane, the firm’s principal, brings extensive experience from similar projects across North Carolina and comes highly recommended. We’re excited to begin this important work with her.
Discussion & Analysis: Published in 1991, the first Comprehensive Architectural Survey was separated into three sections. The first section is the survey of the 13 Townships and the town of Siler City by Rachel Osborn, completed in two phases from 1982-1986. The second section was completed by Ruth Selden-Sturgill and was a survey of Pittsboro. The third section was the in-depth historic inventory and the thorough editing of what became the final 391-page volume.
The first phase of the project will include the updating of existing survey files for rural Chatham County, excluding those properties located within the municipal boundaries and extra-territorial jurisdictions of Pittsboro, Siler City, Goldston, Cary, and Apex. Between 1982 and 1986, Rachel Osborn completed a Comprehensive Architectural Survey of the county’s thirteen (13) townships and the town of Siler City. Ruth Selden-Sturgill then completed a survey of Pittsboro. The results of the two surveys resulted in a Multiple Property Documentation Form for the National Register and a 391-page publication on the historic architecture of the county. Other site numbers have been assigned during Section 106-related survey and because of general constituent inquiries, including National Register listings. To date, the HPO has assigned 891 survey site numbers in Chatham County, of which approximately 550 appear to be located in rural areas.
An evaluation of building loss since the 1980s, when Chatham County was initially surveyed, can help identify trends in demolition and redevelopment which can, in turn, influence regional planning policy. Architectural Survey also provides location of historic resources that, when mapped, can be quickly and easily identified in the aftermath of natural disasters or considered during the planning of new residential, commercial, and transportation projects.
Phase one will also include the preparation of a report outlining the findings of the survey update as well as the identification of up to 400 properties to be surveyed in Phase two.
The second phase will include the full architectural survey of up to 400 properties and the preparation of historic and architectural context for Chatham County in the mid- to late-twentieth century. One of the goals of countywide surveys should always be the documentation of a broad range of property types, building styles, and community stories. Early surveys tended to focus on the history of European settlements and prioritized the documentation of the most architecturally distinctive buildings. As a result, the surveys and written histories were inherently skewed toward the documentation of upper-class white owned properties and buildings. Current surveys must aim to tell a more inclusive and collective story of the county, by documenting culturally and socially significant resources as well as architecturally distinctive buildings. Because this distinction lies in the building’s ownership and use, it is necessary to speak to residents throughout the county to identify the places that are significant to the varied populations of Chatham County.
The consultant will coordinate the survey materials and report with the Chatham County Planning Department and the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office. The consultant will submit digital copies of the survey products and reports to the client. Digital and paper copies of the survey files, photos, survey report, and any additional documentation will be provided to the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office. Properties that appear eligible for the National Register of Historic Places will be presented to the NC-HPO and the National Register Advisory Committee.
The project will update approximately 550 existing survey records and add approximately 400 new survey records to the countywide inventory of historic resources. A survey report summarizing the findings of the survey; the architectural, social, and agricultural developments of the county in the mid- to late-twentieth century; and recommendations for further study and National Register listing will be prepared.
How does this relate to the Comprehensive Plan: This project supports recommendation two “Support context-sensitive design that preserves rural and small-town character,” and recommendation nine “Promote the cultural aspects of the community,” by protecting the County’s history, traditions, and cultural assets.
Budgetary Impact: This project is not to exceed $300,000.00.
Recommendation/Motion: Motion to award a contract to hmwPreservation for the Chatham County Architectural Survey update and approve the contract for up to $300,000.