Historic commercial buildings present unique preservation challenges, particularly when it comes to their distinctive architectural elements. From ornate cornices to decorative facades, these features define a building’s character and historical significance.
Working with specialized architectural metal contractors is essential when renovating properties with significant metalwork, ensuring these elements receive proper treatment that maintains their integrity and extends their lifespan.
Understanding Preservation Approaches
Preservation professionals employ several distinct approaches when working with historic buildings:
- Preservation maintains the building in its current condition, focusing on sustaining existing materials.
- Restoration returns a building to its appearance at a specific historical moment, removing later additions and reconstructing missing features.
- Rehabilitation adapts a building for contemporary use while preserving historically significant elements.
- Reconstruction recreates vanished elements using new materials when extensive damage has occurred.
Most successful commercial renovations combine these approaches strategically, applying different methods to different parts of the building based on their historical importance, condition, and intended function.
Identifying Critical Architectural Elements
Not all parts of a historic building carry equal significance. Effective preservation requires identifying the truly character-defining features that merit the most attention:
Primary facades typically contain the most significant elements:
- Storefront designs and materials
- Window patterns and original framing
- Cornices and decorative parapets
- Architectural metalwork
- Entrance features and transoms
Secondary elements, while still important, may allow more flexibility:
- Side and rear facades
- Interior partition layouts
- Service areas
- Later additions
This prioritization helps focus resources on the elements that most define the building’s character while allowing practical adaptation elsewhere.
Material-Specific Preservation Techniques
Each historic material requires specific knowledge and techniques for proper preservation:
Masonry requires gentle cleaning methods, compatible mortar compositions for repointing, and repairs that match the original in color, texture and composition. Improper treatment of historic masonry often causes accelerated deterioration rather than preservation.
Architectural metals demand proper identification (cast iron, sheet metal, bronze, etc.), appropriate cleaning techniques, corrosion treatment, and protective coatings. Treatment approaches differ significantly depending on the specific metal and its condition.
Wood elements need proper paint preparation, matched species for replacements, and careful detailing to prevent future water damage. Original wood components often feature old-growth timber that cannot be matched with contemporary materials.
Terra cotta preservation involves crack stabilization, appropriate cleaning methods, and sometimes custom fabrication of replacement pieces. The dimensional complexity of terra cotta makes accurate replacement particularly challenging.
Historic storefronts require understanding of original configurations, appropriate glass selection, and hardware that matches period details. Many historic commercial buildings have undergone multiple storefront renovations, requiring research to determine original conditions.
Documentation: Essential First Steps
Thorough documentation before intervention creates the foundation for successful preservation:
Historical research should compile:
- Original architectural drawings when available
- Historic photographs showing earlier conditions
- Building department records documenting changes
- Maps showing building evolution
- Information about similar buildings from the same period
The physical investigation provides critical information through:
- Careful examination of existing conditions
- Material sampling and analysis
- Documentation of previous repairs
- Assessment of structural issues
- Identification of original versus replacement elements
This research phase often reveals important information about original details, construction methods, and building evolution that guides appropriate treatment decisions.
Balancing Preservation with Contemporary Needs
Commercial buildings must remain economically viable, creating a necessary balance between historic preservation and functional requirements. Successful approaches include:
Zoning the building for different treatment levels, with public and street-facing areas receiving the highest level of preservation, while back-of-house areas allow more adaptation for modern needs.
Thoughtfully integrating building systems by routing mechanical, electrical and plumbing services through less significant areas and designing custom solutions that respect historic spaces.
Addressing accessibility requirements through carefully designed modifications that provide compliant access while minimizing impact on significant features. This might include identifying compatible entry points for modification or incorporating lifts in unobtrusive locations.
The most successful preservation projects don’t see historic character and contemporary function as opposing forces, but as complementary goals requiring creative problem-solving.
Architectural Metalwork Considerations
Historic commercial buildings often feature distinctive metal elements that require specialized restoration approaches:
Cast iron storefronts and structural elements present challenges, including:
- Crack identification and stabilization
- Appropriate cleaning to remove corrosion without damaging details
- Missing element replication through traditional or contemporary methods
- Protective coating systems that prevent future deterioration
- Structural reinforcement when needed
Sheet metal cornices and ornamental elements require:
- Seam restoration and waterproofing
- Selective replacement of deteriorated sections
- Replication of missing decorative components
- Proper drainage details to prevent future water damage
- Appropriate attachment to prevent wind damage
Bronze and copper elements need:
- Patina management and stabilization
- Appropriate cleaning that preserves desirable patination
- Hardware restoration and function improvement
- Protection from galvanic corrosion when in contact with other metals
Specialty contractors bring the required knowledge of traditional metalworking techniques, appropriate restoration methods, and historically compatible finishing approaches.
Integrating New Elements
When new elements must be added to historic buildings, their design requires careful consideration. The most successful additions:
- Are clearly distinguishable from historic fabric without creating jarring contrasts
- Use high-quality materials that complement original building components
- Maintain compatible scale, rhythm and proportions
- Employ contemporary detailing that respects historic character
- Are potentially reversible without damaging historic fabric
This applies to everything from storefront reconstructions to rooftop additions. The goal isn’t imitation of historic elements, but complementary design that acknowledges the building’s character.
Sustainable Preservation
Historic preservation represents one of the most sustainable approaches to the built environment. The embodied energy in existing buildings, the durability of traditional materials, and the passive environmental strategies often incorporated in historic designs all contribute to sustainability.
Thoughtful preservation enhances this sustainability through:
- Retaining durable historic materials rather than replacing with shorter-lived alternatives
- Restoring passive ventilation and daylighting systems that reduce energy consumption
- Implementing sensitive upgrades that improve performance while preserving character
- Ensuring continued use of buildings with substantial embodied energy
- Maintaining traditional urban fabric that supports walkability and community
Conclusion
Effective historic preservation doesn’t freeze buildings in time—it manages change thoughtfully while protecting significant character. By identifying what truly matters, understanding historic materials and techniques, documenting existing conditions, and developing sensitive design solutions, we can ensure that historic commercial buildings continue to serve contemporary needs while maintaining their distinctive character.
The preservation of architectural metals and other defining features preserves not just aesthetic qualities but the cultural knowledge and craft traditions embodied in these elements. With proper care and expertise, these buildings can remain vital parts of our architectural heritage for generations to come.