You know Treanor Architects as a leader in student life architecture. What you may not know is that Treanor Architects is also a full-service historic preservation firm. Like the majority of universities and colleges nationwide, chances are your institution is home to an array of cherished historic buildings. As you know, these buildings pose unique challenges related to long-term maintenance and efficient use of space. Treanor Architects can assist in preserving these structures so they may continue to serve their current use or can assist you in studying campus needs and developing plans for these buildings that both protect their historic character and maximize their functionality in a modern campus setting. Treanor Architects can also help you navigate an increasing number of funding programs for historic preservation projects.

Increased preservation funding, coupled with rising materials costs for new construction and a renewed emphasis on student interaction, have shifted the image of historic buildings from liabilities to historic assets. Funding sources range from private foundations, such as the Getty, to government agencies, such as the National Park Service. The Getty Foundation supports the preservation of historic buildings and landscapes through its Campus Heritage Grant program. Treanor Architects is part of the team that is studying the landscape and buildings at the University of Kansas with funding from the Getty. The Treanor Preservation Team will evaluate the significance and existing conditions for historic campus buildings and make treatment recommendations for future projects.

Many state preservation offices also offer historic preservation grant funding. In Kansas, for instance, the Heritage Trust Fund provides grants up to $90,000 for projects ranging from Historic Structures Reports and Preservation Plans to construction. Colorado has established a State Historical Fund, which provides $15 million per year for historic preservation projects. The Treanor Preservation Team has produced grant applications and products, including both planning and construction documents.

Campus preservation projects may also qualify for rehabilitation tax credits. Traditionally utilized only by for-profit developers, tax credits are increasingly applied to not-for-profit projects - inside or outside of public/private partnerships. These programs provide income-tax credits equal to a percentage of qualified rehabilitation expenditures on qualified historic buildings. To be eligible, the projects must meet the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. In some states, state rehabilitation tax credits are transferable, meaning they can be bought and sold. In these cases, non-taxpaying entities can earn state tax credits and sell them to taxpaying entities.

In recent years, colleges and universities have also been taking advantage of federal rehabilitation tax credits for projects, such as student housing, that are suited to public/private partnerships. Generally, a non-profit entity, such as a college, leases a historic structure to a for-profit entity in a long-term lease that exceeds the depreciation period of the property. The for-profit partner funds the rehabilitation and subleases to tenants, such as students in the case of student housing. Because federal tax credits apply only to income-producing properties, these projects must be carefully structured with the assistance of tax attorneys who specialize in rehabilitation tax credits projects. Among the tax-credit-funded campus projects the Treanor Preservation Team has undertaken are the rehabilitations of Wood Hall and Columbia Hall at Stephen’s College in Columbia, Missouri.

The Treanor Team has assisted both income-producing and non-income-producing entities through the tax credit process by identifying eligible buildings, preparing applications, meeting with reviewing entities such as State Historic Preservation Offices, and preparing construction documents and carrying out projects that meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. To learn more about state tax credits in your state, see www.nationaltrust.org/help/downloads/taxincentives.pdf, contact your state historic preservation office ncshpo.org/stateinfolist/.

Historic preservation is a specialized area of architecture. Hiring an architectural firm with experience meeting regulations related to state and federal laws and various funding programs will streamline project planning, make the best use of your historic structures, and save your college or university money.