Submitted by Admin
Restoring old places is a rewarding and exciting project for anyone with the resources to do it properly.
Some really great spaces have been created through this type of initiative. A two hundred year old flour mill can become a restaurant offering artisanal sourdough breads and craft beers. An abandoned train station can be transformed into an art gallery, attracting international guests and promoting local talent.
Farmhouses, long bereft of roof and floor, can once again become a home to a family of laughing children, filled with the aromas of wood smoke, baked cookies and turkey dinners. It is all possible, with vision and just enough money.
In fact, with the recognition of urban decay and regeneration projects, it is happening all over the world. New is replacing old. You might think this is a simple process of knocking down some walls, building up some others, adding roofing, flooring fittings and a coat of paint.
In some cases, this might be all that is required. In others, you might need to bring in water pipe locating equipment, or specialists to evaluate the foundations. It can get complicated pretty quickly if the building is protected, and cannot be altered in certain ways. There are other factors to consider, too.
Historical Value
Old buildings sometimes have a particular significance to a community. To a new owner, the place might look shabby, run-down, ugly or worthless. To longstanding members of a town, who have grown up with that building as part of the backdrop of their lives, they may take your intention to refurbish it as an open act of hostility.
It may seem backwards to a city-dweller, who lives in the concrete jungle of ever-changing and upgrading spaces, and which is too big to foster a genuine sense of shared history and community. The smaller the town, the deeper the roots, and this should not be dismissed, if you have plans for a place in one.
If you have bought, or are intending to buy, an old building to repurpose it and use it for a dwelling, business or event venue, you should first look up the state laws on this kind of activity. States such as New Hampshire have taken an active interest in their old buildings, and how they are used or altered by new owners.
There are laws which govern how an old building may be changed, and they are aimed at preserving the state’s cultural heritage, in the face of massive socio-economic development, spreading outwards from commercial hubs.
Social Value
Your new and improved building should add value to the society in which you plan to operate. Try, therefore, to find out more about the social norms and values of the community before creating your business plan, instead of expecting it to fit in with you.
For example, you might not have much success if you rejuvenated a two hundred year old barn to open a new age shop selling crystals and tarot readings in Enon, Arkansas. If you tried to open a Starbucks, you also might fail. But, if you opened a Christian bookshop, or a small farming co-op, the community would probably welcome you with open arms, and you would receive their support.
This is not to say that a good old fashioned plucky, “can-do” attitude and lots of money won’t win out in the end, but outside of Hollywood, it really does take a group effort to make small town enterprises work. For this reason, your business concept should align with the prevalent norms, and contribute to the community’s shared aims, in some way.
Also take note of the relevant permit requirements. Each large city should have a similar set of forms and information for all aspects of building and trading. This is to ensure that if you are doing work on an old house with no drawings on record, the authorities can make you aware of any utility pipelines or other government infrastructure running through the property that may be damaged or destroyed by contractors.
Material Value
And that brings us back round to the actual work involved in bringing an old building back to life. Historical buildings, or even just the really old buildings, were not built with today’s quick-fix mentality. The materials were real and honest, and the work was done with pride. To do an old building justice, you can’t skimp on materials or finishes or fittings, or cut corners with safety aspects or health and safety codes.
Do it properly, using, if at all possible, the same grade and quality of materials as were used to build it the first time round. For example, ff there were stained glass windows, find an artist to restore them, don’t just replace them with clear plate glass and aluminum frames.
The term “progress” is sometimes used to justify the destruction of history and tradition because it is easier to make new, simple, cheap buildings than to restore the cumbersomely beautiful and intricate designs of the bygone ages. Being able to return an historical piece of architecture to its former glory is an undervalued legacy that will be missed only when it is too late.