Preservation Projects

Preservation Terminology

Preservation: The act or process of applying measures necessary to sustain the existing form, integrity, and materials of an historic property. 

Renovation: The process of improving a structure or its elements to a usable condition through the acts or processes of refurbishing, remodeling, retaining, or reconstructing.

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Refurbish: To renovate, or make clean, fresh, or functional again through a process of major maintenance or repair.

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Remodel: To change the appearance of a structure by removing or covering original details and substituting new materials and forms.

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Retain: The act of repairing an element, detail, or structure and continuing the same level of maintenance to aid in the preservation of elements and structures.

Reconstruction: The process of depicting, by means of new construction, the form, features, and detailing of a non-surviving building or element for the purpose of replicating its original appearance.