Our Services
Historic Research
More than any other service, historic research lies at the heart of everything we do at Loggia Preservation. Our historians are voraciously curious, diving deep to find answers to hard questions. We utilize all resources available including conducting interviews and oral histories with knowledgeable people when the historic record is scant. Whether writing a National Register nomination, conducting an architectural survey, doing pre-purchase due diligence, or investigating the history of a corporate entity, our team can help you solve your toughest research questions. Our team is comprised of masters-level historians whose work is published in traditional print, on websites, and in many technical reports and governmental documents.
Historic Tax Credit Consulting
Loggia Preservation provides comprehensive historic tax credit consulting for both federal and state historic tax credits. Whether retaining or syndicating the credits, our team has years of experience working with project partners (architects, developers, owner’s reps, accountants, attorneys, etc.), writing tax credit applications, negotiating with state and federal regulators, and crafting unique solutions to tough design problems. Our team has years of experience working on some of the largest and most significant tax credit projects in Michigan including downtown office towers, a large college campus, and midrise office and multi-family residential buildings. As both an attorney and an architectural historian Cassandra brings her analytical mind and eye for legal compliance to each tax credit project she works on.
Historic Surveys—Reconnaissance & Intensive
There are two types of historic resource surveys: Reconnaissance level and intensive level. A reconnaissance level historic survey involves collecting preliminary information about an area while an intensive level survey generally involves in-depth research on each property. At the reconnaissance level, the survey team is generally looking to make an initial assessment of whether a particular property or area is historically significant. An intensive level survey is often conducted later to gather more detailed information. Historic surveys are a vital planning tool for state and local governments to establish a baseline of data for future planning activities. Loggia Preservation’s historians have conducted some of the largest surveys in Michigan including a 3,300-resource survey in Kalamazoo, a 598-resource survey in Inkster, Michigan, a 3,200-resource survey also in Kalamazoo, and a 1,100-resource survey in Detroit. Our team has also conducted surveys in Virginia and North Carolina.
Pre-Purchase Due Diligence & Feasibility Studies
Our historians regularly conduct due diligence on sites and buildings to ascertain whether these properties are eligible for historic incentives. This due diligence can also include researching and documenting neighborhood and site conditions, any associated negative history to avoid PR problems, site histories, and preliminary eligibility reports for obtaining historic tax credits. A feasibility study can help clients assess the impact of development on the building’s historic and cultural significance. And preparing feasibility studies for rehabilitation work can better prepare development teams to capitalize on historic funding sources. These studies are especially helpful when historic tax credits are being pursued as they identify, early on, important historic elements which maximizes the chances of obtaining state and federal design approval. Our team provides itemized lists, diagrams, and narrative impact statements to fully vet the building before work begins.
National Register of Historic Places Nominations
Our historians are highly experienced at researching and writing nominations to the National Register of Historic Places. Working with our clients and state and federal reviewers, we pride ourselves on writing the highest quality nominations. Often supplemented by oral histories, our nomination work is always well researched, well written, and narratively compelling. Our team has successfully nominated many properties to the National Register of Historic Places including the Dr. Ossian Sweet House (update), the Warren Motor Car Company complex, the Marygrove College complex, the Second Baptist Church (update), the Immaculata High School, the Sojourner Truth Homes, and the Norwich Historic District, and a Multiple Property Documentation Form (MPDF) for Latinx properties in Detroit, along with several more nominations still pending at SHPO and NPS.
State and Local Designation/Landmark Nominations
Much like the National Register of Historic Places, state and local governmental bodies have rigorous standards for nominating properties to their local historic registries. However, state and local standards can vary in their requirements and often require presentation at local preservation commission or historic district review board meetings. Our team is well versed in preparing these nominations and we take pride in researching and writing outstanding nomination materials. In Michigan, establishing a local historic district is prescribed by specific rules found in Michigan’s Local Historic Districts Act, Act 169 of 1970. This is commonly referred to as the “enabling legislation” since is enables local governments to create and regulate local historic districts. Our historians can work with municipal governments to help establish these districts and to promulgate rules for their regulation.
ArcGIS and Mapping Services
Loggia Preservation provides ArcGIS mapping services for historic research and preservation projects including the creation of customized maps, StoryMaps, data sets, and data analysis. We can build data sets from scratch or can build off of existing data to create a data set, which can be incorporated into an existing GIS system. These maps and data sets capture important information related to historic resources like date of construction, architectural style, historic integrity, and more. We can also create overlays of historic maps allowing for a visual assessment of change over time and an understanding of the location of historic features. Our work can be used as both data and infographics to support your project.
Preservation Planning
Loggia Preservation provides comprehensive preservation planning services including writing design guidelines for historic buildings, writing and designing local historic district design guidelines, planning and conducting preservation workshops and listening sessions, coordinating and implementing public outreach meetings, and preparing historic preservation plans. Projects like these often contain a significant public engagement component to ensure residents are informed and involved in the planning process and our team has years of experience planning and conducting meaningful outreach sessions. Our team provides highly graphic, well-designed guidelines that can ease the administration burden for review bodies while providing clear guidance to residents and business owners. These documents typically include custom graphics, maps, and infographics.
Specialized Research Services—Corporate Research and Litigation Support
Our historians are highly skilled at finding information in archives, local repositories, governmental offices, and within private collections. Our team has extensive knowledge of available archives including state archives, Federal Record Centers, and the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), among many others. Working with law firms, governmental entities, and private clients, our team conducts specialized research to collate and analyze data, assist with the identification of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRP), conduct social and corporate government risk research, corporate history and succession research, land use and site histories, and slavery era disclosure research. Our historians also review briefs, depositions, and other documents for accuracy in terms of the historic record.