The historic character...
An early 20th century Mediterranean villa style house, individually listed in the National Register of Historic Places, had a formal garden, apparently conceived as an integral part of the total landscape design.
The house had been vacant for over ten years and, although the garden's architectural features were deteriorated and the planted areas were severely overgrown, much of the historic landscape remained. For example, there were terraces at the front and rear of the building.
...and how it was lost in the rehabilitation.
In preparation for a project that involved re-development of the site for low-rise apartments, the surviving landscape features--both plant materials and architectural elements--were destroyed.
The proposed rehabilitation of the house for rental apartments had been considered exemplary; however, because the demolished walled garden was one of only a few formally designed gardens in the city that had survived to the present day, the work did not meet Standard 2. The fact that the garden had been neglected and was overgrown at the time of rehabilitation did not lessen its historical significance.
What should you know?
The landscape and landscape features around a historic building are often important aspects of its character or that of the historic district in which it is located. Owners always need to be aware of the historical significance of all elements of a property and its site before making decisions about destroying or altering historic material.
Suggestions from the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation:
Standard 2: The historic character of a property shall be retained and preserved. The removal of historic materials or alteration of features and spaces that characterize a property shall be avoided.
