Annual 2026 Historic Resources Committee Retreat

Join AIA Virginia’s annual Historic Resources Committee (HRC) retreat happening in Scottsville. The half-day event will start off with an introduction about Scottsville’s long history and a tour by Lincoln Lewis. Currently, Lincoln is assisting the Town of Scottsville’s Planning Commission to update their Comprehensive Plan. He is also the University of Virginia’s Climate Equity Doctoral Fellow focusing on how communities – especially those with historic cultural assets – plan for the future amidst dynamic environmental change. Lincoln is an AIA International Associate Member licensed in Singapore and was recently awarded the Larson Award from the American Planning Association as Virginia’s distinguished professional planner for his work with Scottsville.

Stops on the tour will include significant buildings along Valley and Main street, the Thacker Levee along the James River, and Canal Basin Square. A lunch stop during the tour will be at Tavern on the James. An overview will be given about the town’s architecture and planning history and current comprehensive planning processes. Also, reflections will be shared about how the town’s historic assets have been considered in the planning process, such as the Kanawha Canal system or WWII-era Tire Cord Plant.

After the tour, the HRC will have a workshop at Scottsville Library to discuss the committee’s previous year of activities and chart the way forward for this year. All are welcome to attend and also join the HRC’s monthly online meetings, tours, and events.

About Scottsville

Scottsville, Virginia was first settled in 1744 along the historic horseshoe bend of the James River. Scotts Landing served as the first county seat for an expansive Albemarle County that gradually became parts of five counties. Over time, several presidents of the United States have frequented Scottsville and the region’s rural roads. At the turn of the 18th century, Scottsville became an important stop on the Kanawha Canal and the town was incorporated in 1818. The town still hosts an important stop on the annual James River Batteau Festival.

However, the benefits of the river have also caused a great deal of hardship for the town, including multiple historic floods devastating the architecture of downtown. The Thacker Levee was constructed in the 1980s to protect the town. In 1994, the town’s boundary was significantly expanded beyond its early footprint in the river lowlands to incorporate upland farms, pastures and forests. This expansion has presented several opportunities for the town, while also raising important long-term planning challenges. Today, Scottsville uniquely sits in both Albemarle and Fluvanna counties, and is the only incorporated town in both of those counties. The town also serves as an important rural hub for Buckingham County. A great deal of Federalist Architecture is retained in Scottsville’s Historic District and important homes also contribute to the Southern Albemarle Rural Historic District. Recently, the Tire Cord Plant was added as a historic district and has been the topic of intense discussions regarding the site’s prospective adaptive reuse.

Agenda for the Day:

11:00am Gather at Victory Hall town offices; presentation about the town by Lincoln Lewis (https://www.scottsville.org/)
11:30am Begin walking tour along Main Street to the Thacker Levee along the James River and Canal Basin Square

12:00pm Lunch at Tavern on the James (www.facebook.com/TavernOnTheJames/)

1:10pm Tour continues
1:30pm Workshop (meeting) at Scottsville Library
2:30pm Coffee break at Baines Books & Coffee
4:00pm End of meeting

Annual Historic Resources Committee Retreat

Please join the HRC for our annual in-person retreat.   The retreat will begin with a private tour of the historic Bloomsbury near Orange, VA followed by lunch and business meeting at the Silk Mill Grille in the town of Orange.  We will do visioning and brainstorming on programming and other topics.  All those interested in the activities of the HRC are welcome to come.  Partial attendance is also welcome. Please reach out to Delaney Ogden at dogden@aiava.org to be sent the meeting invitation.

 Agenda for the Day:

11:45 pm Bloomsbury – Meet at the site at 11010 Bloomsbury Rd, Orange, VA 22960.  12:00 pm – Tour starts (snacks will be provided.  Leave at 12:50)
1:00pm – Lunch at Silk Mill Grille – 101 Woodmark St, Orange, VA 22960 (pay your own way, 9 minutes from Bloomsbury)
2:00 – Visioning at the Silk Mill Grille
4:00 – End

HRC Trivia Mixer

Join AIA Virginia’s Historic Resources Committee for our second annual Virtual Trivia Mixer!

Mix up a cocktail (or mocktail) and join us for a night of trivia and fun. Connect with the preservation community in Virginia and test your knowledge of the built environment. Win prizes and glory.

Earn 1.0 AIA LU | Elective

Register online.

Classic Cocktail Recipe

Negroni

A popular and classic cocktail.

¾ oz Gin
¾ oz Campari
¾ ounce Sweet or Dry Vermouth

Fill a rocks or old fashioned glass with ice
Combine liquids into a mixing glass
Add ice and stir until chilled
Strain into the chilled glass
Add an orange slice or orange peel

An Old Fashioned Old Fashion

  • generous dash of bitters (Peychaud, orange, or both)
  • one teaspoon simple syrup (best if made with raw or brown sugar, 1:1 ratio sugar to water)
  • 2 ounces rye
  • Club soda
  • Maraschino cherry for garnish

*In an old fashion glass (what else?), add a generous dash of bitters and one teaspoon of simple syrup.

*Add two ounces rye

*Add club soda to taste (best with small amount of club site, say two to four ounces)

*Stir, add ice

*Add maraschino cherry for garnish.  (Make it a good cherry.  If it is sold in the grocery store next to the ice cream sprinkles, that is not your cherry.  Spring for a good jar of  maraschino cherrries.  You won’t regret it)

Embodied Carbon and Adaptive Use

In a continuation of COTE’s Embodied Carbon 101 series, Virginia’s Historic Resources Committee presents “Embodied Carbon and Adaptive Use.”

Existing buildings represent significant investments in energy and resources, so it stands to reason that one of the best ways of reducing embodied carbon is to adapt and reuse them. Discover strategies for maximizing the potential of the already embodied carbon in existing building stock.

Earn 1.0 AIA LU|HSW

Register online.

Fundamentals of Historic Brick & Mortar

Posted on by cguske

Virginia’s Historic Resources Committee (HRC) is pleased to present “Fundamentals of Historic Brick & Mortar.” Hear an overview of key characteristics of historic brick and mortar and the importance of using compatible materials in restoration.

This program was originally presented and recorded on Wednesday, Aug. 10 from noon–1:30 p.m.

Prefer to view it with captions embedded? Watch the recording on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/i59I5C245Q8

SPEAKERS

Amanda Edwards, PA-AIC LEED Green Associate | Senior Associate @John Milner Associates Preservation a division of MTFA

Amanda is an architectural conservator who has been responsible for the preservation of some of the nation’s most iconic buildings. Her experience includes materials testing and analysis, condition assessments, and construction documents for the preservation and stabilization of a wide variety of historic buildings.

Warren Davies | Masonry Expert and Historic Masonry Consultant @Virginia Masonry Restoration

Warren is third- generation brick and stone mason with 30 years of experience, specializing in Historic Masonry Restoration and Preservation.

Susan Reed, AIA, NCARB (Moderator) | Senior Associate & Director of Historic Preservation Studio @Glavé & Holmes

Susan Reed brings two decades of experience to support Glavé & Holmes Architecture’s renovations of older buildings and new work in historic settings. Susan has worked on over a dozen high-profile projects involving sensitive renovations to historic properties. Recent projects include the Carr’s Hill Rehabilitation at the University of Virginia, the Scott House Renovation at Virginia Commonwealth University, and the Wilson Hall Rehabilitation at James Madison University.

Anthony R.C. Hita, AIC-PA | Architectural Conservator / Laboratory Manager  @ LimeWorks

Anthony Hita joined LimeWorks.us in 2018 as an architectural conservator overseeing the day-to-day operations of the company’s laboratory. Mr. Hita is responsible for laboratory analysis, technical documentation, sample preparation, report writing, product development, and client consultations. He specializes in masonry conservation and is a designated Professional Associate of the American Institute for Conservation (AIC). In addition to his role in the laboratory, Mr. Hita also teaches conservation and preservation theory and practice during classes at the Craftwork Training Center. Mr. Hita has published several papers on architectural history and has been invited to speak several times nationally and internationally on the topic of vernacular architecture. During his time with the company, Mr. Hita has participated in dozens of projects, helped develop six commercial restoration products, and conducted or overseen nearly 100 mortar analyses.

This program was made possible with generous support from:

LimeWorks.us

REFERENCED RESOURCES

Warren Davies’s Slides: https://www.aiava.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Warren-Davies-VMR-Webinar-8-10-22.pdf

Specifying Mortars – APT Wathne: https://www.aiava.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Specifying-Mortars-APT-Wathne.pdf

Mortar Part 1 – APT Schnabel: https://www.aiava.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Mortar-Part-1-APT-Schnabel.pdf

Mortar Part 2 – APT Schnabel: https://www.aiava.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Mortar-Part-2-APT-Schnabel.pdf

Va. DHR Directory of Historic Trades: https://www.dhr.virginia.gov/natural-disaster-recovery-advisory/

LimeWorks directory of craft workers: https://www.craftworker.net/

Fundamentals of Historic Brick & Mortar

Hear an overview of key characteristics of historic brick and mortar and the importance of using compatible materials in restoration. A panel discussion with a series of experts in the field will follow.

Earn 1.5 AIA LU|HSW

Register online.

This program is made possible by generous support from:

Lime Works

Va. HRC Trivia Mixer

Join AIA Virginia’s Historic Resources Committee for a Virtual Trivia Mixer!

Mix up a cocktail (or mocktail) using one of our historic recipes below and join us for a night of trivia and fun. Connect with the preservation community in Virginia and test your knowledge of the built environment. Win prizes and glory.

Earn 1.0 AIA LU | Elective

Register online.

BYO Cocktail/Mocktail

Daiquiri

It was popularized in the United States in 1909 at the bar of the Army and Navy Club in Washington D.C. The drink is thought to have originated in Daiquiri, Cuba, the site of the first American landing during the Spanish American War. As the story goes: In 1909 the USS Minnesota made a routine visit to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and the commanding officer, Captain Charles H. Harlow, took a junior medical officer named Lucius Johnson on shore to tour the old battlefield. There, on Daiquiri Beach, they met a man named Jennings Cox (an engineer with the Spanish-American Iron Co.) who introduced them to the drink. Johnson carried the recipe home to the Army and Navy Club. (below is a scan of what is believed to be the original recipe which serves 6).

Take on the Original (serves 2-3):

Ice
1 Cup Blanco Rum
3 tbs. Lemon Juice (1 Lemon)
1 tsp. Sugar
1/3 Cup Water

Mix vigorously in a shaker and serve in a frosted martini glass or on ice.

Sidecar

Supposedly invented at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris in the 1920s for an American Army captain known for riding a sidecar motorcycle who needed to warm up upon arriving.

Recipe

2 parts brandy
1 part Cointreau
1 part lemon juice

Shake for 10-20 seconds in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a chilled coupe or martini glass. Garnish with an orange slice or twist.

 

Making the Case for Historic Window Restoration

Posted on by cguske

Hear an overview of existing research on the benefits of historic window restoration followed by a panel discussion with a series of experts in the field.

Presented by AIA Virginia’s Historic Resources Committee.

Speakers

Susan Reed, AIA | Director of Historic Preservation at Glavé & Holmes Architecture | Historic Resources Committee Chair

Greg Rutledge, FAIA | Preservation Architect at Hanbury| Moderator

Ashley Wilson, FAIA | Graham Gund Architect at National Trust for Historic Preservation | Panelist

Summer Louthan | Virginia Department of Historic Resources | Panelist

Dixon Kerr | Wood Windows Preservation Specialist at Old House Authority Windows | Panelist

Brooks Gentleman | Steel and Wood Windows Preservation Specialist/Owner at Re-View Windows | Panelist

Resources

DHR’s Historic Trades & Consultants Directory

Window Preservation Alliance

Resources about Preserving Historic Windows

  1. Don’t Buy Replacement Windows for Your Old House (Forbes, July 17, 2018)
  2. Old Georgetown Board Design Guidelines – Windows
  3. DHR Windows Checklist
  4. Saving Windows, Saving Money Fact Sheet
  5. Saving Windows, Saving Money Executive Summary
  6. https://windowstandards.org/
  7. https://windowpreservationalliance.org/Library
  8. Preservation Brief 9: Repair of Historic Wood Windows
  9. Preservation Brief 13: Repair and Thermal Upgrading of Historic Steel Windows
  10. Preservation Tech Note: Windows No. 2: Installing Insulating Glass in Existing Steel Windows
  11. Preservation Tech Note: Windows No. 11: Installing Insulating Glass in Existing Wooden Sash Incorporating the Historic Glass
  12. Preservation Tech Note: Windows No. 17: Repair and Retrofitting Steel Windows
  13. Preservation Tech Note: Windows No. 19: Repairing Steel Casement Windows
  14. Preservation Tech Note: Windows No. 22: Maintenance and Repair of Historic Aluminum Windows
  15. Replacement Windows that Meet the Standards
  16. Preservation Tech Note: Windows No. 3: Exterior Storm Windows: Casement Design Wooden Storm Sash
  17. Preservation Tech Note: Windows No. 5: Interior Metal Storm Windows
  18. Preservation Tech Note: Windows No. 8: Thermal Retrofit of Historic Wooden Sash Using Interior Piggyback Storm Panels
  19. Preservation Tech Note: Windows No. 9: Interior

Making the Case for Historic Window Restoration

Hear an overview of existing research on the benefits of restoring historic windows and then take part in a panel discussion with a series of experts in the field.

Presented by AIA Virginia’s Historic Resources Committee.

Speakers

Susan Reed, AIA | Director of Historic Preservation at Glavé & Holmes Architecture | Historic Resources Committee Chair

Greg Rutledge, FAIA | Preservation Architect at Hanbury| Moderator

Ashley Wilson, FAIA | Graham Gund Architect at National Trust for Historic Preservation | Panelist

Summer Louthan | Virginia Department of Historic Resources | Panelist

Dixon Kerr | Wood Windows Preservation Specialist at Old House Authority Windows | Panelist

Brooks Gentleman | Steel and Wood Windows Preservation Specialist/Owner at Re-View Windows | Panelist

Earn 1.5 AIA LU | HSW

Register.

Revitalization Through Rehabilitation: The State and Federal Historic Tax Credit Programs

Presented by Va. HRC
Get an introduction to the Virginia and federal historic rehabilitation tax credit programs, which provide financial incentives for the rehabilitations of qualifying historic structures. Learn about the programs’ requirements and the necessary paperwork. Hear an overview of the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation, which are the principals used to guide the rehabilitations of historic structures while protecting historic fabric and character.
This introduction to the historic tax credit program may be beneficial to interested property owners, developers, architects, preservation professionals, and members of the public.
Register online.
Earn 1 AIA LU | Elective