Unification Church 

The Unification Church of Washington, DC, occupies a 1930s landmark building originally constructed by the Church of Latter Day Saints. The building is clad in “Birdseye Marble,” a rare type of limestone from Utah that has not weathered well in the local climate.  Piecemeal removal of loose stones, several instances of falling stone, and damage from the 2011 earthquake left the masonry in disrepair and exposed areas of the building’s steel structure to the elements.  Before engineers can assess these conditions and develop plans for the building’s repair, the owner needed to address life safety issues through selective deconstruction of unstable masonry. The owner was faced with the challenge of obtaining approval from the DC Historic Preservation Office (DCHPO) for the removal of historic fabric with no reconstruction plans in place.

PRESERVE/scapes developed and implemented a documentation and consultation strategy that allowed deconstruction to proceed, while ensuring that longterm preservation of the landmark remains possible.  PRESERVE/scapes established a comprehensive masonry inventory system that maps over 300 previously removed stones to their original locations on the building and accommodates ongoing stone removal. The inventory is captured in custom graphic tools that will inform reconstruction. PRESERVE/scapes also coordinated with engineers to propose a stabilization strategy that allows contractors to respond to unforeseen conditions in real time, as well as conservators who are working on appropriate patching and substitute materials for this unique stone.

Through PRESERVE/scapes’ effective presentation of these tools and strategies to DCHPO, the owner obtained the permits needed for this critical phase of the project.