Historic Preservation + LEED Certification - It's Been Done Before - Moseley Architects and 626 E. Broad Street

I meant to blog on this the day the BizSense article was posted, but it's been a bit crazy between work and the snow.  So I admit I dropped the ball for a few days.  However, I think it's still a worthwhile and timely subject.

BizSense posted an article about David Gammino, a developer in town, who is beginning his second project that will qualify for both historic tax credits and LEED certification.  Historic tax credits are incentives to owners or developers to renovate eligible structures in a historically sensitive and appropriate way.  These tax credits can be lucrative, providing between 20%-45% of the eligible renovation budget back as a direct bottom line credit on one's federal and/or state tax return.  They can also make the difference between a project generating enough margin to be worthwhile for an owner or developer.  Historic renovation tax credits have been used in the Greater Richmond area a great bit, and have resulted in some wonderful renovation projects that have saved, restored, or adapted historic buildings that otherwise might have been at risk.  See examples Movieland, Miller & Rhoads.

LEED certification means a building meets certain specific design and materials requirements that make it "green."  "LEED" stands for "Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design" and is an internationally recognized rating and certification system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council ("USGBC"). For LEED certification, building materials must be local and building design and execution must include specific energy efficiency measures.There are levels of LEED certification - silver, gold, platinum.  

While I absolutely agree that Mr. Gammino's recent projects are indeed laudable for using both of these programs - an exercise that can be more than a bit difficult and adds expense and time - I would like to gently point out to Richmond BizSense that there are already TWO significant projects in the City of Richmond that used both historic tax credits and received LEED certification.

626 E. Broad Street, the new home of University of Richmond Downtown, received silver LEED certification.  The headquarters of Moseley Architects, located in the once-industrial area of Scott's Addition, recently received platinum LEED certification, the highest LEED certification possible.  The Moseley headquarters is one of only four platinum LEED certified projects in Virginia, and the ONLY platinum LEED project that used historic tax credits.

So, while other projects are certainly due kudos for getting on the tax credit + green train, let's not forget those projects that have already achieved those goals. 

[Ed. Note:  My March 2009 blog entry identifies UR Downtown as the first historic tax credit + LEED certified project in the state and gold LEED certified, rather than silver.  While I believe the timing is correct, the LEED certification standard was not. Apologies for that error.]

Comments

[Al Harris]

Thank you for looking into that. Actually Gammino said it was the first residential historic/LEED project, the other two being commercial properties. I may have neglected to mention that, sorry if I did.