During National Preservation Month, GSA is celebrating its nationwide historic preservation achievements. As stewards of 430 historic legacy buildings, its goal is to shape this legacy and the way people regard their government through its public buildings.
A guiding light in times of crisis, historic buildings once again take their place in history. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina that ravaged much of the gulf coast region, the Custom House in New Orleans, withstood the storm and floods and stands as a beacon of hope for its devastated communities. This mid-19th Century National Historic landmark still stands on its original marble and stone grandeur. Many of the GSA buildings throughout the Greater Southwest and Southeast Sunbelt regions endured broken windows, water infiltration, mold proliferation, roof collapse, and the destruction of historic interior finishes. These landmark buildings have once again stood the test of time, though damaged and in many instances temporarily vacated. As federal rehabilitation activities were under way, and these historic treasures were stabilized, this immediate reinvestment reinforced the federal presence and anchored the area–wide revitalization efforts.
“During National Preservation Month, we are reminded that the American people see and experience public buildings not merely as federal office space but as a symbol of strength and stability in their communities,” stated David L. Winstead, Commissioner of GSA’s Public Buildings Service. “They contribute significantly to the rich variety of space and settings for the federal agencies who look to GSA for their workspace needs.”
GSA’s legacy buildings include custom houses, courthouses, post offices, border stations and federal agency offices across the United Stated and its territories. Many are grand structures designed to serve a symbolic, ceremonial, and functional, purpose—Greek revival, Romanesque, Beaux Arts, Art Deco and neo-Classical monuments symbolize the permanence and stature of the federal government. The majority of GSA’s historic buildings were built between 1900-1941, during years of great progress in technology, civic planning and the emergence of America as a leader in western popular culture. Public buildings after the turn of the century were often planned as part of larger public building complexes, often grouping important civic buildings around landscaped public spaces.
More than 200 GSA properties are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. GSA is pursuing nomination of an additional 100 eligible properties to the register and has entered into a partnership with the National Park Service to increase the number of National Historic Landmarks — the highest level of designation possible — from 53 to 60 by the end of 2006.
