B08_PEFO_267538_Atch_13_Housing_Rehab_Design_Guidelines.pdf

Housing Rehabilitation Design Guidelines

Painted Desert Community Complex

PETRIFIED FOREST NATIONAL PARK, ARIZONA

Contract # 140P2022D0023

PMIS 267538 Rehabilitate Painted Desert Community Complex

December 2023

National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Intermountain Region

1 Park Rd

Petrified Forest National Park, AZ 86028

Prepared for:

National Park Service

Petrified Forest National Park

Contact: Jeannine McElveen

Park Manager

Jeannine_McElveen@nps.gov

PROJECT TEAM:

Architect: Hennebery Eddy Architects

Carin Carlson AIA, Principal ccarlson@henneberyeddy.com

Tim Mitchell AIA, Historical Architect tmitchell@henneberyeddy.com

921 SW Washington Street, Suite 250

Portland, OR 97205

Landscape Consultant: DHM Design

Contact: Bill Gotthelf PLA ASLA

BGotthelf@dhmdesign.com

900 South Broadway

Denver, CO 80209

Civil Consultant: Calibre Engineering

Contact: James Gusky PE jgusky@calibre-engineering.com

8822 S Ridgeline Blvd #310

Highlands Ranch, CO 80129

Structural Consultant: DCI Engineers

Contact: Samantha Fox PE SE

Sfox@dci-engineers.com

1060 Fowler Avenue, Suite 202

Bozeman, MT 59718

Mechanical and Plumbing Consultant: Interface Engineering

Contact: Shem Heiple PE, Principal

ShemH@InterfaceEng.com

100 SW Main Street, Suite 1600

Portland, OR 97204

Electrical Consultant: Interface Engineering

Contact: Lauren Krueger, Electrical Engineer

LaurenK@interfaceeng.com

100 SW Main Street, Suite 1600

Portland, OR 97204

Fire Protection Consultant: Interface Engineering

Contact: Kenton Aikens PE FPE CFPS

KentonA@interfaceeng.com

100 SW Main Street, Suite 1600

Portland, OR 97204

Front Cover:

Aerial view of PDCC Residential blocks, c. 1960s (photo provided by NPS)

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

1.1 | Project Background

1.2 | Physical Description

1.3 | Goals & Objectives

1.4 | Resources

1.5 | Methodology

2. Historic Preservation

2.1 | Historical Background & Significance

2.2 | Construction Chronology

2.3 | Character-Defining Features

2.4 | Integrity

2.5 | Preservation Zoning

3. Existing Conditions

3.1 | Summary of Conditions

3.2 | Block A Condition Diagrams

3.3 | Block B Condition Diagrams

3.4 | Block C Condition Diagrams

4. Design Guidelines

4.1 | Requirements

4.2 | Summary of Guidelines

4.3 | Visual Summary of Guidelines

4.4 | Guidelines - Exterior

4.5 | Guidelines - Interior

4.6 | Guidelines - Systems

4.7 | Guidelines - Site

5. Appendix

Appendix A | Bibliography Appendix B | Early Floor Plan Iterations

National Park Service | PEFO PDCC - Housing Rehabilitation Design Guide | December 2023

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Introduction

1. Introduction

2 National Park Service | PEFO PDCC - Housing Rehabilitation Design Guide | December 2023

3Introduction

Visitor Center/Administration Building, c. 1960s (photo provided by NPS)

REHABILITATION OF PAINTED DESERT

COMMUNITY COMPLEX

This report was prepared as a supplemental service to NPS Task Order 140P2023F0299 for Design Development and supplemental services to rehabilitate the Painted Desert Community Complex (PDCC). The following background information pertains to the overall task order.

In 2019, Facility Engineering Associates provided the National Park Service (NPS) with a Project Scoping Assessment (PSA) report recommending structural stabilization, envelope restoration, replacement of mechanical and electrical systems, upgrades to meet current code and use requirements, and a new Science building to accommodate programmatic needs associated with the park’s paleontological program.

As an outgrowth of the PSA report and project formulation, NPS contracted with Anderson Hallas Architects in 2022 to conduct Title I Scoping Trip, Predesign, and Schematic Design services for the rehabilitation project. After further investigation, it was determined that the PMIS budget would not be sufficient for the entire scope outlined in the

PSA. In response, NPS provided the A/E with a set of priorities for organizing project scopes of work, focused on structural stabilization, restoration of historic features, and modifications to the Visitor Center/Administration Building to support current park operations. Buildings in the complex were prioritized to receive different levels of intervention, primarily based on level of required structural stabilization and potential impact to the National Historic Landmark (NHL).

At the completion of Schematic Design, NPS contracted with Hennebery Eddy Architects to validate, and in some cases reevaluate, schematic design decisions and move forward with design development documents for the validated scope.

During the scoping validation phase, a complex-wide condition assessment was identified as an outstanding need to develop a comprehensive understanding of deferred maintenance and building prioritization. Documentation of the historic preservation factors and approach was also noted as necessary to guide the project team and support the compliance process.

1.1 | Project Background

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Project Background (cont’d)Introduction

RESIDENTIAL BLOCK REHABILITATION

Four employee housing blocks, known as Residential Blocks A, B, C, and D, were designed and constructed as part of the initial construction of PDCC. The blocks consist of three-bedroom units, clustered together and surrounded by high walls to protect against the desert winds. Each unit has a private, walled courtyard. The units were initially designed with windows into the private courtyards only, and no view out to the surrounding desert. Many of the initial residents were families with children.

Modifications to the residential blocks since their completion in 1962 have included alterations to original windows and doors, expansion of the kitchen footprint at most units, covering of much of the original exterior cladding with wood siding, addition of HVAC equipment on the roofs, addition of decorative supports under soffits, and replacement of some interior finishes. Structural damage due to expansive clay soils is prevalent throughout PDCC buildings and is evident at the Residential Blocks in cracked CMU walls and cracked concrete sidewalks.

Residential Block D exhibits the worst damage.

Blocks A, B, and C continue to be used for employee housing, but occupants are primarily single employees, rather than families with children. Block D units are currently used for offices, however, the park plans to remove this use going forward, and use residential blocks for housing only.

The Historic Preservation Report, developed concurrently with this Housing Rehabilitation Guide, provides a comprehensive assessment of existing conditions and integrity at all buildings in the project scope, including the Residential Blocks, and also outlines the overall treatment approach that will guide the team throughout the Design Development and Construction Documents design phases. This report provides specific treatment guidelines to plan for rehabilitation of the Residential Blocks.

5Introduction

Looking east at Housing Block A.

HOUSING AREA

The Painted Desert Community Complex included a housing area as part of the original design, located in the northeast corner of the site. The housing area consists of a series of four multi-family housing blocks, two apartments (the “Teacherage”) in a separate building, and an open area designated as a trailer court. The four housing blocks are labeled “A” through “D” with each block separated from the next by an open space “plaza” and physically defined by boundary walls constructed of concrete masonry units

(CMU).

RESIDENTIAL BLOCKS

Blocks A and D, located at the east and west ends of the housing blocks area, each consist of three grouped housing units while blocks B and C, located in the middle of the housing blocks, consist of six grouped housing units.

Units

A typical unit includes three-bedrooms, two bathrooms, living room, kitchen, breakfast nook, service room (washer/dryer and water heater), an exterior service yard, and a large private courtyard surrounded by CMU walls for visual privacy. There are two types of unit layouts, labeled “Floor Plan C” and “Floor Plan Cf” on the original drawings, which for the most part are mirrored/rotated versions of each other. However, Cf units have modified exterior entries on their west exterior walls which provide access directly into the living room and service yard while C units (with the exception of Housing Block A) are entered through the private courtyards.

Original private courtyards were designed to provide tenants with a secure, exterior, landscaped area that complemented interior living spaces and formed an “oasis” type space for indoor/outdoor living.

Courtyard walls and lockable entry door provided both privacy from other tenants and shelter from the regular winds of the desert environment. Courtyards are visible from all the major indoor spaces through large expanses of glass and direct physical connection is provided by a glazed sliding door in the living room. Originally conceived as serving a single, multi-person household, current use of courtyards varies based on housing unit tenant structure, single family or shared, occurrence of household pets, storage needs, and intensity of gardening.

1.2 | Physical Description

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Physical Description (cont’d)Introduction

7 8

11 12 13 14

1 Maintenance Building 2 Maintenance Yard 3 Vehicle Storage 4 VC / Admin 5 Oasis Building 6 Central Plaza 7 Community Building

8 School Building 9 Trailer Court Building 10 Teacherage 11 Residential Block A 12 Residential Block B 13 Residential Block C 14 Residential Block D

Painted Desert Community Complex

Painted Desert Community Complex with Residential Blocks highlighted

Site

Freestanding carport buildings constructed in a similar aesthetic and materials as the housing blocks are located near each housing block at the ends of the “plaza” open space. Circulation between housing blocks and the overall complex is provided by concrete sidewalks typically covered with sheltering canopies.

Design & Materials

The aesthetic of the Residential Blocks is in keeping with the overall complex with its use of strongly horizontal features, including low flat slab roofs, CMU walls with accentuated horizontal mortar joints, and large expanses of rectangular-shaped soffits/ wall surfaces coupled with bands of ribbon windows.

While the existing aesthetic of the housing blocks has been modified from the simplicity and cohesive expression of the original design, the overall site layout, block configuration, unit layouts, private courtyards, and materials are still evident.

PROJECT PROJECT

NORTHNORTH

TRUE TRUE

NORTHNORTH

7Introduction

Physical Description (cont’d)Introduction

Block A Block B Block DBlock C

#203 C

#202 C

#201 C

#209 C

#208 C

#207 C

#215 C

#214 C

#213 C

#216 Cf

#217 Cf

#218 Cf

#212 Cf

#211 Cf

#210 Cf

#204 Cf

#205 Cf

#206 Cf

Unit layout. “C” and “Cf” denote floor plan type.

“Cf” PLAN (UNIT 210 SHOWN) “C” PLAN (UNIT 213 SHOWN)

LIVING

380 SF

BATH

80 SF

KITCHEN/DINING

290 SF

BEDROOM

160 SF

BEDROOM

160 SF

BEDROOM

160 SF

BEDROOM

160 SF

BATH

60 SF

LIVING

380 SF

KITCHEN/DINING

290 SF

BATH

50 SF

BATH

50 SF

BEDROOM

200 SF

BEDROOM

200 SF

BASE PLAN - 3 BEDROOM UNITS - 1375 SF

Typical existing unit plans. Image shows two attached units, with a “Cf” plan at left and a “C” plan at right.

PROJECT PROJECT

NORTHNORTH

TRUE TRUE

NORTHNORTH

PROJECT PROJECT

NORTHNORTH

TRUE TRUE

NORTHNORTH

8 National Park Service | PEFO PDCC - Housing Rehabilitation Design Guide | December 2023

9Introduction

OVERALL PDCC REHABILITATION PROJECT

In the PMIS, the following objectives were stated for the overall PDCC rehabilitation project:

• Building and site wall foundations will be stabilized to address long term on-going movement

• Building envelopes will be repaired and some areas will be restored to match the original historic design and construction

• Select interior spaces will be renovated to meet current needs of the complex and restoration of specific historic design elements will be prioritized

• Outdated building and utility systems will be replaced, including upgrading electrical and mechanical systems to meet current demands or replacing the systems that have exceeded their life cycle

• The public restrooms will be updated to improve visitor experience, promote water conservation, and facilitate cleaning

Based on the National Historic Landmark significance of the Painted Desert Community Complex, a rehabilitation treatment program will inevitably emphasize retention of historic fabric and restoration of character defining features. However, Park staff have expressed the need for flexibility in the use and layout of spaces to accommodate changing staffing and organizational needs, which requires reconsideration of preservation priorities as applicable to scope development.

REHABILITATION OF RESIDENTIAL BLOCKS

The following rehabilitation objectives have been identified for the Residential Blocks to support continued residential use. Requirements associated with each objective are outlined in Chapter 4.

• Restoration of character-defining features

• Rehabilitation of exterior spaces, including plazas and private courtyards

• Modifications to support current use of residential blocks, including potentially dividing existing three-bedroom units into smaller units

• Envelope and HVAC modifications to improve occupant comfort and improve energy efficiency

• Stabilization of foundations and repair of structural damage

1.3 | Goals & Objectives

Aerial view of Residential Blocks, c. 1960s (photo provided by NPS)

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Goals & Objectives (cont’d)Introduction

HOUSING REHABILITATION DESIGN GUIDE

In response to the overall project goals and specific housing rehabilitation goals, and with the understanding that some housing rehabilitation objectives may fall outside the scope of the current rehabilitation project, Hennebery Eddy identified the following goals for this Housing Rehabilitation Design Guide:

• Provide treatment guidelines for rehabilitating the Residential Blocks that respond to rehabilitation objectives and allow the park to plan for future rehabilitation work at the Residential Blocks.

• Document original design intent and construction history of the Residential Blocks.

• Provide an overview of existing conditions at the Residential Blocks.

• Provide a list of short-term actions to improve livability at the Residential Blocks.

• Provide an overview of recommended phasing for rehabilitation work at the Residential Blocks.

11Introduction

Introduction 1.4 | Resources

The following resources have been identified as primary sources of information for the analysis of conditions at PDCC. Subject matter experts will be engaged early in the design process with specific questions and for validation of assertions and approaches. Information provided by subject matter experts will be integrated into the final version of this report.

PUBLISHED

• Preservation of Modern Architecture by Theodore

H. M. Prudon

• Mission 66: Modernism and the National Park Dilemma by Ethan Carr

• Mission 66 Visitor Centers: The History of a Building Type by Sarah Allaback

• National Register Nomination

• 2016 National Historic Landmark Nomination

• 2006 Historic Structure Report

• 2018 Cultural Landscape Inventory (Revision)

• 2005 Cultural Landscape Report

SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS

• Barbara Lamprecht, M.Arch, Ph.D.: modern building historian and consultant, author of articles and essays on Richard Neutra

• Peyton Hall, FAIA: Principal Architect Emeritus with Historic Resources Group, Pasadena, California; adjunct professor at University of Southern California; expert in heritage conservation and modernism

• Thomas Hines, Ph.D.: Architectural historian, Professor Emeritus of History at UCLA, written extensively about Richard Neutra

• Sylvia Lavin, Ph.D.: Professor of history and theory of architecture at Princeton University

• Raymond Neutra, Ph.D. MPH: President at Neutra Institute for Survival Through Design

• Sian Winship, MHP: Architectural historian, President of the Society of Architectural Historians/Southern California Chapter

OTHER

• The Neutra Institute for Survival Through Design

– neutra.org

As-built drawings of Residential Blocks, Neutra/Alexander, 1965

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13Introduction

Residential Block D, from courtyard in Block C

HISTORIC PRESERVATION

An on-site inspection of the existing conditions at the Residential Blocks was conducted as part of the assessment of all buildings in the project area by Hennebery Eddy Architects, DCI, Interface, DHM, and Calibre August 21-25, 2023. During this investigation, original design, materials, and features were documented at all subject buildings and the site. Character defining features were inventoried and blocks were assigned preservation zones based on level of integrity, potential to restore integrity, and public visibility. Historic preservation information relating to the Residential Blocks is included in this report.

EXISTING CONDITIONS

The August 21-25, 2023, investigation also included physical condition assessment of Residential Blocks A-D. Conditions were warm and sunny with occasional passing showers. Periods of rain were intense enough to show water movement across the site and from roof to ground at buildings. Access was provided to the site, building exteriors, roofs, and all areas of building interiors. Exterior building materials and features were visually assessed from the ground and by ladder. Interior building materials and features were visually assessed from the ground.

All readily visible material and feature conditions were documented. Non-Destructive Investigation (NDI) tools were used by the assessment team to obtain a higher level of condition data where useful and feasible. NDI findings aided in identifying causes of deterioration, severity, and conditions that might require further destructive investigation. NDI tools that were used on site included sounding, probing, magnets, and moisture meters. No destructive investigation was performed. Conditions were photo-documented and recorded digitally using mobile tablet technology. Exterior and interior conditions were annotated on field forms prepared for the project.

Physical paint samples were taken during the August 21-25, 2023, site investigation and subsequent laboratory analysis conducted by Hennebery Eddy Architects in September 2023. Original specifications provided color numbers from the Plochere Color System, still in business in Los Angeles, California.

Samples were taken from building components known to have been painted to confirm locations of colors from the original scheme.

Existing conditions are documented in detail in the Historic Preservation Report. Relevant conditions at Residential Blocks are summarized in this report and individual building and site components are evaluated on a Good/Fair/Poor rating scale.

1.5 | Methodology

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Methodology (cont’d)Introduction

TREATMENT GUIDELINES

Treatment Guidelines were developed based on the overall Treatment Approach outlined in the Historic Preservation Report, comprised of the following elements:

• Best practices for preserving Modern architecture

• NPS legal mandates and policy directives

• The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation, and, where applicable, the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Restoration

• Applicable NPS Preservation Briefs

Preservation Best Practices

Modern-era buildings are often more difficult to understand and interpret as historic resources.

Design theory and construction innovations of the modern movement diverged from traditional styles, materials, and construction common to the first half of the 20th century. Thus, a shift in how we evaluate and treat historic resources of the modern era must occur. Continuity of design and materials and recognition of original design intent are critical to preserving modern architecture.

Qualities that differ from preservation approaches for traditional buildings include:

• Character defining features that may be conceptual or intangible, such as design intent, transparency and visual continuity, visual connections between interiors and the outside world

• Recognition that in addition to physical materiality, design intent is also a factor of authenticity

• Understanding that modern materials and assemblies may have no feasible method of repair and may require replacement at an accelerated rate (shorter life expectancies)

A sound preservation approach for the PDCC, that balances preservation, deferred maintenance, and functional needs, is to first focus preservation efforts on primary buildings or landscape spaces, central to the purpose of the complex; buildings with integrity loss that impacts the integrity of the complex; and buildings with deleterious conditions that if allowed to progress will result in impact to the complex or resource loss. At the individual building level, preservation of character-defining features that are high contributors to building character and allowing more flexibility for lessor contributing features will allow for changes related to ongoing use and functionality for the park while maintaining historic character.

Regulatory Standards and Guidelines

Requirements for treatment currently include laws, regulations, and standards as outlined by NPS in NPS-28: Cultural Resource Management (Chapter 8).

The following are laws and regulations applicable to this site.

Legal Mandates & Policy Directives

• Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA)

• NPS Cultural Resources Management Guidelines (Director’s Order 28)

• Review of all proposed work by NPS Park and Regional cultural resources staff

• NPS Night Sky Initiative

Applicable Building Codes & Regulations

(Code versions should be verified at time of project design)

• International Building Code (IBC)

• International Existing Building Code (IEBC)

• Architectural Barriers Act (ABA)

• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

• Clean Air Act (CAA)

• Occupational Safety and Health Administration

(OSHA)

15Introduction

The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards

The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties (SOIS) outlines four treatment approaches for historic resources

– preservation, rehabilitation, restoration, and reconstruction. The recommended overall approach at the Residential Blocks is rehabilitation, with a restoration approach at Unit 208. As described by the National Park Service’s Technical Preservation Services, “Rehabilitation is defined as the act or process of making possible a compatible use for a property through repair, alterations, and additions while preserving those portions or features which convey its historical, cultural, or architectural values” and “Restoration is defined as the act or process of accurately depicting the form, features, and character of a property as it appeared at a particular period of time by means of the removal of features from other periods in its history and reconstruction of missing features from the restoration period.”

SOIS for Rehabilitation (Overall Approach):

1. A property will be used as it was historically or be given a new use that requires minimal change to its distinctive materials, features, spaces and spatial relationships.

2. The historic character of a property will be retained and preserved. The removal of distinctive materials or alteration of features, spaces and spatial relationships that characterize a property will be avoided.

3. Each property will be recognized as a physical record of its time, place and use. Changes that create a false sense of historical development, such as adding conjectural features or elements from other historic properties, will not be undertaken.

4. Changes to a property that have acquired historic significance in their own right will be retained and preserved.

5. Distinctive materials, features, finishes and construction techniques or examples of craftsmanship that characterize a property will be preserved.

6. Deteriorated historic features will be repaired rather than replaced. Where the severity of deterioration requires replacement of a distinctive feature, the new feature will match the old in design, color, texture and, where possible, materials. Replacement of missing features will be substantiated by documentary and physical evidence.

7. Chemical or physical treatments, if appropriate, will be undertaken using the gentlest means possible. Treatments that cause damage to historic materials will not be used.

8. Archeological resources will be protected and preserved in place. If such resources must be disturbed, mitigation measures will be undertaken.

9. New additions, exterior alterations or related new construction will not destroy historic materials, features and spatial relationships that characterize the property. The new work will be differentiated from the old and will be compatible with the historic materials, features, size, scale and proportion, and massing to protect the integrity of the property and its environment.

10. New additions and adjacent or related new construction will be undertaken in such a manner that, if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the historic property and its environment would be unimpaired.

SOIS for Restoration (Applies to Unit 208):

1. A property will be used as it was historically or be given a new use that interprets the property and its restoration period.

2. Materials and features from the restoration period will be retained and preserved. The removal of materials or alteration of features, spaces and spatial relationships that characterize the period will not be undertaken.

3. Each property will be recognized as a physical record of its time, place and use. Work needed to stabilize, consolidate and conserve materials and features from the restoration period will be physically and visually compatible, identifiable upon close inspection and properly documented for future research.

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4. Materials, features, spaces and finishes that characterize other historical periods will be documented prior to their alteration or removal.

5. Distinctive materials, features, finishes and construction techniques or examples of craftsmanship that characterize the restoration period will be preserved.

6. Deteriorated features from the restoration period will be repaired rather than replaced. Where the severity of deterioration requires replacement of a distinctive feature, the new feature will match the old in design, color, texture and, where possible, materials.

7. Replacement of missing features from the restoration period will be substantiated by documentary and physical evidence. A false sense of history will not be created by adding conjectural features, features from other properties, or by combining features that never existed together historically.

8. Chemical or physical treatments, if appropriate, will be undertaken using the gentlest means possible. Treatments that cause damage to historic materials will not be used.

9. Archeological resources affected by a project will be protected and preserved in place. If such resources must be disturbed, mitigation measures will be undertaken.

10. Designs that were never executed historically will not be constructed.

Applicable NPS Preservation Briefs

• 01: Assessing Cleaning and Water-Repellent Treatments for Historic Masonry Buildings

• 02: Repointing Mortar Joints in Historic Masonry Buildings

• 03: Improving Energy Efficiency in Historic Buildings

• 04: Roofing for Historic Buildings

• 06: Dangers of Abrasive Cleaning to Historic Buildings

• 15: Preservation of Historic Concrete

• 16: The Use of Substitute Materials on Historic Building Exteriors

• 22: The Preservation and Repair of Historic Stucco

• 32: Making Historic Properties Accessible

• 39: Holding the Line: Controlling Unwanted Moisture in Historic Buildings

• 41: The Seismic Rehabilitation of Historic Buildings

• 47: Maintaining the Exterior of Small and Medium Size Historic Buildings

Historic Preservation

2. Historic Preservation

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19Historic Preservation

Block concept, Neutra/Alexander, “Homes for National Park Service Families on a Wind-Swept Desert”

PAINTED DESERT COMMUNITY COMPLEX

The Painted Desert Community Complex (PDCC) is the primary gateway to the Petrified Forest National Park (PEFO) in northeastern Arizona. The complex is located less than one mile north of Interstate Highway 40 and acts as the fulcrum between the Petrified Forest to the south and the Painted Desert to the north. The climate is arid with few natural protections against high winds and sun. Temperature averages range from 90°F in the summer to 20°F in the winter with occasional snow. The landscape is windswept and sparsely vegetated.

President Theodore Roosevelt conserved the initial parkland by designating the southern portion as a national monument in 1908. The designation expanded to include the northern Painted Desert portion in 1932. By that time, upgrades to US Route 66 (now Interstate 40) had increased automobile traffic along the northern edge of the park and shifted visitors away from the southern entry at Rainbow Ranch. The increase in visitors demonstrated the need for an entry and visitor facility near the highway.

The Interstate Highway Act (1956) and postwar proliferation of automobile travel further revealed the need for a visitor center. The number of visitors to the park quadrupled to 440,000 from 1945-1955 and again increased to 700,000 by 1962. The strain on park resources became a national issue addressed by the Mission 66 program to modernize and expand National Park Service (NPS) facilities. The program resulted in increased road access within parks and hundreds of new buildings nationwide. The PDCC is the largest project within the Mission 66 program and considered an outstanding example of the Park Service Modern style that emerged during this period.

The NPS selected architects Richard Neutra and Robert Alexander to design the PDCC in 1958.

The NPS had already hired Neutra and Alexander to design the Gettysburg Cyclorama building in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, which was under construction concurrently. The architects were nationally respected as practitioners of the International Style within the Modernist movement, and their work for the parks was evidence of the NPS’s modernization efforts under Mission 66.

The PDCC was dedicated in 1963 and completed construction in 1965. By that time, shoddy construction and unstable foundation conditions had already begun to affect the structures. The NPS

2.1 | Historical Background & Significance

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Historical Background & Significance (cont’d)Historic Preservation completed repairs and alterations in the following decades, at times hiding or altering character-defining features. By the 1990s, the NPS and Neutra’s son Dion expressed interest in the PDCC’s preservation and rehabilitation. The complex, nominated as a district, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. Subsequent Historic Structure and Cultural Landscape Reports outlined several steps toward rehabilitation, some of which the NPS completed in the following decade.

The demolition of the Gettysburg Cyclorama in 2013 heightened interest in the PDCC. In 2017, the PDCC designation was elevated to a National Historic Landmark.

RESIDENTIAL BLOCKS

Original Concept & Design

Neutra and Alexander outlined their vision for the Residential Blocks in a document titled “Homes for National Park Service Families on a Wind-Swept Desert.” In the document, they propose the attached, walled design in response to the need for privacy in the flat, barren desert, and shelter from the powerful desert winds. The private courtyards and plazas between housing blocks were conceived as sheltered green oases. The multi-unit blocks were a departure from the NPS Mission 66 housing plan. Other design considerations included storage space for furniture and bulk shopping, sheltered outdoor space for pursuit of hobbies, and use of the individual home as the center of social life in the relatively isolated environment.

The Residential Blocks share the design language and material palette of other PDCC buildings. The blocks are single-story and horizontally oriented, with flat roofs and cantilevered exterior soffits over walkways.

Original exterior wall materials include solid CMU and stucco.

Each housing unit has three bedrooms and two bathrooms and is designed to one of two similar floor plans. “C” plan units have a courtyard entry along the east wall of the block and a main entry into the unit within the courtyard. “Cf” plan units have a main entry (into the living room) and a secondary entry (into a service yard) along the west exterior wall of the block. Block A consists of three attached “C” plan units. Blocks B and C each consist of six attached units; three “Cf” plan units and three “C” plan units.

Block D consists of three attached “Cf” plan units.

Windows (aluminum sliders) were installed only in courtyard-facing walls. Aluminum “louver windows” were installed at public-facing elevations for ventilation, but the exterior block walls were otherwise unfenestrated, designed to provide privacy and block the desert wind.

Courtyards were designed to be an extension of functional living spaces, with a main landscaped courtyard providing an “oasis in the desert” and smaller service courtyard behind a partition wall and gate.

1965 as-built drawings by Neutra and Alexander’s office indicate that the residential plan units were

Courtyard concept, Neutra/Alexander, “Homes for National Park Service Families on a Wind-Swept Desert”

21Historic Preservation

Historical Background & Significance (cont’d)Historic Preservation originally designed to be four feet longer in the living/ dining area (north-south dimension for “Cf” plans and east-west dimension for “C” plans), but “at a late stage,” were reduced in size, resulting in a smaller living/dining room area.

Construction

The Residential Blocks were constructed from 1961- 1962 and completed in October 1962. The Residential Blocks were the second major project completed at PDCC, after the Visitor Center/Administration Building and Residential Wing. The contractor was Rasmussen Construction Company.

The construction process was marked by a number of problems. The contractor had not adequately allowed for the amount of fill and foundation height.

When the units were halfway complete, the architect reported that the CMU walls were not properly constructed and required repair in some areas. The park construction supervisor reported throughout the construction process that the work was slow and poorly supervised.

Significance

All four residential blocks are contributing structures to the PDCC NHL listing. PDCC is designated a NHL for its association with the Mission 66 program to expand and modernize the nation’s park system, and as an exceptional architectural representation of the Modern Movement/International Style.

Unit concept, Neutra/Alexander, “Homes for National Park Service Families on a Wind-Swept Desert”

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23Historic Preservation

Construction of plaza area between blocks with carport structure shown, April 1963 (J.R. Douglass, photographer. Photo provided by NPS)

Date Event

1961-1962 (Completed October 1962)

Initial construction (Rasmussen Construction Company)

1966 Grout pumped into soil around Residential Blocks B, C, and D in an attempt to stabilize foundation movement

1976 Exterior stucco painted light brown, and brightly colored exterior accent walls painted "tobacco brown"

c. 1980s Original exterior finishes partially covered with board and batten siding, plywood, and T1-11 siding.

c. 1980s Exterior storage units added in residential courtyards, with wood cladding and external gutter systems. Some service yards were also enclosed.

c. 1980s Original oil-fired in-floor forced air heating systems (in interior utility closets) replaced with gas-fired furnaces.

1981-1987 Interior courtyard ribbon windows and surrounding walls of the residences (except Apartment 208) were removed and the walls were reframed. This included expanding the kitchens in some units. Picture windows were added in some living rooms.

Unknown (1997- 2006)

Asbestos flooring removed or encapsulated

2003-2004 Roofs replaced with single-ply membrane over tapered insulation (replaced earlier non-historic roof modification) and HVAC systems replaced with roof-mounted units.

Unknown (before 2005)

Ornamental metal supports added to soffits. Many supports removed in 2005.

2.2 | Construction Chronology

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25Historic Preservation

Desert tan CMU walls, pictured here at Block C, are a character-defining feature of the residential blocks

DEFINITION

NPS defines a character-defining feature as “a prominent or distinctive aspect, quality, or characteristic of a historic property that contributes significantly to its physical character. Structures, objects, vegetation, spatial relationships, views, furnishings, decorative details, and materials may be such features.”1 The following character-defining features at the Residential Blocks were identified based on documentation in the 2016 National Historic Landmark (NHL) nomination and 2006 Historic Structure Report (HSR), as well as information from Hennebery Eddy’s August 2023 on-site condition assessment.

EXTERIOR AND SITE

• Low, single-story, horizontally oriented buildings

• Flat roofs with painted metal gravel stops

• Deep cantilevered soffits protecting over concrete walkways, with square recessed lights

• Desert tan CMU and white stucco exterior walls

• Boldly painted doors/trim, with a cohesive exterior color scheme per block

• Private vegetated courtyards providing a “desert oasis” experience

• Inward-facing units oriented toward courtyards

1. National Park Service, NPS-28 Cultural Resource Management Guideline

• Windowless public-facing facades

• Ribbon windows on walls facing courtyards

• Aluminum framed windows with minimal exterior trim and aluminum corner flashings at exposed building corners

• Wide aluminum sliding patio doors at courtyards

INTERIOR

• Exposed CMU at select interior wall faces

• Smooth gypsum board at interior partition walls

• Clear finished wood flush panel interior doors and transoms

• Minimal clear finished wood door and base trim

• Painted wood sill, jamb, and head with no interior trim at windows

• Division of public and private spaces, with the kitchen/dining/living area in one leg of the “L” and private bedroom/bathroom spaces in other leg of “L”

• Enameled steel Youngstown kitchen cabinets with arrow-shaped hardware

• Plastic laminate kitchen countertops in unit color scheme

• Closet in each bedroom with painted sliding doors in unit color scheme and minimal trim

• Block and unit color scheme

2.3 | Character-Defining Features

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27Historic Preservation

OVERVIEW

As contributing buildings to the Painted Desert Community Complex National Historic Landmark listing, integrity of the Residential Blocks and surrounding plazas is important to the overall integrity and significance of the complex.

Integrity can be evaluated using the seven aspects of integrity identified by the National Register of Historic Places – location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association. Currently, the Residential Blocks, and the complex overall, retain a high degree of integrity related to the setting, original planning concept, building and site feature locations, and association as a modern-era park facility and Neutra and Alexander design complex. An evaluation of the overall complex in terms of the seven aspects of integrity is included in the Historic Preservation Report.

OVERALL INTEGRITY BY BLOCK

Block Overall Integrity

Block A Moderate

Block B Moderate (Unit 208 - High)

Block C Moderate

Block D Moderate

Plazas Low - Moderate

INTEGRITY EVALUATION MATRIX

The matrix on the following pages evaluates the integrity of all building and site components at the Residential Blocks. Major alterations and remaining historic details are described in the “Considerations” column. The degree of difficulty to restore the component back to its original form is rated in the “Reversibility” column.

Original exposed CMU and stucco siding has been covered with T1-11 wood cladding at many locations (seen here at the west elevation of Block C)

2.4 | Integrity

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Integrity (cont’d)Historic Preservation

INTEGRITY: EXTERIOR

Component Integrity (High/ Moderate/ Low)

Considerations Reversibility (Easy/ Moderate/ Difficult)

Roof Assemblies Moderate • Bulky mechanical equipment disrupts horizontality

• Some roofs have been visibly sloped and fascia/ flashings widened/angled

Easy

Exterior Walls Low - Moderate

• Non-historic wood cladding does not match material palette or architectural style and disrupts horizontality

• Most kitchen walls have been bumped out to provide additional space. Kitchen bump-outs modify building form, circulation, daylighting, and facade appearance.

• Brown/tan paint color scheme does not match original color scheme

Easy - Moderate

Soffits Moderate • Non-historic metal supports at soffits

• Non-historic wood cladding does not match material palette or architectural style and disrupts horizontality

Moderate (Structural)

Windows Low • Original window openings have been altered

• Original aluminum windows have been replaced with windows of various other materials

• New openings have been punched in west facing exterior walls

Moderate- Difficult

Exterior Doors Low - Moderate

• Non-historic wood French doors have replaced historic aluminum sliding patio doors

• Original accent paint colors not present at most exterior doors

• Doors at many kitchens have been relocated

• Courtyard doors are widely intact, but have varying head conditions

Easy-Moderate

Foundations High • Unaltered, in floor heating ducts abandoned in place

N/A

Signage & Accessories

High • Original unit signage and doorbells are intact N/A

29Historic Preservation

Original: Historic photo showing empty flat roof and original profile

Existing: Bulky rooftop mechanical equipment

Original: Stucco finish, ribbon windows, continuous wall plane, sliding glass doors, and cantilevered soffit (Existing at Unit 208)

Original: Stucco finish, ribbon windows, and cantilevered soffit at courtyard-facing elevation of bedroom wing

Existing: Non-original wood cladding, kitchen bump-out, French doors, altered circulation, and non-historic decorative metal soffit supports

Existing: Small punched windows, non-original wood cladding, non-original decorative soffit supports at courtyard-facing elevation of bedroom wing

INTEGRITY - EXTERIOR

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Existing: Non-original wood exterior door and brown-painted trim

Original: Brightly painted metal exterior door and trim

INTEGRITY - EXTERIOR (CONT’D)

Original: No window openings in west facade Existing: Public-facing living room elevation with non-original punched windows

31Historic Preservation

Original: Historic sliding patio doors Existing: Non-historic patio doors

INTEGRITY - EXTERIOR (CONT’D)

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INTEGRITY: INTERIOR

Component Integrity (High/ Moderate/ Low)

Considerations Reversibility (Easy/ Moderate/ Difficult)

Interior Layout & Use

High • Original interior layout is intact in all units N/A

Kitchens Low - High • Unit 208 retains original enameled steel cabinetry, laminate countertops, and square light fixtures (some steel cabinetry assembled from other units for retrofit into Unit 208)

• All other units have varying degrees of replacement ranging from new flooring to complete replacement of all kitchen components, flooring, lighting, etc.

Moderate- Difficult

Bathrooms Low - Moderate

• Bathroom components and finishes have been replaced over time

• Many bathrooms retain wall mounted sinks, mirrors and other accessories that appear to be original

Moderate

Interior Finishes Low - Moderate

• Exposed CMU interior walls have been covered with gypsum board in most units

• Interior color schemes (accent walls, window surrounds) have been painted out white

• Flooring has been replaced in all units

Easy

Interior Woodwork

High • Natural finished plywood panels/walls/ transoms intact

• Wood closets and shelving intact

N/A

Interior Window Finishes

Low • Replacement of windows with smaller units included alteration of original interior conditions of jambs/heads with no trim and painted wood sills

Moderate-easy

Interior Doors High • Natural finished wood doors intact N/A

33Historic Preservation

Original: Exposed CMU interior walls (Phil Stitt, early 1960s)

Existing: Small punched windows in bedroom

Existing: Remodeled kitchen with stained wood cabinets Original: Original Youngstown kitchen with original laminate countertops and accent color painted on back wall

Existing: Non-original pellet stove in living room and non-original gypsum board wall finish

Original: Wall-to-wall ribbon windows in bedroom

INTEGRITY - INTERIOR

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INTEGRITY: BUILDING SYSTEMS

Component Integrity (High/ Moderate/ Low)

Considerations Reversibility (Easy/ Moderate/ Difficult)

HVAC Moderate- Low

• Systems altered over time and migrated to roof tops

• Heating system with underground ducts abandoned in place

• Swamp cooler enclosures in courtyards converted to storage

• Pellet stoves installed in living rooms for supplemental heat. Pellet stoves refocus the living room from the original design centered on the courtyards to an object within the space.

Moderate

Electrical Moderate - High

• Exterior electrical conduit has been added at some units

Easy

Interior Lighting Moderate- High

• Most units retain square ceiling mounted light fixtures (2 sizes)

• Replacement ceiling fixtures are typically incompatible, diverging from the original character of the interior lighting in style, materials, and finish

Easy

Exterior Lighting High • Square soffit fixtures largely intact

• Surface mounted aluminum can fixtures at kitchen entries largely intact

N/A

Plumbing High • No alterations have been made to plumbing systems that negatively affect integrity. See Kitchens and Bathrooms, above, for fixtures.

N/A

Stormwater Drainage

Moderate - High

• Original scuppers remain, and some scuppers have been added

• Some units have non-original gutters and downspouts

Easy

Data/Telecom High • No visually intrusive data/telecom equipment is present

N/A

Security High • No additional security system is in place N/A

Fire Protection & Alarm

High • No additional fire protection equipment has been added beyond residential smoke alarms

N/A

35Historic Preservation

Existing: Bulky rooftop equipment impedes drainage

Original: Historical photo showing original scuppers, with no visible gutters/downspouts

Original: Evaporative cooler enclosure with louvers (Phil Stitt, 1960s)

Existing: Non-original gutters and downspouts have been added at some units

Existing: Evaporative cooler enclosure converted to storage

INTEGRITY - BUILDING SYSTEMS

Original: Historic photo showing empty flat roof (mechanical equipment in utility rooms & evaporative cooler enclosures)

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INTEGRITY: SITE

Component Integrity (High/ Moderate/ Low)

Considerations Reversibility (Easy/ Moderate/ Difficult)

Site Walls Moderate - High

• CMU courtyard walls remain intact

• Original service area partition walls and gate, painted in accent color per unit, have been removed

Easy

Grading and Drainage

Moderate • Plazas altered for water management, with an extensive system of white concrete channels to culverts, impacts original intent of plazas as natural and social areas

Moderate

Private Courtyards

Moderate - High

• Unit courtyards remain private

• Units with courtyard entries facing west have had service areas enclosed and roof openings framed in to create protected storage space

• Limited, overgrown, or dying vegetation

Moderate

Plazas Low - Moderate

• Plazas altered for water management, with an extensive system of white concrete channels to culverts, impacts original intent of plazas as natural and social areas

Moderate

Carports Moderate - High

• Carports shared by units facing the associated plaza remain intact

• Coordinated color scheme has been painted over

Easy

37Historic Preservation

Original: Service yard area in courtyard (with partition wall) Existing: Service yard area in courtyard (no wall)

Original: Open plaza with groundcover Existing: Plaza with surface drainage channels

INTEGRITY - SITE

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39Historic Preservation

PURPOSE

Preservation zoning helps ensure the proper care and treatment of spaces, materials, and design features that contribute to the building’s historical significance. It also provides a framework for operations, maintenance, and rehabilitation;

and identifies which areas are open for greater modification. Preservation zoning divides the exterior elevations, interior spaces, and site (where included) into areas based on historical and architectural significance and integrity. Zones are established through visual observation and professional analysis of documentation, including historic photographs, construction documents, and records of alterations over time.