RD108 - Biennial Report on the Stewardship of State-Owned Properties.


Executive Summary:
In 2006, the General Assembly passed Senate Bill 462 adding § 10.1-2202.3 calling for the Department of Historic Resources to develop two biennial reports (which may be combined) on the stewardship of state-owned properties to include the following:

• A priority list of the Commonwealth’s most significant state-owned properties that are eligible for but not designated on the Virginia Landmarks Register pursuant to § 10.1-2206.1,

• A priority list of significant state-owned properties, designated on or eligible for the Virginia Landmarks Register, which are threatened with the loss of historic integrity or functionality, and

• A biennial status report summarizing actions, decisions taken, and the condition of properties previously identified as priorities.

In developing the report, the Department must, in addition to significance and threat, take into account other public interest considerations associated with landmark designation and the provision of proper care and maintenance of property including:

• Potential financial consequences to the Commonwealth associated with failure to care for and maintain property,

• Significant public educational potential,

• Significant tourism opportunities, and

• Community values and comments.

This report is to be completed and distributed to all affected state agencies, including institutions of higher learning, the Governor, the Secretary of Administration, the Secretary of Natural Resources, the Secretary of Finance, and the General Assembly by May 1 of each odd-numbered year so that information contained in the report is available to the agencies, the Secretary of Finance, the Secretary of Administration, and the Governor, as well as the General Assembly, during budget preparation.

All agencies of the Commonwealth are required to assist and support the development of the report by providing information and access to property as may be requested. Further, each agency that owns property included in the report shall initiate consultation with the Department within 60 days of receipt of the report and make a good faith effort to reach a consensus decision on designation of an unlisted property and on the feasibility, advisability, and general manner of addressing property needs in the case of a threatened historic property.

In this first report, with only half of the mandated cycle in which to compile data, the Department is able to set the stage for a full report cycle by outlining the base-line from which future progress will be determined: providing an overview of the range of historic properties owned by the Commonwealth, an outline of the benefits of rehabilitating and reusing historic resources in general, and a summary of the legal tools already in place to encourage stewardship of historic resources by state agencies. This report also highlights positive steps some agencies are already taking as well as several outstanding and long-term issues standing in the way of improved stewardship, and finally provides a short list of both register priorities and threatened historic resources owned by state agencies. In this year, selection for the lists is based primarily on significance and nature of threat with general reference to other public interests and values. Future reports will be able to conduct more thorough analyses of economic, educational, tourism, and community values specific to the properties listed.

Findings in this first report include:

• Eleven historic properties owned by state agencies or institutions of higher education that are given a high priority for listing on the Virginia Landmarks Register based on historic significance; diversity of geographic distribution, resource type, and historic associations; as well as potential for educational and tourism opportunities.

• One specific resource and one category of resources that are in need of special attention

• Recognition of the great discrepancy in the number of historic resources owned by the Commonwealth (over 1,100 or roughly 10% of the state’s building inventory cited in 1991) and the number actually listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register (54 as of June 2006)

• Recognition that the 1988 (revised in 1991) survey of state-owned buildings is out-dated and in need of revision as a basis for consistent, comprehensive, and statewide evaluation, recommendations, and decision-making

• Recognition that archaeological sites which are not included in the 1988/1991 survey are at particular risk

The report concludes with recommendations for state landholding agencies and institutions of higher education as well as the Department of Historic Resources to take action in the next two years before the 2009 Report on Stewardship of State-owned Historic Properties is due as well as suggestions for gubernatorial and legislative action.