George Washington's Mount Vernon, the home of the nation's first president, has long been on the forefront of historic preservation. The Mansion Revitalization project, which kicked off in 2023 and will continue through 2026, is a landmark preservation project to ensure the Mansion's structural stability and improve environmental conditions in the building. The project's major tasks include designing and installing a new heating/ventilation/air conditioning (HVAC) system, improving drainage in and around the Mansion's cellar, and repairing sections of the Mansion's framing and masonry (To learn more about the scope and phasing of the project, please visit Mansion Revitalization Project | George Washington's Mount Vernon).

Over the course of this multi-phase project, parts of the Mansion have remained open to visitors. This tour, however, will provide access to areas currently off-limits to the public: the Mansion's cellar, the central core of the first floor, and the second floor. Attendees will be able to see spaces where floorboards and floor joists have been removed to perform structural repairs, as well as see how the design team has integrated new ductwork for the upgraded HVAC system into the Mansion while protecting historic fabric. Attendees will see the spaces as they have rarely, and in some cases never, been seen before.

The tour will also include a visit to the Mount Vernon Preservation Lab, where attendees will have a chance to see the famous cherry bottles unearthed by MV's archaeology team during the project, as well as pieces from the museum's architectural fragment collection.

Tours will be led by:

• Tom Reinhart - Director of Preservation, George Washington's Mount Vernon
• Amy McAuley - Restoration Manager, George Washington's Mount Vernon
• Members of the Christman Company project team.

Site address: 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway Mount Vernon, VA 22121. Parking lots (free) are located on the east and west sides of the George Washington Memorial Parkway.

The group will meet outside the Texas Gate (main entrance gate). Arrive by 9:20am to go through security as a group.

Other Important Info:

• Two (2) AIA HSW Credits are available for this event. Please select this during registration and provide your AIA #.
• Attendees will need to bring full PPE: hard hat, boots, hi-vis vest, and safety glasses.
• Attendees will need to go through the museum's security (including metal detectors) prior to the tour.
• The project site is not accessible; attendees must be able to climb ladders and stairs.

Ever wonder why Baltimore has so many beautiful buildings and architecturally diverse neighborhoods? In part, it is due to 60 years of the efforts of the Baltimore City Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation (CHAP), in designating sites, buildings, landscapes, and neighborhoods as historic landmarks and districts. Eric Holcomb, Executive Director of the Baltimore City Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation and author, will give a talk, A Conversation with the Past: Historic Preservation in Baltimore, about the history and role of local historic preservation in the city. This talk will take place at historic Mount Clare Museum (circa 1760s) and will be followed by a garden party on the bowling green with drinks and hors d'oeuvres.

Eric obtained a Liberal Arts degree from St. Mary’s College of Maryland (1988) and a master’s degree in Preservation Studies at Boston University (1992). Between 1986 and 1994, he worked for several restoration companies including Gibbons of Baltimore Church Restoration Company and Tidewater Restoration, Inc. In 1994 he joined the staff of the Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation (CHAP). In 2004 CHAP staff merged with the Department of Planning, and in 2014 he became the Executive Director of CHAP where he has worked to further integrate and coordinate historic preservation into Planning activities. He is the author of City As Suburb: A History of Northeast Baltimore Since 1660. In 2016 he was awarded the Mayor’s Medallion for Meritorious Service and in 2018 the Honorable mention for the 14th annual Richard A. Lidinsky, Sr. award for Excellence in Public Service.

REGISTRATION LINK

This talk is approved for AIA CES (continuing education) 1.0 LU.

$10 of the ticket price is a donation to support the upkeep and operations of our host, Mount Clare Museum.

Thank you to our generous event sponsors:

APT DC is excited to announce a Networking Happy Hour to celebrate the chapter's 45th Anniversary! This happy hour is for historic preservation professionals and will be hosted at the offices of Genco Masonry, Inc., located at 4835 Cordell Avenue (Triangle Towers Apartment Building) in Downtown Bethesda. The offices are a 10 minute walk from the Bethesda Metro Station.

This event is free to attend.

Please note that advance registration is required, as space is limited. Attendees must be registered no later than May 20th.

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