modifying components? 47 48 in preservation of any structures within the Croton system are referred to the “Standards for Preservation and Guidelines for Preserving Historic Buildings,” which emphasizes the following: 1. A property should be used as it was historically, or given a new use that maximizes its significance and distinct characteristics. 2. The historic character of a structure must be maintained. 3. The property’s physical features should be stabilized, consolidated, or conserved in a way that is “physically and visually compatible, identifiable upon close inspection, and properly documented for future research.” 4. Historically significant changes to a property should be considered in their own right and preserved. 5. Distinctive features that characterize the structure should be preserved. 6. Existing historic features will be evaluated to determine the level of necessary intervention. If necessary, repair and replacement should match the old composition and design. 7. Chemical or physical treatments should be as gentle as possible. 8. Archeological resources should be “protected and preserved in place.”6 We propose that the Standards be consistently followed for every component of the Croton Waterworks, including the unseen elements. One of the challenging aspects of preserving the Croton Waterworks is its size, as well as the enormity of managing the plethora of stakeholders involved along its span. Because the system is so long, it is critical that there be a well-written maintenance plan available to all stakeholders working along the system – including both State Parks and NYC Parks. Maintenance efforts may need to be coordinated by localized community efforts rather than one overriding authority. Within these localized maintenance teams, regular inspections will facilitate ongoing care and the achievement of preservation goals. A sampling of maintenance tasks specific to the Croton system would include routine weeding, rock maintenance along the Aqueduct berm, and the exterior cleaning of ventilators. Rehabilitation and Reuse In the case that more attention and resources can be devoted to various structures along the Croton Waterworks, we propose a program of rehabilitation. The National Park Service’s “Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings” (codified in 36 CFR 67 for use in the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives program) addresses the most prevalent treatment for many types of historic infrastructure. Rehabilitation is defined there as “the process of returning a property to a state of utility, through repair or alteration, which makes possible an efficient contemporary use while preserving those portions and features of the property which are significant to its historic, architectural, and cultural values.”7 These standards emphasize the following: 1. The property should be either used as it was historically or with a new use that requires minimal change and does not alter the historic character of the property. 2. Alterations “that create a false send of historical development...will not be undertaken.” 3. Both historically significant changes and distinctive original characteristics are to be retained. 4. Deteriorated historic features should be repaired rather than replaced, and where Plan/Guidelines Maintenance Routine maintenance of the entire Croton Waterworks system is a basic, yet costly and time-consuming, component in its preservation. According to the National Park Service’s guidelines for caring for historic building exteriors, “Maintenance has preservation as its goal.”2 The primary aims of preservation maintenance include regular upkeep, retaining of historic materials, preservation of historic character, addressing of deterioration, use of traditional repair methods, and utilization of the gentlest means of cleaning possible.3 According to Norman Weiss, “In terms of the duration of interaction with the structure, maintenance emerged as the most significant component of the conservation process.”4 The National Park Service’s “Standards for Preservation and Guidelines for Preserving Historic Buildings” are essentially a variety of treatments all rooted in building maintenance. When considering a maintenance approach, the Croton Waterworks is especially challenging, as some of the buildings/structures are still online and in service, while some are no longer functioning. Therefore, there is a potential need for two levels of maintenance plans, one for structures that are online and one for the stabilization of offline structures. Once a treatment type has been chosen (preservation, rehabilitation, restoration, or reconstruction), a suitable course of action consists of maintaining, replacing, or repairing historic materials. For the Croton Waterworks, we propose the preservation and rehabilitation of structures wherever possible. Due to funding limitations and the perception that historic infrastructural elements are defunct, preservation would be the first course of action. According to the Standards, preservation is defined as “the act or process of applying measures to sustain the existing from, integrity, and materials of an historic property.”5 This initial stage identifies, retains, and preserves historic features and materials. Therefore, active campaigns to stabilize the structures of the Croton Waterworks would feature ongoing maintenance and repair of exterior and interior systems. Those involved Section 3: Preservation document as the Croton Waterworks. This evaluation would consider the