Fort Madison
Historic
Design
Guidelines
The rich history of architecture in this downtown neighborhood required guidance for the next generation of building owners. The new historic guidelines establish clear and concise design directions for the preservation of this historic district, including design strategies for future development.
Owners and communities usually want to do restoration right, but don't always have the tools to do so. Historic guidelines can help property owners and community members understand both the why and the how of appropriately preserving, restoring, and/or rehabilitating historic structures. Each façade was individually photographed and documented. Historic photographs were collected from numerous sources and were studied to understand each building's alterations over the years. This research allowed RDG to determine which elements were authentic to the building and revealed if any pieces were missing. The end product is a booklet that includes a page for each building that was studied, along with recommendations on items to keep, fix or remove. A historic photograph, if available, is also included for reference. These guidelines will serve the City of Fort Madison for years to come and will help business owners understand what is historically accurate and what is inappropriate for their buildings according to the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation. This coherent planning celebrates the architectural heritage of the downtown for building owner, residents, and visitors alike. RDG brought our experience in historic architecture to the table - including the ability to reference and incorporate treatments and best practices from the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties), as well as our knowledge of community planning. The City was awarded a Certified Local Government (CLG) Grant from the State Historical Society of Iowa to fund the development of their Historic Design Guidelines.