Historic Preservation, Section 106 and 707 Consulting Services

As qualified Secretary of Interior Historic Architects and Architectural Historians, we are facilitating the Federal Section 106 (and its state counterpart, Section 707) review process for multiple transportation and rail improvement projects.

The Section 106 process, required by the National Preservation Act of 1966, ensures historic properties and resources are protected from the potential negative effects of construction projects funded by a federal agency. With the initiation of a project a historic preservation specialist (like us) is engaged to define the area of potential effect (APE), assess properties located within the APE for eligibility of listing on the National Register of Historic Places, and determination of effects that may alter their historic integrity. Upon compilation of our findings, invited Consulting Parties (local stakeholders, activists, and preservationists) are engaged to provide comments on the project and provide insight into their historic resources. Our findings inclusive of the Consulting Parties comments, are submitted to the Federal Transportation or Railroad Agency who then presents them to the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) for approval. Should adverse effects be the result of the process, a Memoranda of Agreement is developed to mitigate these identified effects.

These processes effectively integrate the historic importance of the place in its development for the future.

Birds-eye view, World’s Columbian Exposition, Chicago 1893.

Grant Park 1929, Metra Van Buren/Millennium Park Stations.

CTA North Main Line, Chicago.

Chicago Union Station, 1924.

East Elmwood Park, Grade Separation, CREATE Program.