WASHINGTON DC HISTORIC PRESERVATION DESIGN GUIDELINES
If you’re considering the purchase of an historic home in Washington DC, you're also likely to be planning improvements. Here’s a guide to the Historic Preservation rules for homes in your neighborhood, and advice on how to maintain and preserve your Washington DC home and its history. The DC Historic Preservation Office assists homeowners and tenants in historic structures with advice for the proper maintenance, preservation and enhancement of the architectural character of their properties.
Historic Preservation Guidelines for Utility Meters
The Historic Preservation Office has developed draft guidelines for placement of utility meters on landmarks and properties located within historic districts. The guidelines were formally approved by the Historic Preservation Review Board on May 3, 2012.
Accommodating Disabilities In Historic Buildings
Accommodating Persons with Disabilities in Historic Properties: The Historic Preservation Office assists owners and tenants in historic structures to maintain, preserve, and enhance accessibility on their property.
Additions To Historic Buildings
Additions to Historic Buildings: The Historic Preservation Office assists owners and tenants in historic structures to maintain, preserve, and enhance additions to their property, or create new ones.
Basement Entrances And Windows
Basement Entrances and Basement Windows on Historic Properties The Historic Preservation Office has developed guidelines for Basement Entrances and Basement Windows on Historic Properties.
Historic Commercial Buildings
Design Guidelines for Historic Commercial Buildings The Historic Preservation Office assists owners of historic commercial structures to maintain, preserve, and enhance their property.
Walls And Foundations Of Historic Buildings
Walls and Foundations of Historic Buildings: The Historic Preservation Office assists owners and tenants in historic structures to maintain, preserve, and enhance the walls and foundations on their property.
Roofs On Historic Buildings
Roofs on Historic Buildings The Historic Preservation Office assists owners and tenants in historic structures to maintain, preserve, and enhance the roofs on their property.
Porches And Steps In Historic Buildings
Porches and Steps on Historic Buildings: The Historic Preservation Office assists owners and tenants in historic structures to maintain, preserve, and enhance porches and steps on their property.
New Construction In Historic Districts
New Construction in Historic Districts The Historic Preservation Office assists owners and builders to design new buildings in historic districts.
Landscaping And Secondary Features
Landscaping, Landscape Features and Secondary Buildings in Historic Districts Yes, landscaping elements could be part of your DC historic home preservation design guidelines! The Historic Preservation Office assists owners and tenants in historic structures to maintain, preserve, and enhance the landscaping, landscape features, and secondary buildings on their property.
Window Repair And Replacement Guidelines
Window Repair and Replacement: Preservation and Design Guidelines: In October 2011, The Historic Preservation Review Board approved an updated guidance for window repair and replacement for historic structures in the District of Columbia.
Energy Conservation For Historic Buildings
The Historic Preservation Office assists owners and tenants in historic structures to enhance energy conservation on their property.
Neighborhood Historic Preservation Guidelines
Many DC Neighborhoods have their own guidelines, so be sure to check the rules for yours. Not sure if your home is a historic building? Check your address on this interactive map.
DC Historic Districts By Neighborhood
- Anacostia
- Blagden Alley Naylor Court
- Capitol Hill
- Cleveland Park
- Downtown
- Dupont Circle
- Emerald Street
- Financial
- Foggy Bottom
- Fourteenth Street
- Foxhall Village
- Georgetown
- George Washington University/Old West End
- Grant Circle
- Grant Road
- Kalorama Triangle
- Lafayette Square
- LeDroit Park
- Logan Circle
- Massachusetts Avenue
- Meridian Hill
- Mount Pleasant
- Mount Vernon Square
- Mount Vernon Triangle
- Pennsylvania Avenue
- Shaw
- Sheridan Kalorama
- Sixteenth Street
- Strivers’ Section
- Takoma Park
- U Street
- Union Market Terminal Historic District
- Washington Heights
- Woodley Park
Learning And Preserving Your Historic Home's History
- The DC Library provides some advice
- There is also a service to do the research for you.
Resources And Sources
- DC Historic Districts by neighborhood
- Design and Construction Standards
- HistoryQuest Interactive Map of DC Historic Buildings
- Inventory of Historic Sites
- Capitol Hill Restoration Society
- Capitol Historic Trust
- Dupont Conservancy
- Cleveland Park Historical Society
- OP Design Guidelines
- DC Office of Planning