April 10, 2008

Wheatley Hall receives statewide award from Georgia Trust for historic preservation

ATLANTA, Ga.— The Wheatley Administration Building at Georgia Southwestern State University (GSW) in Americus, Ga., received an award for Excellence in Rehabilitation from The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation at its Annual Meeting April 5 in Columbus.

Built in 1918 on the third district Agricultural and Mechanical School campus, now the Georgia Southwestern campus, the Wheatley Administration Building was named for Charles Huntington Wheatley, designer, Crawford Wheatley's son. Wheatley Hall’s T-shaped floor plan allows for an auditorium in the longer extension of the T-shape with the remainder of the building used as office and conference room space for GSW’s Admissions Office, Human Resources, Academic Affairs, University Relations and the President’s Office.  The building’s rear addition was constructed in the second quarter of the 20^th century.     

The complete rehabilitation of the original 1918 building and its subsequent additions followed a preservation plan produced in 2005 by OJP/Architect, Inc. The plan’s first phase of work focused on the exterior with work including masonry repointing, a front porch restoration, window restoration, a new historically appropriate roof, sensitive ADA access improvements, and the replacement of all mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems. To provide a more historically accurate exterior, three previously bricked-in arches in the rear of the building were uncovered and restored. Additionally, the historic view of the exterior has been restored by placing the HVAC chiller in an underground vault. 

Interior rehabilitation included recapturing lost features, most notably Wheatley Hall’s rotunda. After the building’s original monumental staircase was removed in the 1940’s, the rotunda was enclosed to provide additional office space in 1963. Rehabilitation work restored both the lost rotunda and staircase, returning Wheatley Hall to its original elegant appearance.

For 35 years, the Trust has recognized preservation projects and individuals in the state who have made significant contributions to the field of historic preservation. Awards are presented on the basis of the contributions of the person or project to the community and/or state and on compliance to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.

Excellence in Rehabilitation awards recognize projects that make compatible use of a building through repair, alterations or additions while preserving features of the property that convey its historic value. This year the Trust presented eight Excellence in Rehabilitation awards.

The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation is one of the country’s largest statewide, nonprofit preservation organizations. Founded in 1973, the Trust is committed to preserving and enhancing Georgia’s communities and their diverse historic resources the education and enjoyment of all.

The Trust generates community revitalization by finding buyers for endangered properties acquired by its Revolving Fund; provides design assistance to 102 Georgia Main Street cities and encourages neighborhood revitalization; trains Georgia’s teachers in 63 Georgia school systems to engage students in discovering state and national history through their local historic resources; and advocates for funding, tax incentives and other laws aiding preservation efforts.

The Georgia Trust is a recipient of the Trustees Award for Organizational Excellence from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. To learn more about The Georgia Trust and the Preservation Awards, visit www.georgiatrust.org.

 Wheatley Hall--Photo by Chris Fenn

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