Properties nominated for listing in the National Register of Historic Places have something special - historic significance and integrity. Determining if a property has these elements takes careful preparation, detailed research, and thorough documentation - all vetted through rounds of reviews; a lengthy but worthwhile process. A National Register nomination provides a historic distinction and can qualify a property for historic tax credits as well as access to specialized grants. Nominating a property for listing in the National Register can correspond with Section 106 compliance, historic architectural surveys, and historic grants and tax credit applications.

A project requiring Section 106 compliance or other environmental reviews can seem daunting. Historical Link, LLC understands the ins and outs of the Section 106 process and historic environmental reviews to provide a clearer understanding of the necessary steps and lend efficiency to your project timeline. Navigating the process may include conducting historic architectural surveys, evaluating National Register eligibility, assisting with government or other regulatory official coordination, drafting agreement documents (Memorandums of Agreement / Programmatic Agreements), and/or finalizing mitigation documentation. Although the process to completion varies for each project, Historical Link, LLC can guide your path forward.

Reconnaissance historic architectural surveys provide a basic understanding of the existing built environment within a general area. This predictive type of survey is often helpful in the early stages of planning to identify any potentially significant resources and recommend next steps. Basic information is recorded on all resources within the survey area - documented with a broad historical review, field data, resource results, and recommendations – all clearly outlined within the survey report per the draft Guidelines for Historic Architectural Survey in Iowa. Reconnaissance surveys give you a so-called “30,000-foot view” of a potential project area and the resources within it.

Working within a specific area, intensive historic architectural surveys identify, record, and evaluate built environment properties within the National Register Criteria. These detailed surveys collect information on historic-age resources and document with in-depth research, field data, and analysis. Each property is evaluated for significance and integrity within a historic context framework to assess National Register eligibility. All resource information and recommendations are recorded within the survey report per the draft Guidelines for Historic Architectural Survey in Iowa. Intensive historic architectural surveys provide the detailed information you need to make your project decisions.

A project’s effects on a historic property may require mitigating those effects - often in the form of a comprehensive documentation. This mitigation documentation records the historic significance and characteristics as well as current condition of a property, providing a thorough record of the resource prior to any modifications or demolitions. Often this mitigation documentation follows federal programs such as the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS), Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) or Historic American Landscapes Survey (HALS), as well as Iowa’s Historic Property Documentation Study. Each documentation is unique to the resource involved. Completion of a mitigation documentation provides a resolution to the project’s effects.