Sequence of Seismic Retrofit - Dr. Roy Tolles

This is not a big deal, folks, the Blue Wing is a small building ;-)

A "Time Travel" Vision

My vision for the Blue Wing Inn is best stated by Anne Peterson, Associate Director for Historical Resources at the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation in her article “Rethinking Exhibition Strategies at the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation” in Boletín, Journal of the California Mission Studies Association Vol. 26, No. 1&2, pg. 98

"Atmosphere” zones will include interior spaces that can be closed off from the world outside to support dense historical environments. Here visitors will be asked to be silent and refrain from touching while being encouraged to use other senses to experience the past. Smells, lighting, audio and even temperature will help create immersive environments that convey the impression that past inhabitants have just temporarily vacated the room

What do you think?

History of the Blue Wing Inn Class

Everyone welcome, bring a friend!

The full presentation: the building, and my favorite people!

Monday, March 22, 6-8pm, at the Sonoma Valley Adult School & Community Education program. Behind Sonoma High School in back by the Theater. Room L-4, $33/person (a bargain at twice the price!) Benefits the Adult School. Limited seating. Call to register 707-933-4033

Shake Table Test from ELT & Associates

#1 Moisture

Roy Tolles, structural engineer and historic adobe expert, describes the need to evaluate the Blue Wing for moisture. This is something we can do NOW.

Roy Tolles - structural engineer

Blue Wing Inn is a gem...

Old Style Preservation

I'm not sure of the date of these photos but State Parks took a wrecking ball to the Sonoma Barracks in its attempt to preserve it. (Destroy and rebuild in order to "preserve" - huh?)

Fortunately, some employees of State Parks TODAY are more enlightened... we will see exactly what they will advocate. (And root for a very light touch!)

I am concerned that 50 to 100 years from now people will bemoan our heavy-handed efforts at "preservation."

First: do no harm.

History is Big Business in Sonoma

BAE (Bay Area Economics) developed a Reuse Feasibility Study for Future Castro Adobe State Park in 2000 dealing with parking, potential revenue and other issues.

Please read it closely, we'll have own - eventually - and we need to get in the practice of reading these kinds of reports very closely.

If we - with a very light hand - preserved the Blue Wing we could turn it into a popular museum; after all, our Sonoma Mission receives 58,000+ visitors per year - not including the thousands of school children.

History is big business in Sonoma!

Project Management...

I strongly believe that if we had a project management company in charge of budgets, expenses and time frames we could solicit much more in the way of donations from the public.

Donors would have some assurance that their hard earned dollars wouldn't be... mismanaged due to inexperienced personnel (that means us).

Toward that end I made one call to Andrews & Thornley and was referred to Leslie Alspach of Pound Management Inc. who returned my call on the Saturday of a 4-day weekend! He asked to take a look at the Blue Wing and brought his associate Matt Rush along. They are very interested in the building and the preservation project and would like to make a presentation to the committee.

From their website:
"At Pound Management Inc. we believe the best way for an owner to maintain control of a project is to be represented by sensible and knowledgeable management. Our purpose is to protect the owner's interests. From the beginning, when the need for the project is understood and the program is identified, realistic schedules and budgets must be created to guide expectations. On any scale a construction project is complex; it involves a multitude of materials, trades and professions, and there are numerous variables that can impact the owner's schedule and budget. The best way to manage these inherent risks is to reduce uncertainties and improve predictability within the process, from early design through to occupancy and maintenance. Experience is key and Pound Management Inc. provides the expertise and leadership to assemble and coordinate a team to achieve our client's objectives.

Through a collaborative approach we plan the work, then work the plan; it benefits the entire project."

I am not advocating any one project management firm, only that we need get one, soon, so we can promote their expertise and rationality along with our plea for money.

2 opportunities to learn about the History of the Blue Wing Inn

March 5, 11-noon, at The Heritage Center at Maysonnave House, 291 First St. East, free to Sonoma League for Historic Preservation members, $5 for the public. RSVP 938-0169

March 22, 6-8pm, at the Sonoma Valley Adult School & Community Education program, Room L-4, $33. OK to sign up at the door. Everyone welcome, bring a friend! Questions: 939-2608.

Time-scarred walls... often fail to impress those closest to them

“The old towns, chided with being ‘sleepy’ dead and ‘out of step,’ have spent time and money in modernizing, often at sorry cost as landmarks were scrapped and forgotten. It is only when adobes are crumbling, old Missions being restored, plazas about to be sold or dignified by some pretentious pile of belated monuments that the people of the pueblo begin to realize that history and landmarks are far more important than paved streets, concrete sidewalks, stucco store fronts, and all the pomp of Main Street.

Time-scarred walls, hallowed soil and descendants of the old families should be the pride of every historic town, yet those often fail to impress those closest to them."

From the preface of The People of the Pueblo: The Story of Sonoma by Celeste Granice Murphy

Thank you Celeste!

Seismic Upgrading

Eventually, we (I mean YOU - the community of Blue Wing Inn lovers) will want to weigh in on the method of seismic upgrading.

Here is an article I found on the web from Roy Tolles, president of ELT about a complaint he has about the method proposed to be used on the Castro Adobe. He points out the proposed use of 6" cores instead of the recommended 2" cores. 6" cores remove far too much of the historic fabric of the Castro Adobe. Worth reading. Get yourself informed ;-)

Here is an article by the Getty Institute.

Their video.

Seismic Stabilization of Historic Adobe Structures Final Report of the Getty Seismic Adobe Project final report: "When disturbance of the wall surface is unacceptable, the use of center cores will avoid damage to wall surfaces."

I'm planning to video-interview project managers and adobe and seismic experts so we can ALL be informed about these issues.

Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines

We need to be sure we are talking about the same things. These preservation/restoration terms have definite meanings. Please review and consider.

Knowing what I do about the Blue Wing and that there were 4 individuals or couples (August Pinelli, Elmer Awl, Celeste Murphy and William and Polly Black) that we have to thank for keeping it looking as it did at its completion in 1852, I am in favor of preservation.

Preservation
Preservation is defined as the act or process of applying measures necessary to sustain the existing form, integrity, and materials of an historic property. Work, including preliminary measures to protect and stabilize the property, generally focuses upon the ongoing maintenance and repair of historic materials and features rather than extensive replacement and new construction. New exterior additions are not within the scope of this treatment; however, the limited and sensitive upgrading of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems and other code-required work to make properties functional is appropriate within a preservation project.

Reconstruction
Reconstruction is defined as the act or process of depicting, by means of new construction, the form, features, and detailing of a non-surviving site, landscape, building, structure, or object for the purpose of replicating its appearance at a specific period of time and in its historic location.


Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation is defined as the act or process of making possible a compatible use for a property through repair, alterations, and additions while preserving those portions or features which convey its historical, cultural, or architectural values.

Restoration
Restoration is defined as the act or process of accurately depicting the form, features, and character of a property as it appeared at a particular period of time by means of the removal of features from other periods in its history and reconstruction of missing features from the restoration period. The limited and sensitive upgrading of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems and other code-required work to make properties functional is appropriate within a restoration project.

From: ARCHEOLOGY AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION: Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines

Donate by mail!

A foundation fund has been established to collect money to help preserve the Blue Wing.

You can help preserve this most historically intact two-story adobe in California.

Make checks out to:

1.) "The Blue Wing Inn Stabilization & Preservation Fund at CFSC" (funds hard costs: required studies, earthquake stabilization, etc.)

AND/OR

2.) "The Blue Wing Inn Support Fund at CFSC" (funds money raising costs: letter head, brochures, etc.)

Mail to:
Community Foundation Sonoma County
250 “D” Street, Suite 205
Santa Rosa, CA 95404

For more information:
Celia Bolam,
707.579.4073 x 23
cbolam@sonomaCF.org

Thank you!!