Murphy & Dittenhafer’s work on Schmucker Hall, at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, was recognized by Preservation Pennsylvania at the 2014 Pennsylvania Historic Preservation Awards ceremony on Friday, September 26 at Juniata College in Huntingdon, PA.
The awards, which have been presented annually since 1979, honor those projects that exemplify the core values of historic preservation. The 2014 selection committee commented:
“This rehabilitation project utilized federal rehabilitation investment tax credits, which required adherence to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and the preservation of the building’s character-defining features. The project involved accessibility upgrades, structural stabilization, roof replacement, reconstruction of lost elements including the east entry stairs and the 1914 Peace Portico.
The resulting space provides a venue for a state-of-the-art interpretive museum...Schmucker Hall has been rehabilitated to provide a unique venue that invites the public to actively engage in stories related to the history of the building, site and region.”
Frank Dittenhafer II, FAIA, LEED AP, Murphy & Dittenhafer principal-in-charge for the Schmucker Hall/Seminary Ridge Museum rehabilitation, stated, “It was truly a privilege to be the architect for this landmark project and work with a dedicated team of collaborators over several years - from the initial adaptive reuse concept planning through the final restoration and repair of historic components. The design, planning, and construction process was extremely positive and the final outcome exceptional.
In addition to Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects, the award honored the project’s other partners, including: Seminary Ridge Historic Preservation Foundation, Adams County Historical Society, Delta Development Group, Inc., Whiting Turner Contracting Company, and Morgan-Keller, Inc.
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Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects is an award-winning architectural firm that focuses on planning, interior, and architectural design projects involving new construction, renovation, restoration, and adaptive reuse for historic properties, churches, urban housing, nonprofit organizations, higher education, and libraries. The firm’s offices are located in York, Pennsylvania and Baltimore, Maryland. Visit their website at murphdittarch.com.