Preserving the Voices of History

The Gettysburg Seminary Ridge Museum opened July 1, 2013 – 150 years to the day after the Battle of Gettysburg began.

Murphy & Dittenhafer led the six-year planning, design, and rehabilitation process of this National Historic landmark on the campus of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, originally called Schmucker Hall. The $15 million museum project is a joint venture of the Adams County Historical Society and the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg.

A Storied Past

When Schmucker Hall was erected in 1832, it was the one and only building for all the seminary’s activities. In 1863, Union General John Buford spotted the Confederates advancing into Gettysburg from Schmucker Hall’s cupola, marking the beginning of the Battle of Gettysburg. The building became a field hospital, caring for 600 soldiers from both the Union and Confederate armies. In 1914, a “Peace Portico” was added on the west side of the building as a tribute to the wounded soldiers who were cared for there.

Its historical significance saved it from a movement to tear it down in the 1960s, but its small rooms – originally used as dormitories for the seminarians – made it impractical for most potential uses. Eventually the Seminary worked out an arrangement that allowed the Adams County Historical Society to move in and use it as a repository for their collections.

Preserving the Past While Meeting Current Needs

The building, while largely intact, had fallen into disrepair when Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects were charged with coming up for a plan for its rehabilitation. They began by convening a group of representatives from various stakeholder groups, including the Seminary, the Historical Society, the National Parks Service, and the Pennsylvania Historical Museum Commission, to gather input to inform the repurposing of the building.

“The design preserved, repaired, and restored the building’s most significant character-defining architectural details,” says Frank Dittenhafer, “providing the appropriate balance of maintaining historical integrity while incorporating modern improvements to accommodate new building use.”

The design that resulted from the collective input from historians, seminarians, and exhibit designers is a visually striking interior with a completely new configuration that now features 20,000 square feet of interactive exhibit galleries and support space. The building now has an elevator connecting all four levels for accessibility, new life safety systems, new restrooms, energy efficient electrical and plumbing systems, and a geothermal heating/cooling system. It has been certified by the United States Green Building Council as LEED Silver.

Challenges and Opportunities

This success of this project didn’t come without its challenges and obstacles. The structure was a center hall building with many interior, load-bearing brick walls.

“This wasn’t a project where you could go into the interior and run pipes and ductwork anywhere you felt like it,” says Dittenhafer. “We had to maintain the center hall layout and the sense of the original layouts of the second, third, and fourth floor. We worked very hard with our engineering consultants to structurally stabilize things, to create new openings in the galleries, to hide sprinkler lines, to hide ductwork, to hide pipes. We were able to work an elevator in that you’d never know was there. There were some real challenges there that we successfully met.”

Historically Accurate Restoration

The exterior was also treated with Murphy & Dittenhafer’s signature care, creativity, and sensitivity. Façade repairs and restoration included windows, doors, dormers, and the famed cupola, as well as a return to the original historic paint colors – black-green and ochre colors. A new ADA-compliant entrance and terrace were delicately inserted beneath the repaired/reconstructed historic east porch and entry stair.

Careful consideration was also given to the reconstruction of the long-missing Peace Portico. The floor was still there, but the columns were gone, with pieces stored in the building’s basement. Painstaking research and measurements led to a very accurate reconstruction.

New Museum

Murphy & Dittenhafer’s leadership has resulted in a highly functional, energy-efficient museum facility well-suited for viable, active use and long-term stability.

The exhibits highlight the “voices of history” through interactive exhibit galleries and educational programming. The three major areas of emphasis – the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg, the care of wounded soldier’s during the building’s use as a field hospital, and the larger issues of faith and freedom – are not the focus of any other museum in Gettysburg. The Seminary Ridge Museum is a cornerstone of the Gettysburg historical tourism experience, making the building significant once again.

Funding Sources

Murphy & Dittenhafer also worked with fundraisers throughout the project to help tell the story of the building’s past and the adaptive reuse approach to its more efficient utilization. The total project cost was $15 million, funded by $4 million in RACP funds from the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, $1 million in Scenic Byway funds, new market and historic tax credits, and support from more than 7,000 individuals, foundations, and organizations. The museum is operated by the Seminary Ridge Historic Preservation Foundation.

25 years of Design Awards

When the Baltimore chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) was preparing for their 50-year design awards retrospective last year, they contacted Murphy & Dittenhafer for information on projects they had recognized during M&D’s 25-year history.

The team at Murphy & Dittenhafer doesn’t enter into their projects expecting to receive awards and accolades upon completion, so they were surprised when they began to tally and realized they’d received 25 design awards – from AIA Baltimore alone – since 1993. The list reflects how well-rounded the firm is in its capabilities and expertise.

“What struck me,” says Frank Dittenhafer, “and what is meaningful, is the diversity of the projects that had been recognized, and continue to be recognized.” They don’t fall into any one category, and very few are high-profile projects supported by significant financial resources.

“Many of the projects,” Dittenhafer says, “are small, modest endeavors and involve buildings that are ordinary or not in the best condition, and they’ve received recognition for all types of uses and clients.”

The breadth of their work is clear when you look at the overall list of awards they’ve received since 1993 – a total of 167 architectural design, historic preservation, and craftsmanship awards. 

At one end of the Murphy & Dittenhafer design spectrum are projects like the Peach Bottom Recreation Center in Delta, PA, a $100,000 project to add a community gathering place in a small town. At the other end are initiatives like the Hippodrome Theare in Baltimore, MD, a $60 million restoration and preservation project. In between are a wide variety of commissions including Codo241, Ribbon Place Lofts, Byrnes Health Education Center, JCC of York, The Penn State Pullo Center/Glatfelter Library, and the Roosevelt Park pool pavilion in Baltimore. The small pavilion structure is the point of entry for a Baltimore City pool site, and it won the Grand Design Award from Baltimore AIA in 2009. 

Murphy & Dittenhafer walked away with two of the five awards presented at the Central PA AIA design awards last fall. One of them was the Good Design is Good Business award for their work on the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts. It was the first time the Central PA chapter had given that particular award and it recognized Murphy & Dittenhafer’s “brilliant design and programming move that gave new life to the insitution.” 

The firm has worked with nonprofit organizations, government authorities, religious groups, colleges and universities, arts facilities, parks, low-income housing projects, and high-end lofts in abandoned warehouses. Some of their starting points were buildings that were in remarkable states of decline. They’ve come to be known for this variety, as well as consistent quality, a creative approach, and careful use of client resources, and others have taken notice. They’ve been recognized most every year over the last 20-25 years with awards bestowed by peer organizations with juries from across the country, as well as local preservation recognition from the likes of Historic York, Baltimore Heritage, and Preservation Pennsylvania. 

Murphy & Dittenhafer does a lot of work with existing historic or older buildings, and they take a sustainable approach to accommodate clients’ requirements for facilities and space that address current and future needs. Dittenhafer says it’s particularly meaningful to receive preservation awards, sometimes alongside design awards, for restoring, repairing, and renovating.

“They mean a lot, in addition to the architectural design awards,” he says. “We not only have a lot of respect for historic and existing buildings, but we certainly understand the reality that you have to supplement what exists sometimes for new, current-day needs. The recognition confirms that others feel the same way, that we have strong capabilities in doing that in a very sensitive and exciting way.”

Awards and Recognition
1993 – Present

Competition                

AIA Central PA            
AIA Pennsylvania            
AIA Maryland                
AIA Baltimore            
10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania    
Historic York                
Preservation Pennsylvania        
Preservation Maryland     
Baltimore Heritage            
Associated Builders & Contractors  
Building Congress          
Other               

Awards

            41
        5
        12
        25
    4
                16
        3
        4
            10
    14
            16
            17

CPAFF Scholarship

The Central PA chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) wanted to build on the national organization’s scholarship opportunities by adding one that was specific to the chapter’s 13-county region. They discussed the idea with community foundations within their service area and ultimately opted to work with The Foundation for Enhancing Communities in Harrisburg to charter the Central Pennsylvania Architects Foundation Fund (CPAFF).

After forming the CPAFF, their next step was to develop application criteria that would further their mission to encourage and support architecture students with ties to central Pennsylvania. Frank Dittenhafer II, FAIA LEED AP was one of the charter members shepherding the chapter toward their goal of offering architecture scholarships.

“We made it very flexible,” Dittenhafer says. “We wanted to make it a very open selection process that considered financial need and talent, and you had to be a resident in the 13-county area. You did not have to be attending a Pennsylvania institution.”

In fact, Tyler Holdren, a second-year Undergraduate Architecture Student at Syracuse University, received the third annual CPAFF scholarship last fall. Holdren is a resident of Millersville in Lancaster County, and impressed the selection panel – made up of AIA Central PA past presidents – with his commitment to community involvement.

Holdren got involved with the Syracuse chapter of American Institute of Architect Students (AIAS), and their community service program, Freedom by Design. He participated in the design and construction of an outdoor classroom for children with accessibility issues.
The total application for the CPAFF scholarship is a maximum of four pages, including a one-page narrative on why architecture is important.

“We wanted to get these very potent snapshots of applicants from our region,” Dittenhafer says, “and it’s been a very successful process.” The selection panel meets annually in late summer and each person speaks briefly about their number one choice to receive the scholarship. Dittenhafer leads a discussion to narrow the list of candidates down to a single award recipient.

Funding to underwrite the scholarships comes from various sources. The Central PA AIA chapter has been supportive with consistent contributions that come from lecture series and expo proceeds, annual fundraising, and individual gifts from chapter members. The fund, held at The Foundation for Enhancing Communities, continues to grow, and scholarships are disbursed from the interest while the principle remains untouched. The CPAFF was able to grant $450 the first year, then $550 the second year, and last year they awarded Holdren a $1,000 scholarship. The 2014 Central PA Architecture Scholarship will be for at least $1,000.

The fund’s balance is strong at nearly $25,000 and growing. Over time, the group intends to increase the amount of their awards, and/or give out several in a single year. Dittenhafer and seven other CPAFF members recently met in Lancaster and outlined a five-year plan commencing in 2015 to double the scholarship endowment to $50,000 by the year 2020.

“It’s been extremely rewarding to me personally,” Dittenhafer says, “and to the other members of the foundation, to be able to do this.” Though they have not awarded exceptionally large scholarships in their first three years, Dittenhafer says the support has enabled each of the recipients, in different ways, to do things they may not otherwise have been able to do without receiving the CPAFF dollars. And it has the added benefit of coming from established leaders in the field they’re pursuing.

“It means a lot to them to receive this recognition from the architectural community in the region where they’re from,” Dittenhafer says.

Applications for the 2014 scholarship will be accepted through June 30. Application and instructions are available at http://tinyurl.com/qxe8kxu.