Jean assists clients in successfully navigating the regulatory review process established by Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. If a public or private infrastructure project is receiving federal or state permits, licenses, or funds it is subject to Section 106 review, under which nearby historic properties (40 years and older) are evaluated as to whether they are eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). In Illinois, this cultural resource review process is administered by the State Historic Preservation Office.
Jean has been hired by engineering and archaeological firms to analyze historic properties within the Area of Potential Effect (APE) identified for over a half-dozen Illinois road improvement projects in Cook, Kane, Will, and Lake counties, as part of the Section 106 review process. Through these projects, she has evaluated the NRHP eligibility of hundreds of resources, including residential, commercial, industrial, and rural buildings, as well as bridges, cemeteries, and landscape features. The work includes the following components:
Exterior photographs are taken of all above-ground properties that are 40 years old and older within the APE. Construction dates are ascertained through research on Township Assessor websites, aerial imagery, as well as a building’s physical details, such as style/type/materials.
All properties surveyed are evaluated for their eligibility for listing on the NRHP. The survey results are documented in the HPI Table, which includes thumbnail photographs of each resource, as well as basic identifying information, such the property’s address, year of construction, and building type and style.
Jean prepares all aspects of the HPI Report, which includes researching and writing contextual essays on the history and development of the municipalities and/or township(s) of the county in which the project is situated. Other narrative portions of the report include the Introduction, Survey Methodology, Survey Results, NRHP Summary and Recommendations.
Jean evaluates the effects of the project on properties identified as eligible for listing on the NRHP. A determination is made of either No Effect, No Adverse Effect, or Adverse Effect. An adverse effect occurs when an undertaking alters, directly or indirectly, any of the characteristics of an historic property that qualify it for inclusion on the NRHP.
