Since 1984, SmithGroup’s Historic Preservation Practice has participated in hundreds of preservation projects involving historic structures. Many of these buildings are National Historic Landmarks, listed on the National and State Registers of Historic Places, and play a significant role in local communities. The staff includes five Federally Qualified Historical Architects and each project is overseen by a registered architect with a specialty in preservation.

As a specialized part of the multi-disciplinary SmithGroup organization, the Historic Preservation Studio provides architectural expertise in the preservation, restoration, rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of existing buildings and neighborhoods. We link the past and the future by celebrating heritage, revitalizing community, conserving resources, and designing new buildings that are sensitive to their context. By engaging our clients, we create inspiring spaces.

While our focus is on historic buildings, our tools and approach are state-of-the-art. Computer aided design and imaging capabilities ensure quality, accuracy, cost effectiveness, and timeliness of our documents and services.

Areas of Expertise

Lighthouse Experience

Lighthouses are among our most compelling historic structures. With their distinctive form, they stand silently as isolated sentinels on our waterways and form tangible links to an important part of our nation’s history. More than simply a unique building type, the buildings also remind us of a romantic history and lifestyle of rugged men and women and their families living in remote outposts, enduring brutal winter isolation, solely focused on keeping the lights that guided mariners burning every night, regardless of weather.

At the center of the Great Lakes, Michigan has a long and rich maritime history and has more lighthouses than any other state in the nation. And although modern technology has led to the decline of lighthouses as aids to navigation, they have not declined in our hearts. Through the efforts of The Michigan Lighthouse Fund, Michigan leads the nation in efforts to preserve these important links to our past ensuring that future generations will know about their role in our heritage.

At SmithGroup Historic Preservation we are proud to have contributed to the preservation of Michigan’s lighthouses. At the Old Mackinac Point Light Station, SmithGroup produced a Historic Structure Report (HSR) and construction documents for the restoration of the station’s roofs and windows. Our work at the Tawas Point Light Station included a conditions assessment, Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) documentation, archival research, and a HSR. Recent work has also included a HSR for the Charlevoix South Pier Lighthouse and Restoration Master Plans for the St. Clair South Channel Range Lights.

For over 20 years, SmithGroup Preservation has provided a full range of historic preservation architectural services, including building assessments, HSRs, preservation planning and full construction documents for restoration and rehabilitation of historic structures. We understand not only the nuances of museum quality restoration, but also the techniques required to make historic structures function as a part of twenty-first century life. Our core is our experienced staff that is committed to the preservation of our cultural heritage through their daily work, as well as through their individual involvement in state, local and national preservation organizations.

HP Projects

	Old Mackinac Point Light Station, Mackinaw City, MI Prepared a Historic Structure Report for the 1892 light station. Currently implementing the restoration of the windows, roof and gutters as recommended in the Historic Structure Report.
	Tawas Point Light Station, Tawas City, MI Conducted several concurrent projects over a multi-year period including a Historic Structure Report, Historic Building Assessment, and a Section 106 Review (SHPO Documentation).
	St. Clair South Channel Range Lights, St. Clair County, MI Prepared a Preservation Master Plan for two, 1859 light towers in Lake St. Clair.
	Charlevoix South Pier Lighthouse, Charlevoix, MI Prepared a Historic Structure Report and outline specifications for the future use of this 1948 lighthouse.