About VerPlanck Historic Preservation Consulting
VerPlanck Historic Preservation Consulting provides a full range of architectural history and historic preservation consulting services from our offices in San Francisco's Miraloma Park neighborhood. The firm is led by architectural historian Chris VerPlanck. With over 25 years of experience, VerPlanck implicitly understands historic preservation and design issues in San Francisco and the wider Bay Area.
Historic Resource Evaluations (HREs) and Historic Resource Reviews (HRRs)
If you found our website, you probably know that the San Francisco Planning Department requires historical design review for projects that could impact a building that is over 45 years in age. Our firm has been certified by the Planning Department to prepare Historic Resource Evaluations (HREs) and Historic Resource Reviews (HRRs). In recent years, VerPlanck has branched out into the wider Bay Area, providing HREs and other preservation services in communities across the region, from San José to Santa Rosa, and from Montara to Martinez.
Our Work is of the Highest Quality
VerPlanck Historic Preservation Consulting has completed approximately 750 projects in the Bay Area. As a result, we are very good at what we do. Our reports, studies, and nominations are thorough, accurate, and objective. Other firms may be cheaper, but their work can often be flawed, incomplete, or have suspect conclusions – often forcing reviewers to ask for time-consuming revisions. In contrast, our reports rarely need revisions, saving you time and money.
We Are Fair and Objective
Frankly, we got into this business because we love old buildings. However, this doesn't mean we aren't on your side. We are honest and principled, and we reach our conclusions based on over 25 years of experience. We aren't necessarily going to tell you what you want to hear, just to have local decisionmakers disagree and stall your project. Instead, if we conclude that your building may be historic, we can often find ways to achieve your goals without running afoul of local regulations. We know historic preservation review standards like the back of our hand, and planning staff and review boards respect us because they know that our opinions are well-reasoned, objective, and can't be bought.
Design Review
You can avoid major pitfalls by calling us before you hire an architect because we can tell you, (a) whether your property appears to be historic or not, and (b) what type of interventions may be possible before you pay for expensive design services. Once the process begins, we can work with your architect to suggest appropriate steps so that you don’t get bogged down in endless cycles of reviews and revisions.
Other Services
In addition to historic resource evaluations, VerPlanck Historic Preservation Consulting provides a wide array of other services, including historic structure reports, historic context statements, cultural resource surveys, Section 106 review, federal rehabilitation tax credit applications, HABS-HAER-HALS documentation packages, and Mills Act applications. We complete all of these services in-house, but if specialized skills are required for your project, we can call upon well-qualified specialists in allied disciplines, including architecture, landscape architecture, structural engineering, archaeology, conservation, and cost-estimating.
We Are Local
VerPlanck Historic Preservation Consulting is certified by the City and County of San Francisco as a Local Business Enterprise (LBE), as well as a certified Micro Local Business Enterprise.
Why You Should Hire Us
When you hire VerPlanck Historic Preservation Consulting you can be assured that you will receive a thorough and accurate report that is prepared quickly and efficiently by experienced people who are passionate about their work. In addition to being technically accurate, our reports are enjoyable to read, and you will learn fascinating things about your property and community. Whether you live in San Francisco or anywhere else within the nine-county Bay Area (We love our occasional work in Southern California, Sacramento, and the Central Coast too!) we look forward to assisting you.
Sausalito Citywide Historic Context Statement
In October 2022, the Sausalito City Council adopted the Sausalito Citywide Historic Context Statement, a multi-year project that examines the development of Sausalito from the pre-contact period to the present day. This document provides a history of Sausalito, a description of its architectural evolution, and makes recommendations on how to conserve the city's unique heritage.
“In addition to being a consummate professional, Chris is a pleasure to work with. He is extremely detail-oriented (his research skills are superb) while at the same time able to keep on eye on the "big picture." He always meets or beats deadlines, works very well with Planning Department staff and is extremely adept at providing expert testimony. In short, I would highly recommend working with Chris.”
—Josh Smith, Walden Development
“Working with Christopher VerPlanck was a real pleasure. He immediately appreciated the charm, beauty, and historical importance of our Victorian buildings, and the nominations he prepared conveyed his enthusiastic commitment to the project. In the written statements he demonstrated highly professional style, knowledge, research, analysis, and interpretation, and at the same time his writing was lively and interesting, and thus persuasive and successful. Christopher VerPlanck was scrupulous and fair in accounting for his hours and expenses, and he completed the work under estimate.”
—Ms. Judith Collas, Redwood City