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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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Rowe Architects’ Tom Hammer Leads Presentation
- n the Historic Preservation of Old Polk County Courthouse
(Tampa, Fla.– February 10, 2015) – Thomas A. Hammer, AIA, LEED AP, Principal at Rowe Architects Incorporated, an architectural design firm in Tampa, was invited to give a presentation at the Old Polk County Courthouse on Saturday, January 31 in Bartow. Tom was the lead preservation architect during the restoration of the courthouse. The presentation, “National Register of Historic Places, Historic Districts” was the third and final presentation in a
- series. It was also the conclusion of Preservation Celebration Month at the Polk County History Center, formerly
called the Polk County Courthouse. Tom discussed the National Register of Historic Places– a list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects significant in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture. He went into detail about what a listing means, what it does not mean, listing requirements, as well as the listing process. Introductions and a presentation titled “Heritage Tourism” were by Polk County History Center Historic Preservation Manager Myrtice Young. The event was well‐attended and included Polk County Commissioners John Hall and Edwin Smith. After the presentation, Tom and Commissioner Hall guided a tour of the beautifully restored building and discussed the history and the restoration of the courthouse. Commissioner Hall was a county employee and held various leadership roles during the restoration project. “It looks as good today as it did when we finished the restoration 20 years ago,” said Tom. “For John and me, it was a walk down memory lane.” Due to the overwhelmingly positive feedback, Mrs. Young invited Tom to present again next year. The courthouse was originally built in 1908. In 1926, two wings were added to the building. The restoration took place from 1988 to 1995 in four phases: the restoration of the exterior of the building, installation of the HVAC system, remodeling of the west wing into a library, and remodeling of the east wing and the original courthouse into a museum. The work was done in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior’s standards for the Rehabilitation of Historic
- Structures. The design and construction was funded in part by five historic preservation grants from the Florida
Department of Historical Resources. The old courthouse, now called the Polk County History Center, is comprised
- f both the Historical Museum and Genealogical Library, with free admission to the public.