Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, August 14, 1993 TAG: 9308140085
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: PETERSBURG LENGTH: Medium
"The main thing that has to be preserved is the craftsmanship," said Charles A. Phillips, an architect from Winston-Salem, N.C.
Phillips and Dan Fogerty of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a nonprofit agency mandated by Congress to preserve the country's historic buildings, surveyed the battered pre-Civil War structures Thursday.
They urged owners to sift through trash bins full of bricks, slate roofing shingles and other rubble because they could be used to restore the buildings.
They also suggested that owners board up roof holes and cover exposed areas with tarpaulins to protect the buildings from rain.
"We're telling people not to panic or jump to conclusions, but to go slow in making temporary repairs so that they don't do more damage," said Leslie Lupold, city preservation planner.
"Don't throw away damaged framing, railing or shutters."
Experts who inspected the damage emerged with a bit more optimism than many business owners expected.
"It's not difficult to save them," Fogerty said of the buildings.
"What you have here is really straightforward construction - wood framing, masonry wall - very traditional, nothing exotic. It's very reparable. It's just a matter of whether you can get the money to do it."
The city is awaiting word from President Clinton on whether he will declare the damaged sites a disaster area, which would make federal money available for rebuilding.
Gov. Douglas Wilder announced Friday that the state Department of Housing and Community Development has released $25,000 to purchase materials for home repairs.
The money came from a state income tax check-off fund.
The tornado, one of several to hit Virginia on Aug. 6, killed three people at a Wal-Mart in nearby Colonial Heights and one at a Prince George County construction site.
Nearly 200 people were injured. Wilder estimated damage at almost $50 million.
by CNB