The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 authorized the National Register of Historic Places, the official list of the nation’s districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects significant in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture. Over 700 Historic Properties Are Located at HBCUs

Most of the 712 historic properties are at a small number of HBCUs and are mostly buildings rather than structures, sites, or objects. About half of the historic properties identified are already on the National Register of Historic Places. Most Restoration Costs Are for Properties Either Listed on or Eligible for the National Register of Historic Places

Of the estimated $755 million needed to restore the 712 properties, $356.7 million was for properties listed on the National Register; $239.1 million was for properties eligible for the National Register on the basis of SHPO surveys and assessments; and $159.2 million was for properties identified by the schools as historic but not included in either of the previous two categories. If the schools used other methods, we asked them to explain what they were. To determine the estimated restoration costs for the historic properties, we asked each HBCU to provide a cost estimate to restore each property identified. We requested that the estimate include only capital improvement costs and not normal day-to-day operating and maintenance costs. The accuracy of the results contained in this report is affected by the extent to which the respondents accurately reported the number of historic properties at their schools and the estimated costs to restore and preserve these properties. Locations of the 103 Historically Black Colleges and Universities, as of June 1, 1997

Survey Sent to Each of the 103 Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Section 1. Estimated total cost to preserve & restore. 3. 2. 4. 5. 6.
Why GAO Did This Study

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the: (1) number of historic properties located at historically black colleges and universities (HBCU); and (2) estimated cost to restore and preserve these properties.

What GAO Found

GAO noted that: (1) all 103 historically black colleges and universities responded to GAO's survey; (2) respondents identified 712 historic properties that were owned by the schools; (3) most of these properties were at a small number of schools and were mostly buildings rather than structures, sites, or objects; (4) about half, 323, of the historic properties identified were already on the National Register of Historic Places--the official list of sites, buildings, structures, and objects significant in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture; (5) the others were either eligible for the National Register on the basis of state historic preservation officers' surveys or considered historic by the colleges and universities; (6) according to information the schools provided, an estimated $755 million is needed to restore and preserve the 712 properties; (7) the cost estimates include the capital improvement costs to restore and preserve the historic properties, such as making the properties more accessible to people with disabilities, replacing roofs, and removing lead-based paint or asbestos; (8) the respondents were asked not to include routine maintenance costs; (9) some of the schools identified a total of about $60 million in funds that had already been set aside to restore and preserve specific historic properties; and (10) the schools used a number of different methods to calculate the estimated restoration and preservation costs.