The Campus Heritage Plan is a study, funded through a grant from The Getty, to assist historic colleges and universities manage and preserve the integrity of their significant historic buildings, sites, and landscapes.

Clement & Wynn is currently managing the development of two college campus preservation plans; for Dillard University and Spelman College.

Founded in 1881, Spelman College is renowned for its long history of providing quality education for African American women to prepare them for leadership roles. The college campus consists of more than thirty-two acres and twenty-five buildings on the west side of Atlanta. Spelman’s campus houses eleven buildings completed before 1927, several of which are included in the National Register of Historic Places designation Spelman shares with neighboring colleges. It is one of five institutions that make up the Atlanta University Center (AUC), the largest consortium of higher educational facilities for black students in the world with a total population of 16,000 students. The Campus Heritage grant will allow Spelman to complete a campus preservation plan and, ultimately, to apply for National Historic Landmark Status.

Dillard University, was formed in 1930 by merging of two black educational institutions, New Orleans University and Straight College. Dillard’s campus occupies a 55-acre, axially designed campus in the Beaux Arts tradition. The white brick buildings that comprise the historic campus surround a large open quadrangle delineated by two long rows of live oak trees known as the Avenue of the Oaks. The Campus Heritage grant will allow the university to assemble detailed documentation about its historic buildings and landscape, which will serve as the basis for future rehabilitation projects.

The final report for both Spelman College and Dillard University will provide the Getty with historical research: the origins of their buildings complete with all major renovations performed during the “life” of each building. In addition, a photographic history replete with aerial shots, building images, and landscape pictures will show physical growth over the years; and an historic landscape element will illustrate the environmental evolution of campus land growth, including character-defining features, and existing conditions.

A historical analysis of each campus’ buildings will document in detail a condition assessment and establish renovation standards. A Summary of Findings & Recommendations will conclude the report and will provide comprehensive recommendations for the preservation and/or renovations of each campus’ historic features.