Historic Structure Reports

Santa Barbara mission
Santa Barbara, California

Known as “Queen of the Missions,” Santa Barbara Mission was established in 1786 and is a National Historic Landmark. Built of adobe, sandstone, brick and concrete, the Mission’s walls and convento pillars had deteriorated and showed visible damage. In 2011, the California Missions Foundation and Old Mission Santa Barbara, Inc., an affiliate of the Franciscan Friars of California, received a federal Save America’s Treasures matching grant from the National Park Service for a variety of historic preservation projects. Chattel was hired as a preservation consultant to prioritize and manage implementation of the grant-funded projects.

In order to comprehensively understand and prioritize the needs of the Mission, Chattel prepared the three-volume HSR, developed detailed scopes of work in collaboration with a team of structural engineer, building materials conservator, hydrologist/geologist and others, and solicited, engaged and monitored the general and specialty contractors. The HSR guided management of short term preservation projects, as well as long term planning goals for projects impacting historic buildings, structures, and features of the Mission. Chattel managed subcontractor investigations and secured approvals to implement the proposed treatment plan from the City of Santa Barbara, National Park Service, and California State Historic Preservation Officer.

Mission Santa Barbara received a California Preservation Foundation Design Award for Preservation in 2016.