Portsmouth, Va

The Olde Towne Historic District is the only remaining early townscape in the Hampton Roads area. This twenty-block neighborhood is located next to the Elizabeth River and most of its rowhouse structures date from the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The Olde Towne Civic League of Portsmouth plays a major role in ensuring its careful preservation.

Frazier Associates created new guidelines for the Old Towne district along with four other historic and distinctive residential neighborhoods. A comprehensive examination of the City of Portsmouth’s local preservation program provided the background information used by Frazier Associates to update the individual design guidelines for each of these districts: Olde Towne, Cradock, Truxton, Park View, and Port Norfolk.

The graphic design of the guidelines relates directly to a new historic district branding logo and community sign system to provide a coordinated appearance throughout city materials. The accompanying text, 3-D illustrations, other graphics, and photographs were customized for each district. A complete set of guidelines are now available to download from the city website ensuring easy access to these valuable resources: http://www.portsmouthva.gov/413/Historic-District-Guidelines