WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- The Air Force has a long, colorful and storied history – and Steve Byington has the good fortune to help carry it safely into the future.
He gets to do that as the 88th Civil Engineer Group’s cultural resources manager, a job he’s held since August at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
He has an important mission, and it’s one he deeply enjoys. He does the work “so we understand where we came from and how it influences and can shape the environment we work in today,” the 88 CEG’s former construction design manager said.
An architect by trade, Byington holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture with a specialization in historical preservation and architectural history. That makes the job a “perfect marriage” of his interests, he says.
“There are lots of good things to say about the job Steve is doing for our mission and vision in the Environmental Branch,” said Michael Brady, section chief, adding the branch’s main role is to enhance mission sustainability through environmental excellence.
“The Environmental Branch is the designated environmental spokesperson for WPAFB, ensuring installation functions remain in compliance with federal, state, local, DOD, and Air Force environmental regulations and policies by establishing environmental-compliance plans, administering environmental programs and coordinating environmental-protection requirements.”
The cultural resources manager works as a liaison to ensure the Air Force maximizes the reuse of its historic buildings and structures, while meeting all preservation laws and regulations.
“This job was an opportunity to use something I’ve always had as a love of mine but hadn’t been able to use that much in my professional career as a commercial architect,” he said. “This seemed like the perfect marriage of what I love to do in terms of design and construction but also with the research and the historical-preservation aspects of making sure that we’re not losing resources that are important to the history of the base and to the region.”
Before becoming a civilian employee, Byington spent 25 years with three local architectural firms, where he worked on everything from homes to university research buildings.
“Ultimately, I have always been drawn to re-use and rehabilitation projects and the opportunities they provide,” he said.
Now, a big part of his job is getting early notifications of proposed base-construction projects, comparing them against a database of properties eligible for the National Register of Historic Places and providing technical assistance where warranted.
“If there’s any sort of historical context to the building, then I’ll review the drawings and specs to make sure no harm will come to any cultural resource,” he said. “Or if the project would potentially damage an asset, then mitigation efforts – moving, reworking or encapsulating the significant features are explored. Not everything can be saved, but demolition is always a last resort. We’re always trying to protect the resources we have while supporting the Air Force’s mission of providing the advanced services we need to continue to fly, fight and win.”
Protecting more than buildings
Cultural resources other than buildings on base under Byington’s purview include Huffman Prairie -- where the Wright brothers perfected sustained, controlled, powered flight -- and its interpretive center at the Wright Brothers Memorial by Area B.
Byington works closely with the National Park Service on these assets. He also works to preserve and protect artworks, including a colorful mural painted by German prisoners of war during World War II in an Area A building.
Along with the park service and other groups, he’s also responsible for safeguarding five prehistoric Native American/indigenous mounds at the Wright Brothers Memorial, plus one in a protected area in the middle of Area A.
At the end of 2020, the mounds were surveyed with ground-penetrating radar as well as other imaging equipment to potentially identify any remains or cultural artifacts. The survey’s final report is pending.
“We do communicate on a regular basis with five different tribes that have shown interest, and we let them know of any potential projects or events that might affect these sites,” Byington said.
What he enjoys
His favorite part of the job is continually learning more about the base’s history through his research, whether architectural or aviation-related.
“I don’t think a lot of people realize, just when you’re driving around, that some of the plainest, most-nondescript buildings on base have some of the most interesting histories,” Byington said. “With Wright-Patterson being one of the earliest air bases in the U.S. and the world, it’s interesting to see buildings that date back to 1927 when Wright Field was first founded, and knowing that Orville Wright was still in Dayton working in his laboratory.
“Also, virtually every aircraft the Air Force has flown has either been tested or had a portion of its design researched and developed right here in Dayton.”
A big project ahead
The largest project on Byington’s plate now is renovation of the Brick Quarters, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A construction project will renovate 30 of those residences, built between 1934 and 1937.
“They are a bit dated inside, so we are doing everything we need to for a modern renovation while keeping a sensitivity toward historical preservation, too,” he noted.
Currently, he is looking at samples of roofing materials – even visiting the Ohio company’s factory that manufactured the original clay-roof tiles.
Once the project is complete, the homes will look as they always have but be easier to maintain, with new wiring and mechanical systems featuring a longer lifespan.
“It’s a really big project in Phase 1 now, with another 20 homes to be done in three or four years,” Byington said. “It’s involved the Air Force 88 CEG, Base Housing, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Army Corps of Engineers and a local architectural and engineering construction group.
“When you do a project like this in a historic district, it’s sort of a give-and-take with all parties involved to arrive at the right levels of modernization, preservation and mitigation. One of the things we’re taking a look at in terms of mitigation is a renovation of the Gen. Hap Arnold House.”
He said there is also talk of doing a documentary on the base’s history and how WPAFB developed.
“It would involve putting together a script and working with a film crew. That also would be a mitigation effort that would help us do what we need to do construction-wise,” he said.
What people should know
People may look at Wright-Patt as a typical Air Force base, but it has a diversity of high-tech, brand-new, cutting-edge construction, combined with very-utilitarian-but-still-functional buildings that have been around since the 1920s, Byington said.
“It’s a beautiful melding of the old and the new. … There may be a B1B bomber flying overhead, but we’re also very cognizant that we started off with the old Curtiss Jenny biplane trainers. Wright-Patterson has been a part of that since the very beginning,” he said.
Byinton occasionally brings his wife on base to visit Huffman Prairie, ride bikes and take advantage of the beautiful natural areas like Bass Lake.
“It’s also interesting to just drive around and look at the buildings,” he said. “I’m always seeing something new. I still like to do that.”
Fortunately, his wife has an interest in Dayton history, too.