ZELIENOPLE — A Seneca Valley High School alumni is leading a study to find out just how much history the borough has.

Brianna Regester, a 2011 Seneca graduate, is working with the Zelienople Historical Society on a survey to measure the historical significance of buildings on Main Street and Grandview Avenue.

She outlined her plan Monday night to borough council.

“What we're hoping to do is have a (photographic) documentation of these streets because it hasn't really been done before,” Regester said. “We want to be able to look at everything, sort through it and determine how we can best serve the community by examining what we still have.”

She hopes to collect the age and history of each building.

A Cranberry Township native, Regester attended Clarion University and graduated this past spring with a bachelor's in history. She is working on her master's in historical preservation at Ursuline College in Pepper Pike, Ohio, near Cleveland. The survey is part of her graduate studies.

Regester has been working with the historical society for about a year on the survey.

She said got the idea for the survey from seeing the growing amount of business developments in the area.

“I think it's really important to have the community step back and appreciate the history, and preserve it for future generations,” she said.

“As much as I love where I grew up, it worries me to see some development threatening some of the most important resources Zelienople has.”

Regester's initial background research showed that a “higher concentration” of older buildings are on Main Street and Grandview Avenue, which is why the survey will cover those areas.

She and her team have taken photographs of all the buildings on those streets.

Sources of information for her research have come from the historical society, the library and the state's information mapping system in Harrisburg.

Council members gave applause to Regester's plan, saying although business development is important to the borough's growth, preservation of historic sites is needed.

“I think we all have a desire to maintain Zelienople's charm, and we appreciate what we do have,” councilmember Mary Hess said. “Of course, change is on the doorstep, and we'd like to do as much preservation as we can.”

“You've got to keep moving forward, but you're right,” councilmember Ralph Geis said. “Some of the houses have got to be preserved.”

Regester and the historical society plan to send letters to property owners asking to take part in the survey.

About five people will help Regester with the survey, including members of the historical society.

“This needs to be done soon,” society member Susie Rape said. “Someone could buy a property and put a McDonald's there, and no one could stop them.”

Rape cited how the Buhl House, the borough's oldest building, has not been able to be listed on the National Register for Historic Places.

Regester said the survey would take between eight months and a year to complete. It is being funded through donations to the historical society.

As for balancing her classes and conducting the survey, Regester said it may be difficult.

“We will find out,” she said.