Economic Development Vs. Historic Preservation

"Downtown Edmonds has some tall buildings. The former art-deco-era high school, which is being renovated for a performing-arts center, is 47 feet tall.... But the city also has its share of eyesores, including some four-story apartment buildings that resemble budget motels, as well as undistinguished boxes that double as office buildings... Mark Hinshaw, a Seattle architect and an architecture critic for The Seattle Times, has also served as a consultant to communities seeking to build on their historic assets. He has worked with Snohomish and Bozeman, Mont., on preserving historic districts while allowing economic development."