Hosting a collection of dozens of historic colonial buildings originally built more than 200 years ago, the city of St. Augustine, Florida, is having trouble taking care of all of them. The University of Florida has volunteered preservation services.
"31 historic buildings have become too costly for the local government to maintain and repair, so the University of Florida has taken over their management in the oldest continuously occupied city in the U.S."
"Some structures date to the 18th century, but about two-thirds are restorations built as late as the 1970s, mainly on the original foundations."
"For the past decade, the city has been leasing the buildings for $1 a year from the state, but the $1.5 million in rent from the shops and restaurants that occupy them is not enough to provide for upkeep. The city has been providing about $200,000 a year for maintenance."
"And crumbling history is a problem for a city whose main tourism draw is its colonial allure."
FULL STORY: University of Florida Takes Over Caretaking of Old City Sites

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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