For cities across the U.S. facing mass foreclosures and shrinking populations, demolition of abandoned homes is an attractive avenue (see Detroit and Cleveland). Roberta Brandes Gratz argues that the value of preservation deserves to be considered.
Inspired by Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory's speech at last month's Reclaiming Vacant Properties conference in New Orleans, Gratz argues that historic preservation deserves to be considered by so-called "shrinking cities" as they consider ways to stabilize population losses and encourage new investment. According to Gratz, Mallory "prefers working with community-based groups that renovate empty
properties and put people back in homes," rather than tearing down abandoned buildings. "When you keep
clearing land," said Mallory, "it makes it difficult to get new investment and kill the
chance to repopulate."
And, apparently, the findings of a new report, "Historic Preservation and Rightsizing" [PDF], commissioned by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, back Mallory up.
In the cities losing population studied by Don Rypkema and Cara Bertron of Place Economics, "they found the least
shrinkage in places where preservation is made a priority over
demolition; sometimes renewed population growth occurred. They compared
the rate of population change between 2000 and 2010 in the 20 cities
with the highest proportional population loss. By overlaying historic
district maps on census tracts, they found that historic districts
either 'lost less or grew more when the larger city lost population,'
Rypkema said."
"Preservation is one of the most potent tools for city revitalization," concludes Gratz. "That message should not get lost amid worries about city shrinkage."
FULL STORY: In Shrinking Cities, Preserving Existing Buildings Can Stem The Loss

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.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie