Best Practices For Historic Preservation

"Abandoned buildings can break a neighborhood’s heart. Demolished buildings can destroy its soul.When disinvestment, poor maintenance and abandonment leave a neighborhood pock marked withvacant or dilapidated buildings, public officials and citizens often seek a quick solution to the community’swoes by razing the deteriorated structures. Demolition may effect a dramatic change in theneighborhood’s appearance, but it’s rarely a change for the better. Years of experience, much of itforged in the crucible of misguided programs such as urban renewal, have clearly demonstrated thefolly of destroying a place in order to save it.The National Trust for Historic Preservation believes there is a better way. Having encouraged andassisted neighborhood revitalization efforts in cities and towns all over America, we are convinced thatthe best way to restore vitality and livability to a community is to build on its strengths, to save andenhance the character and ambience that make each neighborhood unique, to preserve and celebratethe tangible evidence of the community’s history instead of smashing it to rubble and carting it off tothe landfill."

Thanks to Chris Steins