Historic Buildings
San Diego to Update Historic Preservation Program
The city wants to identify new areas for preservation while streamlining processes to promote adaptive reuse of historic properties.
Op-Ed: A ‘Culture of Preciousness’ Undermines Historic Preservation
A focus on historic materials could foster inequity and obscure the important social and historical meanings of a structure.
Baltimore Considers Public Restroom Project
The city is starting to develop a plan for adding more public restrooms downtown, where available bathrooms are scarce and historic buildings are being damaged by public urination.
Former Brooklyn Sugar Refinery Reopens as All-Electric Office Tower
A historic building was reimagined as a 15-story office tower powered by renewable energy.
Historic Chicago School Building to Become Affordable Housing
The adaptive reuse project will create 50 income-restricted housing units and community amenities.
Houston Leaders Debate Merits of ‘Conservation Districts’ Proposal
A proposal by the city’s mayor would create a new type of preservation district designed to protect historic structures and slow gentrification.
Philadelphia Leads the Way in Adaptive Reuse
Philadelphia, a city rife with historic architecture, seeks to incentivize more conversion of historic buildings into housing.
Opinion: New Construction Is Safer, Better for the Environment
The emotional attachment to old homes can obscure the benefits of new buildings, which consume less energy and provide more amenities for residents.
'Demodelphia' Hiring More Preservationists
To protect more historic properties from rampant demolition, Philadelphia is staffing up its historic preservation department.
Transformers Vs. Historical Preservation
A row over two Transformers statues in a D.C. neighborhood lays bare the "absurdities" inherent in historical preservation, one writer argues.
Preservation and Redevelopment Can Work Hand in Hand
While historic preservation is often perceived to be a hinderance to development efforts, preserving buildings actually helps economic development, say advocates.
The Pace of Chicago Demolitions Worries Preservationists
In neighborhoods with lots of new development, buildings cited in the Chicago Historic Resources Survey are coming down fast.
What Old Building Isn't Historic?
David Alpert argues for a more rigorous definition for what is not historic. Without one, developers and property owners have no way to know what buildings can't or won't be given the designation.
Preserving the Character of San Antonio's Near West Side
Latino activists look to preserve a 'Chicano epicenter,' recently given the designation of a UNESCO site.
Friday Eye Candy: Historic London Visualized
Historic London collects panoramic views of modern London streets with historic photos transposed over them. Most of the views date from the first two decades of the 20th century.
Southern Cities Seek Balance Between Preservation and Modernity
In the wake of recent tragedy, cities like Charleston, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia still take pride in their architectural heritage. Debate abounds over whether modern architecture should be given freer rein.
Not All Preservationists Are NIMBYs
In the quest for density and infill, preservationists often stand beside those who want static cities. But both preservation and density can be ideologies, and thoughtful land use demands a nuanced middle ground.
Los Angeles and the Getty Launch Historic Places Database
Confirmed: Los Angeles really does have a rich history. HistoricPlacesLA, a new online database, provides detailed information on the city's historic sites.
How D.C.'s Historic Buildings—Some in Danger—Enrich its Neighborhoods
Historic buildings add character to neighborhoods. When torn down, pieces of history are also stripped from the city; when restored, they can act as catalysts for revitalization.
The Charms of Affordable Cities (Not Named San Francisco or New York)
A recent post identifies a sweet spot in the urban market: affordable cities like Cincinnati and others in the Rust Belt that provide an attractive alternative to more expensive, if more famous, cities on the coasts.
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.
Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA)
Ada County Highway District
Charles County Government
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland
