Need to be an Advocate for general
preservation -- brick streets included.
Mission Statement: The Denton Main Street
Program through the combined efforts of public/private partnerships will
preserve and market the downtown area as a community treasure, focusing on
historic preservation, continuing reinvestment and developing heritage
tourism.
Vision Statement: To maintain Denton's
downtown area as the focus of the community where history is preserved,
businesses thrive, citizens and visitors dine, shop, live, and enjoy the
arts and entertainment.
To preserve the history, architecture, and
cultural heritage of Durham and Durham County and to serve as an
institution for the education of citizens through the promotion and
appreciation of this heritage
and dedicated to the preservation,
promotion, and revitalization
identify ways to enhance the preservation
of buildings that are important parts of Madison's heritage and identity;
and
help resolve the difficult conflicts that
occur between preservation and new development in such a way as to
encourage investment in the downtown while preserving significant
buildings and areas; and
Donovan Rykema, a real estate appraiser
and historic preservation expert is the author of The Economics of
Historic Preservation: A community Leader's Guide, published by The
National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1994. This book is useful for
historic preservationists and civic activists who wish to improve the
economic vitality of their communities. The author includes a bibliography
containing reputable studies. Mr. Rykema makes many points that are
pertinent to the heart of Towson as well as its surrounding neighborhoods.
Here are some of them:
Historic preservation is good for the local economy. It:
Creates a bond between a community and
its citizens;
Has significant and ongoing impact
beyond the project itself;
Increases the demand for labor and
increases business for local suppliers;
Is an effective economic development
strategy, regardless of the size or location of a community;
Is an ideal economic development
strategy for attracting and retaining small businesses;
Stabilizes neighborhoods and creates
viable business districts;
Effectively targets areas appropriate
for public attention.
Historic rehabilitation is often a
counter-cyclical activity that stabilizes the local economy and is a
cost-competitive alternative to new construction. When it occurs in
neighborhoods, it leads to additional rehabilitation.
Adaptive reuse of older and historic
structures makes good sense because:
Historic buildings provide efficient
space for new uses and are appropriate for many of the industries in the
economy's growth sectors;
It leads to the reuse of the existing
public infrastructure.
Historic preservation helps local
governments and tax payers because:
Historic public buildings, properly
managed and maintained, save public dollars.
Rehabilitating historic buildings is
cost effective and conserves energy.
Reinvestment in historic buildings
reinforces the values of existing real estate assets.
The most effective method of preventing
suburban sprawl is through more intensive use of buildings and sites
already in place within the community. The quality of life is becoming the
critical ingredient in economic development and historic preservation is
an important part of the quality-of-life equation.
Historic preservation has an impact upon
community centers:
Wherever there has been a "back to the
city" movement, it invariably has been "back to historic districts."
A community's commitment to downtown
revitalization provides the impetus for private investment.
Historic downtowns provide a diversity
of space and rent levels not found elsewhere in the community.
Downtowns in general and historic
buildings in particular provide excellent locations for start-up small
businesses.
The creation of a downtown historic
district is often an effective early step in downtown revitalization.
Historic preservation has an impact upon
how investments are made.
Public targeting of historic areas
provides a comfort level for private investment.
The creation of an historic district
effectively demonstrates public commitment to an area and can be the
catalyst for significant private investment.
Notes & Resources
Online Historic tour: (need
to add to Links Database)
Hagerstown's Preservation Program
http://www.hagerstownmd.org/html/historic_preservation1.html
The Mayor and City Council of Hagerstown
adopted a preservation ordinance in 1987 which set up the framework for
Hagerstown's preservation program. As established in the ordinance, the
purpose of Hagerstown's preservation program is to protect, preserve, and
encourage the re-use of those sites, structures and districts which
reflect elements of archaeological, political, cultural, social, economic
or architectural history, and to preserve and enhance the quality of life
and to safeguard the historical and cultural heritage of Hagerstown.