PIAsHistoric Preservation | |||||||||||
It's Official: Urban Life
Is Now Cool Conference examines rise of public/private enterprise in historic preservation |
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by Aphrodite Knoop |
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Historic preservation is not about the past; it is about the future. And, to remain a viable element in future revitalization of our urban areas, the preservation process must employ an innovative formula: meshing of public and private enterprise. Such public/private collaborations have achieved "spectacular results," said Robert D. Loversidge, FAIA, chair of the Historic Resources Committee PIA. These results formed the focus of the Public Architecture + Historic Preservation + Private Enterprise = Urban Revitalization conference March 810, at the AIA national headquarters in Washington, D.C., where government agency representatives, architects, preservationists, and planners gathered to discuss trends and goals for preservation and revitalization. It is now "hip" to revitalize urban areas; people want to live in the city again, according to Stephen Perry, General Services Administration (GSA) administrator. As the biggest landlord in the country, GSA is at the forefront of urban redevelopment. The agency is a significant holder of historic buildings and aims to "educate people about the GSA and help architects develop a stronger relationship with the agency," Perry explained. GSA, however, has to be creative in stretching a very thin budget, and public/private partnerships allow the agency to achieve its goals and provide a steady income stream for restoration projects. The agency expects even more opportunities for preservation and development with President Bush's endorsement of the Freedom to Manage Act. Historic easements and tax credit programs also offer incentives for private developers to invest in urban areas. Evidence of a redevelopment boom fueled by public/private partnerships is sprouting up from coast to coastwitness the Silver Theater in Silver Spring, Md.; Union Station, the Old Post Office Building, and countless other historic sites in Washington, D.C.; the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in San Francisco; and many more. According to Todd Bressi, executive editor of Places: A Forum of Environmental Design, "there is an amazing rebirth of public life. Urban life is now cool." Most downtown areas are gaining population or stabilizing, he said. "Public parks and civic spaces are not the only social spaces. Public buildings, malls, cafes, and other such spaces fill these functions." Copyright 2002 The American Institute of Architects. All rights reserved. |
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