ForumJournal fall 2011 | Vol. 26 No. 1

Protecting the Place

ForumJournal Contents National Trust For Historic Preservation fall 2011 | VoL . 26 No . 1 stephanie K. meeks President David J. Brown Executive Vice President Preservation Heroes’ Ongoing Fight and Chief Preservation Officer Tabitha Almquist to Protect Mount Taylor Chief of Staff Jerry Rogers ...... 3 David Cooper Chief Development Officer Paul Edmondson Interview: How the Wilderness Battlefield Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel Coalition Faced Down Walmart rosemarie rae Kerri Rubman...... 11 Chief Financial and Administrative Officer terry richey Thinking about Shrinking Chief Marketing Officer Royce Yeater ...... 21 National Trust Forum

VALECIA CRISAFULLI Vice President, Partnerships “Moving Modern”: Modern Architecture susan west montgomery as “Moveable” Heritage Director, Information and Technology Mary Kay Judy ...... 27 Elizabeth Byrd Wood Content Manager Kerri Rubman Assistant Editor Miami Marine Stadium: Making mary butleR Creative Director the Case for Exceptional Significance amy vainieri Jorge L . Hernandez ...... 36 Graphic Designer Protecting the Neighborhood: Historic Preservation and Community Development Trent Nichols ...... 41

The National Trust for Historic Preservation on the cover: Miami Marine Stadium, Miami, Fla. works to save America’s historic places for the next generation. We take direct, on- Photo by Rick Bravo, courtesy of Friends of Marine Stadium. the-ground action when historic buildings and sites are threatened. Our work helps Forum Journal, a Journal of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, (ISSN 1536-1012) (USPS build vibrant, sustainable communities. We advocate with governments to save Amer- Publication Number 001-715) is published quarterly by the Center for Preservation Leadership at ica’s heritage. We strive to create a cultural the National Trust for Historic Preservation, 1785 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. legacy that is as diverse as the nation itself 20036 as a benefit of National Trust Forum membership. Forum members also receive six issues so that all of us can take pride in our part of Preservation magazine. Annual dues are $115. Periodicals paid at Washington, D.C. Postmaster: of the American story. Send address changes to National Trust Forum, 1785 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, The National Trust for Historic Preserva- D.C. 20036. Copyright ©2011 National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States. Printed tion is concerned about the responsible in the United States. Of the total amount of base dues, $6.00 is for a subscription for Preservation stewardship of the environment and has magazine for one year. Support for the National Trust is provided by membership dues; endow- published this journal on Chorus Art Silk paper which is 50% recycled with 30% ment funds; individual, corporate, and foundation contributions; and grants from state and federal post consumer fiber. It is manufactured agencies. National Trust Forum Journal is a forum in which to express opinions, encourage debate, with non-polluting, wind generated energy and convey information of importance and of general interest to Forum members of the National and is FSC certified and supported by the Trust. Inclusion of material or product references does not constitute an endorsement by the Rainforest Alliance. National Trust for Historic Preservation. 2 fall 2011 ForumJournal Preservation Heroes’ Ongoing Fight to Protect Mount Taylor

Jerry Rogers

At 11,301 feet, Mount Taylor dominates a large part of the west-central New Mexico landscape. Symmetrical and exceptionally beautiful, the mountain makes weather, collects rain and snowfall, and then stores the moisture in snowpacks and aquifers, thereby supporting year-round life by human creatures and others. The ecologi- cal zones created by its rising elevation host a wide variety of life forms upon which humans depend. Its volcanic origin caused the concentration of minerals, most notably high quality uranium ore. Not surprisingly, the mountain holds great cultural signifi- cance for American Indian tribes in the region; and not surprisingly, it holds great economic significance for many others. It has been determined eligible for the National Register, and in 2009 it was listed in the New Mexico State Register following nomina- tion by the Pueblos of Hopi, Zuni, Acoma, and Laguna, plus the Navajo Nation. This action prompted lawsuits to overturn the state listing and also legislative proposals with such extreme requirements for owner consent that no large traditional cultural properties could be listed in the future. A small band of experienced preserva- tionists quickly coalesced, joining these tribes and others to defeat the legislation, but no one believes the fight is over. Jerry Rogers rallied others to the cause in an April 8, 2011, address, excerpted here, to the New Mexico Heritage Preservation Alliance. For deeper background, see Katherine D. Slick, “Stewardship Challenges on Public Lands,” Forum Journal, Vol. 22, No. 4 (Summer 2008), pp 15–28.

ometimes just doing one’s job sional integrity to list Mount Taylor in requires courage of heroic New Mexico’s State Register of Cultural dimensions—especially when Properties. It was politically difficult. that job is applying criteria for Powerful mineral industries didn’t want Scultural properties to large tracts of land it done, many private landowners didn’t and when evaluating kinds of significance want it done (even though their lands not widely recognized by America’s dollar- were excluded if they objected), the local driven culture. This presentation celebrates legislator didn’t want it done, the gover- the heroes on the Cultural Properties nor didn’t want it done, and the Secretary Review Committee who two years ago, of Cultural Affairs recommended dodging in 2009, showed the courage and profes- the issue on a technicality. Virtually all of this resistance was Mount Taylor, which rises majestically from based upon either erroneous or vastly the plains in west-central New Mexico, holds exaggerated notions of the practical great cultural significance for the American Indian tribes in the region. effect of listing, but being wrong did Photo by Rebecca Schwendler not diminish the opponents’ sense of

ForumJournal fall 2011 3 certainty about having been wronged. become mere raw material to be pro- About the only people who supported cessed—just another subject to be hyped the listing were five American Indian like nude beaches and casinos, and Tribes whose traditional reverence for when facts get in the way, the facts may the mountain over several centuries had get modified to fit the excitement that made it culturally significant. Listing the must be created. Of such creativity come mountain in the State Register was an legends such as that of the Comanche act of professional responsibility and of warrior named Tucum and his beloved political heroism. “princess” named Cari, who, if they really had existed and really had jumped Efforts to Weaken the off Tucumcari Mountain in romantic Cultural Affairs Department despair, would have died as a result of We knew there would be retribution, and tumbling down a slope through cactus, boy was there ever when the legislature because there is no suicide-scaled cliff next convened after the listing! Legisla- there. From such creativity come stories tors introduced a bill that proposed to of an outlaw who killed 21 men before reorganize state government by combin- his 21st birthday, of lost mines and ing the cabinet-level departments of Tour- buried treasure, and of saintly strang- ism and Cultural Affairs in a manner that ers who build miraculous staircases did not promise the best future for heri- and then disappear into the desert. It tage preservation. The same bill would is bad enough when that stuff gets into have deprived the Cultural Properties advertising, but it has no place being Review Committee of its decision-making associated with serious matters like our authority, made it an advisory and policy- social memory. setting body, lodged the decision-making Historic preservation, on the other authority with an official who serves at hand, requires people who are devoted the pleasure of the governor, and made to historical truth as best it can be the state historic preservation officer an understood, who are devoted to sav- ing six inches We knew there would be retribution, and boy of wood or a was there ever when the legislature next convened handful of mud after the listing! that went into a building origi- advisor to rather than a participant in nally, even though using a new section planning of projects that affect listed of wood or handful of mud would be historic places. Let’s take a closer look at cheaper, faster, and maybe stronger. what might happen when you adminis- Historic preservation requires people tratively mix tourism and history. to whom such things are matters of It takes a particular type of creative principle and of professional integrity, mentality to get people in New York and people who will sacrifice their careers London and Hamburg and Los Angeles rather than sacrifice their integrity. The and Hong Kong to come to New Mexico combined department would not have and to spend money here. History for been a good match, but organizational these advertising geniuses can sometimes structure was not the main issue.

4 fall 2011 ForumJournal In 2008 a grassroots coalition of environmentalists and American Indians organized a run to Mount Taylor to draw attention to the mountain and its cultural and spiritual significance.

Photo by Theresa Pasqual

The zinger was the innocent-sounding uranium deposits, and right out of the step of vesting the Cultural Properties ingrained belief that any burden upon Review Committee’s decision-making enterprise or property is an unconstitu- authority in an individual. Under law, tional taking—came the main attack: a the committee must make its decisions in bill to fundamentally revise the Cultural open public meetings, but an individual Properties Act itself. Identical bills in the would be able to make the same decisions House and Senate, clothed in a mantle behind closed doors. The decision to list of patriotism, proposed to put an end to Mount Taylor in the State Register was imagined abuses of property rights such made in a meeting that was very open and as the Mount Taylor listing by requiring very contentious. Does anyone believe advance written consent by 100 percent it would have been easier for a closeted of owners, before a place could be listed individual somewhere in the Historic in the State Register.1 Preservation Division and out of the pub- Committee after committee heard lic eye, whose livelihood depended on the people testify that even though their pleasure of the governor, to have made private lands had been excluded from the right decision about Mount Taylor? the listing, their houses had declined in value and become unsalable, they Attacks on the Cultural had been unable to drill a water well Properties Act just so they could have indoor plumb- Then from out of the oil patch—I mean, ing, they were unable to drive cattle right out of those salt domes and lay- across a leased parcel of public land that ers of frackable rock, right out of those separated their two privately owned

ForumJournal fall 2011 5 pastures. These witnesses were not there (including for practical purposes archeolog- on their own behalf, they said; they just ical deposits). The owners to be identified wanted to make sure no other hardwork- and notified included owners of interests ing Americans would ever again suffer in subsurface mineral rights beneath public such abuse at the hands of this out-of- and private lands. Listing would also control Cultural Properties Review Com- require advance consent from 100 percent mittee. Never mind that virtually every of these “owners.” Not only would this house in America had declined in value have made any listing of any place utterly during the same period, never mind that unfeasible, in the never-ending struggle the State Engineer had never denied any- between mineral owners and surface one a well permit based on this listing, owners, it, for the first time, would have and never mind that nothing in the law enabled a single subsurface owner to deny really interfered with driving cattle. It all other owners access to the pleasures seemed true to these people, and so they and benefits and truly patriotic rewards of made it true in their minds and declared participation in state programs for preser- it true in the legislative process. vation of heritage. The implications were Oh, and by the way, “owner” was beyond imagination, for heritage preserva- defined not only as owners of the surface of tion and for every environmental program the earth, where the cultural significance is of any kind on the books.

6 fall 2011 ForumJournal Preservation “Heroes” It took day after day of getting up early to Respond check committee agendas, appearing at 9 Heroes were needed, and heroes arose a.m. hearings, comparing notes over lunch, like minutemen from nowhere. At the and appearing in other hearings that ended risk of omitting someone I want to cel- at 10 p.m. It was a spontaneous defense, ebrate Mac Watson, Tim Maxwell, Victor amazingly well organized for an ad hoc Johnson, Tom Merlan, Lois Snyderman, operation—and it was heroic. National Trust for Historic Preservation The other side, in addition to its mantle of Advisors Ernesto Ortega and Theresa patriotism, also wore a disguise of reason- Pasqual, plus tribal leaders from When you think you have killed a bill by whacking Acoma, Laguna, it down in one committee, it pops up in another, and if Tesuque, Pojoaque, you whack it over there it pops up in yet another. Picuris, Navajo, and probably others. Jonathan Poston, ableness and willingness to compromise. It director of the National Trust’s Southwest was a disguise because it was not real, and in Office, did terrific supportive work from fact was deceptive. Opponents to the listing his office in Fort Worth, and retired State had begun with such an extremist position Representative J. Paul Taylor worked the that they could make concession after conces- phones from his home in Mesilla. sion after concession, and still have an abso- The two houses of the New Mexico lutely crippling hold over historic preserva- legislature are miraculously versatile. tion with their deadly precedent of subsurface Bills get referred to multiple commit- control over surface cultural resources. tees, and those committees can refer the Upon being told that the bill would bills to yet other committees. Commit- end the listing of historic business districts tee agendas are set on short notice, are in cities like Clayton and Portales, they subject to change, and committee meet- exempted urban districts and said, “Look ings are unpredictable. It makes play- how reasonable we are—now pass this ing a defensive game against a bad bill watered-down bill.” Still meeting resis- like a gigantic game of whack-a-mole. tance, they exempted individual buildings When you think you have killed a bill on small acreages, and asked the stubborn by whacking it down in one committee, preservationists to meet them halfway, even it pops up in another, and if you whack though the bill would still have absolutely it over there it pops up in yet another. prevented any listing of cultural landscapes

In April 2011 tribal representatives signed a significant to traditional cultures. Then Memorandum of Agreement with the New they reduced the owner consent require- Mexico State Land Office to set forth a process ment from 100 percent to 51 percent and of consultation on proposed activities on New Mexico State Trust Lands located within the declared themselves consistent with the boundaries of the Mount Taylor Traditional federal standard for the National Register Cultural Landscape. Shown here, from left to right, are Hopi Tribe Vice-Chairman Herman Honanie, of Historic Places—even though the federal Zuni Tribe Governor Arlen Quetawki, New Mexico standard does not require any advance State Land Commissioner Ray Powell, Pueblo of owner consent at all. They even managed Acoma Governor Randall Vicente, and Pueblo of Laguna Governor Richard Luarkie. to get one of the Main Street programs to Photo by Theresa Pasqual declare support, a position inconsistent

ForumJournal fall 2011 7 New Mexico Was Not Alone by Susan West Montgomery, Director, information and training

While New Mexico can boast one of the more egregious efforts to turn back preser- vation protections, preservation advocates there were certainly not alone in fending off attacks this spring. By January the economic realities of the federal budget crisis were hitting state legislatures full on, and by mid-July the National Trust and its statewide and local partners had faced some 61 legislative assaults on preservation protections, funding, and incentives. And those were only the ones we knew about.

The National Trust and its allies employed a range of tried-and-true advocacy tech- niques. Between January and June, the National Trust sent 23 advocacy e-alerts to our members in various states and districts asking them to take action, along with producing op-eds to run in local newspapers and sign-on letters. The response was tremendous. This spring these alerts averaged an unprecedented 19 percent open rate and when folks took action it resulted in hundreds of letters to state legislatures. In the New Mexico cam- paign alone, open rates reached 25 percent and resulted in 182 letters to elected officials.

What all these efforts had in common was the willingness of citizens to roll up their sleeves and do the hard work of lobbying their elected officials. On-the-ground advocates walked the halls of state capitols, lurked outside committee rooms, and showed up whenever and wherever they were needed. They researched and wrote one-page leave-behind sheets for legislators and made sure that a wide swath of constituents had the talking points they needed to make the case. They sought allies locally, regionally, statewide, and nationally.

In Houston preservationists turned back efforts to undermine their historic preserva- tion ordinance, and in Alabama a bill that would have removed important protections for underwater cultural and historic artifacts was narrowly defeated. Most advocacy efforts involved defending funding for state preservation offices and Main Street programs. While disappointing, in this economic climate most budget cuts could not be avoided. In the final tally, the average cut to state preservation office budgets hov- ered around 11 percent, on par with other state programs, and almost welcomed by advocates who feared much worse. In some states, rehabilitation tax credits ended up on the chopping block, but only Michigan lost its important revitalization tool when its governor called for the abolishment of all tax credits in the state.

Jerry Rogers’ eloquent acknowledgement of the work of preservation advocates in New Mexico could be applied in many states. So too, his plea for more preservation heroes in the months and years ahead.

8 fall 2011 ForumJournal with the overall Main Street program Officers and boards of many statewide statewide. But the stalwart band of pres- preservation organizations have faced ervationists, which significantly included enormous challenges just to keep their the tribal governments, was present at organizations alive, to release an annual every hearing to point out the decep- list of endangered places and to hold an tions, and in committee after commit- annual conference. I know what that is tee the bills were eventually blocked. It like. I personally planned two such confer- was possible to achieve this because the ences, and twice when I was president our stalwart band was experienced enough to statewide organization ran out of cash when recognize the ruses and to explain them it had salaries and rent to pay. Those who to various committees. have kept such organizations going have my deepest respect and admiration, and are Recruiting More Heroes among the heroes I celebrate. But we need At intervals between hearings, members new life while there is still time—if there of the stalwart band began to muse about is still time. My pitch is to all of us, more how best to handle such problems in the accurately to each of you individually. future. “Shouldn’t there be some kind of All across America, for a long time organization,” someone would say, and now, people who hate any impediment to then another would recall, “Didn’t we have instant enrichment—meaning people who this conversation back in 1995? I thought hate government action whether for edu- we talked about an organization then? cation, nutrition, clean air, clean water, I am sure we did. Let’s see, I remember endangered species, or historic preserva- that it was something…something about tion—have been dominating the public heritage, and didn’t the concept of alliance discourse. Those of us who care about work into it? Yes, that’s it, it’s coming back the greater public good have stood by too now…a New Mexico Heritage Preserva- quietly, maybe exhausted, maybe intimi- tion Alliance! A statewide historic Those of us who care about the greater public preservation good have stood by too quietly…and have let the organization that anti-government, anti-collective, anti-preservationists would rally pres- have the microphones. ervationists from all over the state and from every conceiv- dated, and have let the anti-government, able background to fight off attacks. An anti-collective, anti-preservationists have organization with members who could the microphones. Especially during the reach any legislative delegate with a pro- last decade it has been as though the other preservation comment from back in the side has been playing without opposition. district rather than from the audience in a We have to change that; we can change it; committee hearing. An organization that only we can change it; and we can change would enable us to build a positive agenda it only by getting off the defensive, by for preservation in every county of the state speaking, writing, and acting. and that could head off such attacks before Who believes that the Mount Taylor they could coalesce into dangerous and issue is over? Not I. If matters are left as threatening forces.” they are right now, the other side is going

ForumJournal fall 2011 9 to come back, this time wounded, angrier, exists to defend—on the air and in print as and more determined; and if they are smart often as you can. But don’t try to hog the they will come with a bill less ridiculously limelight—heap praise upon other organiza- unworkable and better calculated to be tions who helped us in this struggle. Engage enacted than last time. And if, by some like-minded organizations and make our cause miracle, they do not come back, I promise a vital part of something much bigger. you someone else will. We need some new It is said that the New Mexico governor heroes—and we need lots of them. intends this year to review state regulations in general to see if they Don’t let negative charges from the other side are business friendly. go unanswered, but be so positively engaged that the We don’t know other side cannot get its negativism in edgewise. whether Historic Preservation Divi- What can I do, you ask? sion regulations will be among those chosen Invite two people to join your local for review, but let’s not be surprised if they and statewide preservation organizations. are. Most historic preservation happens in the Participate in statewide and local preser- private sector, so that means historic preser- vation conferences. vation needs to be business friendly. Let’s be Think of a pro-preservation subject ready in advance to defend preservation regu- on which you will write a letter to the lations, but let’s also be ready to adapt them editor or an op-ed piece, or a subject you if they can be made more business friendly will arrange to discuss on local radio or without impairing their effectiveness. television some time during the next six Above all, take the initiative. Create the months, and then do it. public discourse, and make it about the value Now think of a publicly visible preser- of heritage and the good that is done by pres- vation activity you will hold before winter ervation. Don’t let negative charges from the sets in again. It could be as simple as a other side go unanswered, but be so positively bake sale or a picnic. It could be a forum at engaged that the other side cannot get its your school or church. It could be a pres- negativism in edgewise. Do whatever it takes ervation fair. It could be a raucous street to maintain the tribal leadership and involve- demonstration with picketers and signs ment that was so vital in the recent struggle. and honking horns—but it needs to be And remember that I am not just talking something that will draw public attention to the officers and board of the organi- to the part of the preservation cause that zation—I am talking to me, and to you. most excites you. Exactly you. We need some new heroes. Now think of an endangered historic Who else is it going to be? FJ place, and ask yourself whether it should Jerry Rogers is former National Park Service be on the next list of endangered places. associate director for cultural resources. This speech was also excerpted in the Spring 2011 Research the place and nominate it—or issue of the Chronicles of the Trail, the quarterly better yet, enlist other people from your journal of El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro Trail local civic club to do so. Association (CARTA), www.caminorealcarta.org. 1 The New Mexico Cultural Properties Act is Get the concept of heritage preservation silent on owner notification and consent, so as patriotism—the idea that our national the Cultural Properties Review Committee has followed the standard in the National Historic heritage is what the Defense Department Preservation Act.

10 fall 2011 ForumJournal Interview: How the Wilderness Battlefield Coalition Faced Down Walmart

Kerri Rubman

n May 1864, almost 186,000 Union tion, Preservation Virginia, and a number and Confederate troops endured two of other conservation organizations. days of desperate fighting during the The Coalition first tried to commu- Battle of the Wilderness in Virginia’s nicate directly with the Orange County Inorth central Piedmont region, halfway Board of Supervisors and Walmart repre- between Washington and Richmond. One sentatives. But with early indications that of the most significant engagements of the a majority of the Supervisors had already Civil War, it was the first time that gener- made up their minds in favor of Walmart, als Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant and with no positive response from the faced off against one another, eventually corporation, the Coalition then launched leading to a tactical draw, with heavy a campaign to raise local and national casualties, that marked the beginning of awareness. Their activities included the end of the Civil War. presentations to local groups; letters to Nearly 150 years later, preservationists, the editor, state and federal politicians, historians, and national park advocates prominent historians, and others with an were distressed by a proposal by Walmart interest; and media and public events at to seek a special use permit from the the Wilderness Battlefield National Park. Orange County Board of Supervi- the Battle of the Wilderness in Virginia’s sors to construct north central Piedmont region [was] one of the most a 240,000-square- significant engagements…that marked the beginning foot superstore on of the end of the Civil War. privately owned land at the gateway to the Wilderness The National Trust named the Wil- Battlefield National Park and immediately derness Battlefield one of America’s 11 adjacent to the Fredericksburg & Spotsyl- Most Endangered Historic Sites in 2010. vania National Military Park. The 52-acre Walmart’s plan was also publicly criticized development site would also include other by the National Park Service, Virginia’s gov- chain retail stores. ernor and other state and county officials, The Wilderness Battlefield Coalition local and national media, a group of more formed in June 2008 to press for an alter- than 250 American historians, local and native site. The National Trust, Friends national heritage groups, and thousands of of Wilderness Battlefield, Civil War Trust, individual Americans, including actor Rob- and Piedmont Environmental Council ert Duvall, a Virginia native and resident. were key Coalition partners, along with But despite these protests, in August the National Parks Conservation Associa- 2009 the Orange County Board of Supervi-

ForumJournal fall 2011 11 sors voted 4-1 to approve Walmart’s Q: Why did you object to the proposed application. With the pro bono legal Walmart site? After all, it’s outside of the assistance of Arnold & Porter, the non- Wilderness Battlefield National Park. profit Friends of Wilderness Battlefield CAMPI: Most novices think that the and a group of citizen coplaintiffs vigor- boundary of a national park is where ously pursued a lawsuit against Orange history ends, but that’s more frequently County to overturn the special use per- not the case, especially for the Civil War mit. At that point, the Coalition groups battlefield parks in the East where you’re actively prepared for the court case by only protecting a small percentage of the gathering data to back up legal argu- overall battlefield. ments, and recruiting experts to testify, The Walmart site is the perfect example. including from among their own ranks. Here we had what was the nerve center of But on January 26, 2011—just the Union Army. It was the headquarters before trial proceedings were due to site; it was an artillery encampment; very start in Orange County circuit court— likely there were temporary prison camps Walmart announced that it would there for Confederate soldiers; there was a drop its plan to obtain the special use hospital on the site; almost certainly there permit and instead work with the local were temporary graves on the site. Because community to identify an alternative there are so few physical remains of what development site in the county. On May happened there, it was easy to downplay 23 the corporation announced that it the history of the site. But we know that plans to build three miles west of the there was quite a bit going on there, out- contested site. It has since announced side the park boundary. that it will purchase the original 52-acre HOLMES: This was one of the biggest site and protect it from development. challenges—getting people to under- stand the differ- So this would have been: “Welcome to Orange ence between County. Here’s the top of our Walmart—and, oh by national park the way, welcome to the Wilderness Battlefield and boundaries and the edges of Chancellorsville Battlefield.” battlefield bound- aries. Walmart Coalition members were quick to prided itself on saying, “We’re not in the commend Walmart’s decision. battlefield.” The county acted shocked In telephone interviews, three highly and amazed that we suggested, no, they’re involved Coalition members were invited actually building on battlefield land. to reflect on this challenging fight and its From what I understand, in 1993 the positive outcome: Zann Nelson, presi- American Battlefield Protection Program dent, Friends of Wilderness Battlefield looked at delineating the battlefields and (www.fowb.org); Jim Campi, policy and in doing so identified the entire area that communications director, Civil War Trust played a role in the battle. That was the (www.civilwar.org); and Dan Holmes, “study area” and if it’s part of the study director of state policy (and also Orange area, it’s still battlefield land. County field officer), Piedmont Environ- The national park boundaries were mental Council (www.pecva.org). drawn over core battlefield lands—land

12 fall 2011 ForumJournal Wilderness Battlefield in Orange County, Va., was the site of one of the most significant battles of the Civil War. The Wilderness Battlefield Coalition formed in 2008 to challenge Walmart’s proposal to build a superstore in a location that threatened to compromise the battlefield’s historic setting and encourage further commercial development nearby.

Photo by Jason Clement, National Trust for Historic Preservation where we know there was fighting, where When you come from Spotsylvania we know blood was shed. However, the County heading from the Chancellors- study area is still an integral part of the ville Battlefield into Orange County, the battlefield. These were areas where you’d first thing you see is the Walmart site. have staffing, troop movements, hospitals. So this would have been: “Welcome to In actuality, Walmart would have been Orange County. Here’s the top of our building on two battlefields, because in Walmart—and, oh by the way, welcome 1863, about a year earlier than the Wilder- to the Wilderness Battlefield and the edges ness Battle occurred, Chancellorsville Battle of Chancellorsville Battlefield.” We just was going on, and that area of the battlefield didn’t feel that was an appropriate type actually extends all the way up in Orange of development to welcome citizens and County. So this land was a high point on this tourists, especially at a time when we’re route down to the Chancellorsville Battle- getting ready to commemorate the sesqui- field, as well as a high point that had a com- centennial of the Civil War. manding view of the Wilderness Battlefield. NELSON: What surrounds a national Walmart was going to build 38-foot-tall park often serves as a gateway and is an building, at its highest point, on a knoll integral component of the experience. The that stands 55 feet above the intersection. condition, look, and feel of the immediate Walmart was going to cut 20 feet off the area surrounding a historic park impacts knoll—I won’t even say my comments about the message and experience. If surrounded destroying every historic resource that’s with inappropriate development, the vision underneath that 20 feet—but that would still is tainted and the visitor is simply not going be 18 feet higher than the existing topogra- to “get” the significance. Unfortunately, phy, not to mention destroying what is the there are not a lot of ordinances in place gateway entrance to the community. that can advise a Walmart or a local gov-

ForumJournal fall 2011 13 The new Walmart was planned to be built on a prominent knoll overlooking the Wilderness Battlefield National Park. This graphic produced by the Civil War Preservation Trust shows how close the store would be to key battlefield locations.

ernment that, here is how you should treat Walmart site, for several years, working on that area. protecting the Route 3 corridor and trying But this was more than merely the to prevent development west of Chancel- gateway. Letters, maps, diaries, and official lorsville—trying to protect the rural charac- reports indicate that this particular area was ter and give visitors the experience that “command central” for the Union forces travelers would have had at the time of during the battle. Artistic illustrations from the Civil War. So this proposal to build the the period depict a hub of activity: troop Wilderness Walmart at the intersection of movement, command headquarters, ambu- Route 3 and Route 20 not only had direct lances between battles and the hospitals impact on the Wilderness Battlefield but located on the hillsides. Sadly, it is an uphill essentially would undermine those efforts battle to convince the non-historian of the to try to protect the Route 3 corridor. enormous significance, especially when so HOLMES: We have to remember that often the prevailing effort by most preserva- this wasn’t just a Walmart being proposed, tion groups is to save land where “opposing but two additional commercial sites being armies fired upon one another.” considered just below the Walmart on that Here was an opportunity—no, a man- same 52 acres, which would have brought date—to stand up or accept a permanent loss. the total to somewhere along the lines of 220,000 square feet of commercial space Q: Did you have other concerns about the with Walmart as the anchor store. We proposed site? already saw other commercial develop- CAMPI: The Civil War Trust had been ment proposals spring up nearby, so we working with Spotsylvania County, which saw the potential for this thing to spiral is also right across Wilderness Run from the out of control really fast.

14 fall 2011 ForumJournal And at that point, you’ve already had that, but they wouldn’t tell us what battle- some huge blows over the course of his- field. So we didn’t know for certain until tory to the Wilderness Battlefield and the the storm started brewing in 2008. None integrity of the resource, and we felt that of the preservation groups were consulted additional impacts could not be sustained. before the project was formally announced. It was our opinion that by siting this Quite frankly we could not have asked for a better much commercial attorney to represent our needs. Without the law firm activity at that of Arnold & Porter, this ultimate victory would have intersection of never been possible. Route 3 and Route 20, the road that bisects the battlefield, We tried to communicate both with the you were almost demanding, begging, for Board of Supervisors and with Walmart, the realignment and widening of Route 20. and the Coalition’s message was consis- One of the largest residential develop- tent throughout: We weren’t opposed ments on Route 3, this growth area, is to Walmart in Orange County, we were Lake of the Woods which now contains just opposed to Walmart at that site. We approximately a third of the population felt all along that a compromise could be of Orange County. About a third of it is reached that would move the Walmart in core battlefield land. They built houses down Route 3 and protect the battlefield. on what were some of the most important HOLMES: I think it was important northern troop positions during the battle. that we didn’t just come out outright and And in fact, I think there were a large say “No.” The Coalition started off with number of residents who remained silent a very principled decision that, as far as about the proposed Walmart site because our ability, we would work with state they were concerned that an alternative legislators and other interested parties— location would mean that it would be so that we wouldn’t be automatically pushed somewhere else in the corridor, dismissed as a bunch of naysayers and and they weren’t particularly excited NIMBYs. We were saying, we can show about having a big-box store located near you how you can have this economic their residential community. development that you desire and still protect another economic engine that Q: How did you communicate your happens to be a national treasure. concerns? NELSON: As far as any historic fact, CAMPI: The first thing the Coalition did we would not issue any statement that in 2008 was write a letter to Walmart ask- could not be documented. And from us ing them to consider alternative sites away you would not hear name-calling or nega- from the battlefield. tive statements. All our messages—whether Even going back further, in the summer they were in speeches, presentations, or of 2006, the Civil War Trust had gotten a letters to the editor—were all positive. We communication from Walmart asking if we continually repeated the theme that we are would oppose a Walmart next to a Civil not opposed to Walmart being in Orange War battlefield. And we did indicate at that County, but we believed that there were time we would have serious concerns about other locations that would be acceptable.

ForumJournal fall 2011 15 Q: Tell me about your dealings with Q: Why was the make up of the the Board of Supervisors. Coalition important? NELSON: Shortly after Walmart had sub- NELSON: There were three basic compo- mitted its application, three of the board nents to the Coalition—national, legal, and members—before the first hearing—stated local. All three components are essential for how they were going to vote. So from success in an endeavor of this sort. the get-go, it didn’t appear to be an open The Civil War Trust and the National dialog. And of course, it’s much more Trust brought a broader scope of contacts, difficult to change a decision that’s already the ability to communicate with larger num- been made. bers of preservationists, and the all-impor- Some folks would get angry stating, tant national clout vital to working with “We’ve elected these people (the Board mega corporations. They (the mega corps) of Supervisors) to work on our behalf, are simply not going to answer the phone if so you need to get out of the way.” We Friends of Wilderness Battlefield were to call. would get chastised about it. But in my Even in the absence of a lawsuit there estimation this is not the way our govern- is a benefit to having a strong and savvy ment works: We don’t elect them and then legal team. With the legal firm of Arnold & just walk away. We still have to do over- Porter in our corner and Bob Rosenbaum sight. That’s our responsibility as citizens. at the helm, we had absolutely the best legal Certain members of the board com- team available. Without a doubt, had Mr. plained about all the e-mails and calls, and Rosenbaum not been passionate about the ranted that it was simply outsiders trying cause and willing to work pro bono, we to tell Orange County how to run things. would not be where we are today. But Friends of Wilderness Battlefield is To bring the team full circle, there must very much a local organization with hun- be a viable local face and voice. It is much dreds of local supporters. We were tireless more difficult to dismiss one’s friends and in conveying that message. neighbors than a faceless entity from some- CAMPI: Ultimately, I think it had more where else. Certainly, there will be differ- to do with pride than good policy. The ences of opinion, but with a local perspec- Supervisors had made up their minds and tive that opinion becomes more viable. weren’t going to be pushed around— As a local force, we worked diligently although certainly our message couldn’t to raise the awareness of the contributions have been more conciliatory and coop- our group makes to quality of life issues, erative. We said all along we wanted to tax revenue through tourism, and the work with the county. We had indicated breadth of local citizen involvement. We that we were willing to put money into increased the number and scope of public a study to identify better locations and events held at Ellwood [historic house in protect the corridor, but it was not a the park] and surrounding battlefield. The message that was being received. I think purpose? “Get to know us—your neigh- the Supervisors were under the impres- bors—and your historic park land.” sion that it was a delaying tactic, and an HOLMES: The different organizations in attempt to get the Walmart deal to fall the Coalition brought different strengths, through entirely, so it was a message that and in this case I think we had just about wasn’t taken at face value. the best mix we could ever ask for.

16 fall 2011 ForumJournal All of the partners contributed to this victory. The National Trust and Civil War Trust provided leadership and infor- mation on the history of Wilderness, and were responsible for communicating with Walmart. The Piedmont Environmental Council provided local land-use and con- servation expertise as well as legal assis- tance on local land-use law, and Friends of Wilderness Battlefield provided a local voice and conducted most of the out- reach to the Board of Supervisors. I want to credit another organization, National Parks Conservation Association, which identified Bob Rosenbaum who represented us in the case. Quite frankly we could not have asked for a better attor- ney to represent our needs. Without the law firm of Arnold & Porter, this ultimate (Clockwise from top) Zann Nelson, president of Friends victory would have never been possible. of Wilderness Battlefield, and attorney Robert Rosenbaum celebrated outside the Orange County Courthouse immediately following the announcement that Walmart Q: Why do you think Walmart was so was withdrawing its request for a special use permit; Dan resistant to moving a few miles? Holmes, director of state policy, Piedmont Environmental Council; Jim Campi, policy and communications director, HOLMES: If you were a commercial Civil War Trust. entity that had already read in the news- top Photo by Peter Cihelka, courtesy of the Free Lance–Star paper that three out of the five decision- (Fredericksburg, Va.) makers on this issue were in favor of you, as presented, as you originally proposed, directly with the decision-makers, but we not even calling for any additional weren’t until pretty late in the game. protections, there really wasn’t any NELSON: Walmart had made its deci- motivation for the corporation to make sion based on the information it gathered. changes to their plan to suit the commu- It does not retreat readily from a publicly nity’s needs. They already have a certain held position. Unfortunately, the existing amount of money invested in not only process did not allow for all stakeholders the site plan and site design but also in to weigh in at the time of fact-finding. gaining approval from the county. Why spend another dollar? Q: Do you think that Walmart learned CAMPI: I think that we weren’t making anything from this? an impact on the local representatives of CAMPI: I hope so. I think we’ve dealt Walmart because they had a financial inter- with them in good faith, and I think est in seeing the re-zoning be a success and they’ve ultimately left with an under- weren’t necessarily concerned about the standing that they can work with the black eye that Walmart was getting over preservation groups—that we’re not this. In most of these fights, you’re dealing unreasonable people. So my hope would

ForumJournal fall 2011 17 to historic sites and natural assets, to develop policies that protect them. Partner with the people who are mak- ing these decisions. Join the chamber of commerce; offer to serve on committees such as the planning committee or the department of tourism. Where possible, support the election and appointment of like-minded individuals. Get involved before there is a crisis! When a crisis does present itself, take a position, even if you do not win. We were frequently hit with, “Where were all these preservationists when McDonald’s [and other chain retailers] built their stores at the Wilderness intersection?” The preser- The Coalition increased the number and scope vationists did argue against those earlier of events at Ellwood House, a c. 1790 house that was the site of Union activity during the Battle of places, but we were a day late and a dollar the Wilderness, to help raise awareness about the short and we lost that battle. Had we been importance of the battlefield. able to take a stronger position then—vis- Photo courtesy of the Civil War Preservation Trust ibly, on record, in opposition—then the be that the next time something comes next situation would have appeared more up, they would work with us first. And consistent. At least there would have been we’re seeing evidence of that. a strong precedent. NELSON: Given access to accurate An advocacy group must maintain and complete facts, I believe Walmart a positive, reasonable position. It is will make smart decisions. Here’s hop- counterproductive to be characterized ing they have decided it is better to be a as radical or inflammatory or simply partner than an antagonist in questions as obstructionist. A good plan requires of American heritage. consensus. Be the first one out the door Let’s face it, they are in the profit- with a positive attitude and a plan that making business; extended delays, lawsuits, addresses everyone’s issues. Sometimes and changing horses in mid-stream do not advocates must take a tough stand, but bode well for high quarterly reports. that alone is not sufficient. They must also bring solutions to the table. The Q: What lessons have you learned? What Coalition did that, over and over, until advice would you give to others? someone finally started listening. NELSON: If the gate to the barnyard A challenge such as this is not for the hangs on rusty hinges, fix it now! Don’t weak of heart, and an incredible amount wait until the cows are out and destroying of discretionary time is demanded. Not the neighbors’ flower beds. everybody is going to agree with the posi- Look to the future and determine tion, even internally. Low morale can be what needs to be done now. Work with an issue. Not everybody is willing to sacri- your local governments on issues relevant fice their social standing in the community

18 fall 2011 ForumJournal or risk making their neighbors angry. It’s a CAMPI: We should try to be more balancing act, but it is important to find a proactive in these communities, to engage good fit for all supporters. them and educate them on the benefits HOLMES: One lesson would be the these historic sites bring—the tourism importance of reaching out and finding benefits, the benefits of working with allies, perhaps even nontraditional allies. preservationists to try meet their eco- Bringing different perspectives to the table nomic development goals while still pre- actually brought about a stronger coali- serving historic lands. It’s so important to tion, a better result. get local governments to understand how Never give up! That’s another big lesson. fragile these historic places are.

Wilderness Gateway Visioning Study

As part of this advocacy effort, the Wilderness Battlefield Coalition has also been engaged in exploring the best way to protect the battlefield and its surroundings for the future. Zann Nelson, president of Friends of Wilderness Battlefield, explains:

We understand that you can’t lock all the land of historic and natural value away from all kinds of development, but we believe there is a reasonable dis- tance at which point one can start employing quantifiable standards for what is acceptable nearby. There is ample material that can be studied to develop a suggested model of what is acceptable for buffers and borders adjacent to national parks, including viewscape, noise, artificial light levels, and vegetative buffers as well as types of development. The model should include arguments that support the necessity and benefit of such action, and suggestions of types of development that would be complementary to the national park and an economic boon to the locality. Once a model is developed, it could be mar- keted to local communities and local governments, maybe as overlay districts that lie within a specific proximity to a national battlefield.

The Coalition has undertaken the Wilderness Gateway Visioning Study, underwritten in part by a grant from the National Park Service (American Battlefield Protection Program), to develop such a model. The study will pro- pose ways to enhance the gateway entrance into Orange County, preserve important battlefield resources, and identify compatible economic develop- ment opportunities for the project area. Since April 2011, a diversified team of landscape architects, planners, economists, transportation engineers, pres- ervationists, and representative public and private stakeholders have been meeting, and also hosting open house forums, to explore these topics.

The study will be completed this fall.

ForumJournal fall 2011 19 Another lesson is, when dealing with So it ultimately looks like that’s going large, multinational corporations, try to to be the result now. But it was a mes- get to the national leadership as soon as sage that we had been pushing from the possible, because I think they ultimately very beginning. And I think if the pres- have a better understanding of the ervation community had been consulted company’s image than perhaps the folks early on, most of this controversy could on the ground. We had correspondence have been avoided. with the national level but the meet- HOLMES: Getting Walmart to move ings were with local representatives. We away from the historic resource was ultimately found that members of the a huge victory. But I’d say the biggest Coalition did have some personal and victory was the opportunity to edu- professional contacts higher up that we cate people about a resource that they didn’t fully utilize until later in the game. knew little about even though it was One of the things that was right down the road. You had some extremely helpful, and is always helpful 186,000 troops between the two sides in these struggles, is to get people out gathered, over two days of fighting, in to the sites. Give them a tour, explain a county whose current population is the events that happened there. I think only 32,000. It was astounding to realize almost everyone we took out to the how little residents of the very county historic Route 3–Route 20 intersection in which the resource is located knew came away with a better understanding about the Wilderness Battlefield and of how important these sites are, hav- how critical this battle was to the overall ing walked the grounds. So the more outcome of the Civil War. often you can get people out there— NELSON: Proponents of the vast whether it’s elected officials, represen- commercial development on this remark- tatives of developers, members of the ably historic site declared repeatedly, media—the better. “This is our county and we get to make decisions about it”—failing to grasp the Q: Any final thoughts? idea that the Wilderness Battlefield is a CAMPI: I think that in most cases when national park and belongs to all Ameri- you’re offering a reasonable compro- cans. Orange County has the privilege mise, there is a receptive audience, but and duty to be good stewards—a role here, with the Supervisors and with the most localities would consider a plum. local representatives of Walmart, there At the recent Civil War Trust just was none. For Walmart, mov- banquet, the plaintiffs were awarded ing their site would have meant a less the Carrington Williams Preservation controversial application, less local and Award, and they asked me to make a national opposition, and they still will few comments. I said, “I hope one day have met their goal of putting a store that the children of those who opposed in Orange County on Route 3. For us will thank us for taking the position Orange County, any economic benefits that we did.” FJ they would get from a Walmart they Kerri Rubman, who conducted and would still get if the store was moved compiled these interviews, is assistant down the road a mile or two. editor of Forum Journal.

20 fall 2011 ForumJournal Thinking About Shrinking

Royce yeater

once had a professor who argued that community or region is deeply altered by historic preservation benefits from events beyond its control, it must seek a economic decline. It seemed logical at new purpose for being. Preservation can the time. Economic decline removes help. Savannah’s charm contributes might- Iall the pressures of new development and ily to its high quality of life today, helping leaves communities with little incentive to attract new jobs and residents, and it to destroy what they have. According to attracts thousands of tourists too. the professor, it was economic decline With 20th-century industrial cities, of Southern seaports after the Civil War however, such adaptation is more dif- that caused places such as Charleston ficult than it once was. Industrial cities and Savannah to retain the traditional were often clustered around one or two buildings that give them their While booming economies make preservation authentic charm tough, too much decline makes wholesale preservation today. He saw untenable. We should want it just right. Preservation that effect again in benefits from an equilibrium. river towns such as Madison, Ind., and Galena, Ill., where related industries, so when change occurs local economies based on extractive indus- it affects the entire region; there is no tries and river traffic were left behind by buoyancy from economic diversity. Early the development of the railroads. 20th-century cities grew rapidly with So by that standard, shouldn’t indus- huge manufacturing complexes which trial cities suffering from job loss and are not easily adapted to other uses. In long-term outmigration just sit tight until the industrial boom, such cities built we come to appreciate the residue of housing for workers quickly and cheaply, their once-robust 20th-century character? making the buildings more vulnerable to It turns out, on reflection and analysis, the effects of deferred maintenance. Add that the professor was only partly correct. the facts that populations in the 20th It is not decline that is good for preserva- century are far more mobile, and the tion, but stability. “Bear” economies are social stresses of crime and poverty much not our friend, but Goldilocks is. While deeper than in the past, and it is clear booming economies make preservation that sustained economic decline, with tough, too much decline makes wholesale accompanying population loss, leaves in preservation untenable. We should want its wake a large quantity of excess real it just right. Preservation benefits from estate that must be addressed. Equilib- an equilibrium. When the economy of a rium at that scale is hard to find.

ForumJournal fall 2011 21 Rightsizing costs of a local government go up as its All of these conditions exist today in the source of revenue plummets. Remaining manufacturing cities of Michigan and residents also experience a deteriorating Ohio, in pockets of the Northeast, and quality of life, hastening outmigration in a few cities in the South and West. and fueling the cycle of decline. The numbers are staggering. Detroit, Rightsizing seeks to remove some built for a peak population of 2 million real estate in search of equilibrium in the in 1960, today has just 800,000 people, market and concentrate revitalization and 40,000 abandoned structures. efforts in places with the best chances of Youngstown was a thriving steel center yielding a quality of life that will stem the in that same year, with a population of departures and tame the social ills, while 170,000. Today it has about 70,000 simultaneously scaling back municipal people, 4,500 abandoned buildings, government to reduce the infrastructure and 22,000 vacant lots. Industrial cities, it must service. Rightsizing calls for large and small, with sustained popula- developing strategies by which to man- tion losses of 60 percent or more and no age the significant quantities of vacant land. It seeks a new Indiscriminant clearance without a plan image for the city. for targeted reinvestment is not rightsizing. Toward these ends it employs vision prospect that their industries are about and planning, selective rehabilitation, to come roaring back, are turning to a widespread demolition, and some strate- concept called “rightsizing”—which may gically placed infill construction—ideally be defined as the practice of shrinking a (but too rarely) in that order. city to a more manageable footprint and To be successful, rightsizing requires infrastructure in response to sustained a community consensus that shrinkage is population loss by demolishing vacant the only viable way to survive. To forge and abandoned property and curtail- that consensus, a visionary leader must ing services in neighborhoods beyond build the political will by bringing the redemption, to concentrate investment in citizenry into the process. Given the dis- other neighborhoods through rehabilita- placement caused by Urban Renewal and tion and new construction. interstate highway construction in the Though this notion is obviously for- 1960s, residents are rightfully suspicious eign to the American psyche, cities that of clearance programs and tend to dis- are shrinking are considering such drastic patch leaders whom they do not trust to action because the levels of vacancy and have their best interests in mind. Gaining abandonment have decimated their tax that trust requires participatory planning base. Not only does a long-abandoned and wise and coordinated management property have no value, it actually has a that moves just fast enough to convey a negative value—for studies show that a sense that things will get better, but that long-vacant property reduces the value is done deliberately and transparently of every house nearby, even as it adds to enough to avoid any impression of force. the cost of public services to address the It’s a delicate balance that few leaders social ills it harbors. The effect is that the have been able to strike.

22 fall 2011 ForumJournal The National Trust and the Michigan Historic Preservation Network are collaborating on a pilot project in Saginaw, Mich., to make sure that historic resources are considered as part of any overall rightsizing plans.

Photo by Brenna Moloney

ForumJournal fall 2011 23 High numbers of vacant properties in former manufacturing cities like Detroit (pictured here), and Youngstown, Ohio, have led some city leaders to look for ways to remove some real estate and concentrate revitalization efforts in targeted areas.

Photo by Karen Nagher, courtesy of Preservation Wayne (Detroit)

Preservationists’ Role vision is right, the process is transparent, So what are preservationists to do when and the goal is equilibrium. confronted with a city intending to right- We have experience and tools proven size? Face it, and embrace it. I know our to be effective at managing change, and aversion to widespread demolition, but we when the change is driven by decline actually have something to contribute to unprecedented in America and no other this process, and if we alienate and obfus- tools and experience exist, we have much cate, it will only result in marginalization to offer. By working with and not against of the preservation approach. Years ago community leaders in rightsizing efforts we learned that opposing new construction we can educate them on what preserva- driven by real growth was counterproduc- tion really is all about and reinforce the tive, so we have not opposed growth, but growing recognition of the role historic we have helped to manage it. We should do areas play in a healthy city. To the degree the same with shrinkage. We should lend leaders are open to some preservation, our expertise to the process of rightsizing, let’s help them do more, and do it well. to focus on what gets rehabilitated and This is not to deny that there some- what gets demolished. The numbers in times exists a prejudice against older and either category are irrelevant as long as the historic properties among those charged

24 fall 2011 ForumJournal to implement the plan. In fact, driven by the need to spend federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) funding before the end of 2012, there often is yet no plan, and often too, no real com- munity consensus. Because demolition seems easy and rehabilitation labori- ous, the rush to spend federal money is causing some communities to adopt clearance policies and call it rightsizing. Indiscriminant clearance without a plan Preservationists in Saginaw are offering training and for targeted reinvestment is not right- technical assistance to show building contractors the appropriate treatment for historic houses that sizing. That should be opposed before are in areas targeted for redevelopment. a new demolition juggernaut morphs PHOTO BY BRENNA MOLONEY into Urban Renewal II. Rightsizing has a place in selected cities with real sustained enforcing the preservation ordinance, population loss; it is not a remedy for and application of programs like Main routine blight in every community. Street®.1 By being involved in Saginaw, and by Lessons from Saginaw watching carefully what is happening and Elsewhere elsewhere in the nation, we are steadily When there is a real need and a thought- learning what preservation organizations ful process to shrink a city, it too is likely can do in rightsizing situations: being driven right now by NSP timing. When that is the case—as it is in Saginaw, Enhance Awareness and Mich., where the National Trust and the Understanding Michigan Historic Preservation Network ZZ Update and post available are collaborating on a pilot rightsizing historic building survey data to the intervention strategy—the first challenge is internet to improve awareness and to earn the respect and trust of locals driv- enhance transparency ing the process. That requires being on the ZZ Highlight opportunities and ground; rightsizing is not easily addressed successes for rehabilitation when from afar. Our first role in Saginaw was to they are not perceived by planners expedite demolition of properties beyond ZZ Represent preservation in master redemption and those that clearly had no planning and detailed neighborhood historic significance—or those that had planning lost it since being surveyed in the 1980s— ZZ Present “Historic Preservation 101” even as we argued for preservation of all talks before community organizations that was redeemable. Our role has moved ZZ Conduct workshops on use of historic on to assistance with the interpretation of preservation tax credits the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for ZZ Coordinate exhibits and lectures on the treatment of buildings in designated the history of the community, and how historic neighborhoods, the reestablish- that history can serve as a basis for ment of a local regulatory capacity for planning the community’s future

ForumJournal fall 2011 25 Provide Technical Assistance so it requires few new ideas. It is really ZZ Identify key properties for rehabilita- just refocused preservation com- tion with neighborhood advocates monsense, accompanied by a reality ZZ Develop and present rehabilitation check and some attitude adjustment. strategies for key projects The goal is to identify neighborhoods ZZ Identify absentee owners to aid in and structures worthy of preservation acquiring control of the site that might become focal points for ZZ Brainstorm ideas for reuse and explore rehabilitation investment, and also feasibility of new uses identify neighborhoods where demoli- ZZ Help identify appropriate developers to tion can take place with little or no undertake rehabilitation of key properties adverse effect on historic resources. In ZZ Consult on use of historic preservation the latter case, where there are single tax credits structures or small pockets of valuable ZZ Provide, or advise on, specifications for resources, it might be possible to retain rehabilitation work and infill those in a different context as touch- stones of history or anchors for future Strengthen Historic Preservation new development. Delivery Systems As in all planning experiences, there ZZ Encourage adoption of or recommend will be complexities in the details of ways to strengthen historic preservation implementation, but it is important ordinances to not let rightsizing seem like some ZZ Recruit members for and train historic two-headed monster. Preservationists preservation commissions should vehemently oppose senseless ZZ Create/adopt programs to stabilize demolition initiated in the name of neighborhoods at tipping points, such as rightsizing. We should embrace right- ZZ marketing strategies targeting neigh- sizing when warranted as just another borhoods based on historic character exercise in the change management we ZZ revolving loan fund have been doing for years. ZZ residential stabilization lending By demonstrating our value to the ZZ teaching and promoting Main process, by earning the respect of the Street® principles leaders with a supportive contribution, and by focusing on the community’s Build Organizational Capacity new vision, we can contribute our ZZ Build or strengthen nonprofit preserva- expertise to creating a smaller but tion advocacy smarter 21st-century community with ZZ Connect with neighborhood associations its historic assets as anchors. FJ

to instill a historic preservation ethic Royce Yeater is the former director of the ZZ Reach out to other rightsizing commu- National Trust’s Midwest Office in Chicago where he led that regional office in address- nities to learn and share through confer- ing emerging threats to historic resources ences, webinars, blogs, etc. in eight Midwestern states. 1 For more information about preservation- ists’ role in Saginaw’s rightsizing process, Conclusion see http://blog.preservationnation.org/tag/ Much of this is similar to what historic saginaw-rightsizing and Brenna Moloney, “Right-sizing Done Right: Building a Model preservation organizations already do, in Saginaw,” Forum Bulletin, August 26, 2011.

26 fall 2011 ForumJournal “Moving Modern”: Modern Architecture as “Moveable” Heritage

Mary Kay Judy

odern buildings—which may building’s significance be maintained if it is be too young to be listed in taken from its original site? Does a Mod- the National Register of His- ern building’s design significance stand toric Places, or unappreciated independent from its original site, as does Mby those who think they are too close to a work of art or sculpture? If a building the recent past to be significant or not were to be sold to a private collector to be suitable for today’s living standards— moved, could a condition of sale include frequently lack protections that older provisions to maintain it appropriately and neighboring structures enjoy. Too often to allow scholarly and public access? these buildings, many designed by influ- The following article explores the ential architects, are demolished to make concept, the recent trend, the future way for larger homes. Moving these implications, and the possible preservation buildings to a new site, however, offers opportunities of treating Modern architec- a way to save them. And since many of ture as “moveable” heritage. these buildings are made of prefabricated parts, dismantling and moving them pres- Art versus Buildings ents a feasible preservation option. In the United States, unlike most other But in addition to moving buildings countries, there are few heritage pro- to preserve them, there can be another tection laws that govern and define motivation at work. An emerging trend— “moveable” cultural objects, such as fine treating Modern architecture as works art, sculpture, and historic relics, with of art that can be acquired by collec- Does a Modern building’s design significance tors—is another stand independent from its original site, as does a work reason why these of art or sculpture? buildings are being packed up, transported, and reassembled the exception of certain limitations on on a new site. (Of course, while it is possi- archeological finds and Native American ble to move many types of buildings, older artifacts. Shaker furniture, for example, is structures are not currently being sought widely considered significant and collect- out as collectibles to the same extent.) ible; however, there is no legal restriction These actions raise many nuanced that it be kept in the country as American questions. What are the implications if cultural property. Further, there is no Modern architecture becomes a collect- American equivalent to an antiquities ible commodity like artwork or is treated registry that would govern American as “moveable” heritage? Can a Modern moveable heritage.1

ForumJournal fall 2011 27 In 2009 the Lieb House, constructed in 1969 on the Jersey Shore and designed by Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown, was moved by barge to Long Island after the new owner planned to demolish and replace it with a larger house on the site. The preservation effort was led by the architects’ son, James Venturi, who documented the full moving process in his film Saving Lieb House.

Photo by Ekaterina Choutova

In contrast, “immoveable” objects ensemble since their introduction may include architecture, built heritage, and land- diminish the historic character of the scapes. The most comparable immovable her- existing site or complex. itage protection laws in the United States are However, both the criteria for deter- local historic preservation regulations gov- mining eligibility for National Historic erning individual landmarks and historic Landmark (NHL Exception 20) and districts. It has been taken for granted that National Register listing (Criteria Consid- these laws would protect built heritage, since eration B) identify exceptions for evaluat- it is considered “immoveable.” ing moved properties.2 This option for The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards future listing after a move is important for Rehabilitation also speak to this. They because 20th-century buildings less than highlight the importance of a site’s integ- 50 years old are not yet eligible for NHL rity and call for making minimal changes or NR listing unless they meet the criteria to both the building and setting. The of having exceptional significance. Standards cite both the importance of the relationship of the buildings to the land- Moving Buildings scape and the danger that a moved building for Preservation can create a false historic appearance. The In the overwhelming majority of cases, Standards also do not recommend mov- buildings have been moved—or proposed ing buildings to an existing historic site or to be moved—because that was the only

28 fall 2011 ForumJournal possible way to save them. Here lies the dismantled and moved Wright’s 1957 crux of the compromise: Moving a build- Arnold Jackson House approximately ing from its intended site can seriously 50 miles from Madison, Wis., to Beaver harm its integrity and context—but the Dam after it was threatened with demoli- building is saved. Moving Modern build- tion to make way for an office park. The ings is especially problematic since the sur- Gordon House, completed in 1963 on rounding landscape was often specifically the Willamette River in Wilsonville, Ore., designed by the architect in conjunction was threatened in 2002 when the owner with the building (such as Philip Johnson’s proposed demolition for the construction Glass House in New Canaan, Conn.), or of a larger house on the site. In a last- the house was designed in response to the minute negotiation, it was agreed that the specific setting (such as Richard Neutra’s house would be moved 25 miles to the Kaufmann House in Palm Springs, Calif.). Oregon Garden Foundation’s property in Separating a building from its landscape Silverton. Wright’s Duncan House, built significantly alters the design intent, the in 1957 in Illinois, was moved more than experience of the building itself, and its 500 miles to Acme, Pa., in 2004 where it overall integrity. As such, it is under- now serves as a guest house near Kentuck stood that Modern buildings should be Knob and Fallingwater. preserved in situ whenever possible, and Wright’s Bachman Wilson House moving should only be considered when in Millstone, N.J., which has suffered all other options have been exhausted. repeated flood damage from the adjacent There are many successful cases of river, is now up for sale—a moving sale. moving Modern homes in order to pre- In this unusual situation, the house, the serve them. A number of houses designed move, and reconstruction at a new site by Frank Lloyd Wright, in particular, on Long Island with upgraded energy- have been moved for that reason, often efficient mechanical systems are being with the assistance of the Frank Lloyd offered under one single purchase price. Wright Building Conservancy, which Preservation New Jersey included the has raised awareness of the endangered house on its “10 Most Endangered” list in buildings and sought solutions through May 2011 urging that all possible options networking and advocacy. should be fully explored prior to moving, Wright’s Pope-Leighey House, for example, was constructed in Falls Church, Va., in 1940 and was moved in 1964 to Woodlawn Plantation in Alexan- dria, approximately 20 miles away, after it was slated for demolition to allow a road widening project. In 1985 advocates

Wright’s Pope-Leighey House, which is owned and operated by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, was moved in 1964 to Woodlawn Plantation in nearby Alexandria to avoid demolition for a road widening project.

Photo by Ron Blunt, courtesy of the National Trust for Historic Preservation

ForumJournal fall 2011 29 but conceding that “If relocation is the Unfortunately, saving a building by only viable course of action, this distinc- moving it will not work if the building can- tive building, the work of one of the twen- not be matched with a new owner and site. tieth century’s greatest architects, should Often finding a new owner and location remain on a site as comparable as possible is complicated by the pressures of a strict to the original in setting, orientation, and time limitation and the lack of technical geography.” (www.preservationnj.org/ expertise in evaluating the viability of con- site/ExpEng/index.php?/ten_most_11/ servation and moving for preservation. index_detail/Bachman_Wilson_House) For example, the 1933 Chicago There are several other examples of Century of Progress Exposition featured mid-20th-century houses being moved for architect Howard Fisher’s International preservation. The stainless-steel prefab- Style, steel, prefabricated house commis- sioned by General [The homes sold by auction houses] were handled Homes, Inc., and as art objects—as opposed to architecture or even as designed for middle- real estate. and upper-class liv- ing. Two years later, ricated Aluminarie House, designed by one of Fisher’s prefab homes was built in Kochner & Frey, was constructed in 1931 Cambridge, Mass. The house remained on for an architectural exhibition in New its original site until the owner proposed York City. After the close of the exhibi- demolition for construction of a new tion, it was purchased by a private owner house on the lot. The Cambridge Histori- and moved to Long Island by boat. Sev- cal Commission mounted a campaign in eral decades later, a new owner proposed 2004 to save the building by having it demolishing the structure to make way for moved to a new site, but unfortunately a small subdivision on the estate. In 1988 a match was not found and the building the house was saved when the owner was demolished in 2006. agreed to donate it to the New York Another recent loss is the John Laut- Institute of Technology’s Islip Long Island ner Shusett–designed house in Los Ange- Campus. The New York State Depart- les, built in 1951. Local preservation ment of Parks, Recreation and Historic groups including the John Lautner Foun- Preservation provided a grant to under- dation proposed moving the building write moving costs. The campus where the to a new site when the owners planned Aluminare House is located was recently to demolish it for a larger house on the sold, putting the house back in jeopardy. same site in 2010. The owners were not At the time of writing, there is a proposal open to negotiation and proceeded ahead to move it to a new site in Queens. quickly with demolition. Committed individuals, not necessar- ily from typical preservation advocacy Moving Buildings organizations or backgrounds, led many for Private Collection of these successful moves to save threat- Modern buildings are also being moved ened buildings. In two cases the efforts from their original sites because they are were led by second- and third-generation sought out by collectors of 20th-century family members of the original architect. design who are knowledgeable about

30 fall 2011 ForumJournal Andrew Geller’s 1959 Pearlroth House, built on a beach in Long Island, N.Y., is being moved approximately 40 feet to allow room for new construction. The architect’s grandson is spearheading the move that will save the building.

Photo by Jerry Birnbaum, courtesy of the Andrew Geller Architecture Archive

their importance in both design and An early example of architecture architectural history. Collectors have treated as movable art is the house collaborated with major auction houses, designed in 1949 by Marcel Breuer for an such as Sotheby’s and Christie’s, which exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art, have set the appraisal value and publi- called “A House in the Garden.” The cized sales, while turning the buildings building was designed to be a model for themselves into an investment commod- post-war family living. When the exhibi- ity. Neither auction house maintains tion was over, the Rockefeller family an architecture department; rather arranged for the house to be moved to the recent sales of Modern buildings the grounds of the family estate, Kykuit, were conducted by the “20th-Century in Westchester, N.Y. It was reassembled Decorative Art and Design” depart- and has been used over time as a guest ments. Thus, they were handled as art house and for an artist-in-residency pro- objects—as opposed to architecture or gram. The house recently underwent a even as real estate. full exterior and interior restoration. It is

ForumJournal fall 2011 31 three prototypes, was originally shipped from France and erected in Brazzaville, Congo, in 1951, then a French colony. Before the auction, the International Herald Tribune stated: “The Maison Tropicale is the biggest trophy in modern and contemporary design.” The auction catalogue contained a lengthy disclaimer and conditions of sale stating that the house would be delivered, dismantled, and stored for several weeks for the new owner, but the new owner would be fully responsible for claiming and moving it thereafter. The house sold for nearly

Maison Tropicale, which is shown here $5 million to a private owner who has reassembled in Queens before it was sold at loaned it to the Tate Modern in London auction, was designed by Jean Prouvé in 1951. where it was displayed on the banks of Photo by Mary Kay Judy the Thames River. The owner plans to operated and maintained by the National ultimately move it to the Caribbean. A Trust for Historic Preservation. second Prouvé prototype house that was More recently, the Farnsworth House brought out of the Congo was purchased by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, which and restored by an American collector was completed in 1951 in Plano, Ill., was who donated the house to the Pompidou put up for auction by Sotheby’s in 2003. Center in Paris after exhibiting it at the At its sale, the house could either stay at Hammer Museum in Los Angeles. its present site or be moved to another Shortly after the sale of the Maison location of the purchaser’s choice. This Tropicale, the owners of the Kaufmann auction changed the way the public, the House in Palm Springs, which was art community, and investors looked at designed by Richard Neutra and com- architecture. The sale created the concept pleted in 1946, put the house up for of “trophy” architecture and presented auction by Christie’s in May 2008. The buildings as moveable and collectible. owners and the auction house hoped The National Trust for Historic Preserva- to capitalize on the momentum of the tion purchased the house in cooperation Farnsworth and Maison Tropicale sales. with Landmarks Illinois which, unlike A large part of that momentum, as they the majority of bidders, planned to pre- saw it, was to continue “promoting serve it in situ. Sotheby’s still considers architecture as a collectible art worthy the Farnsworth House sale as one of its of the same consideration as painting most significant auctions, and features it and sculpture.” (Edward Wyatt, “A prominently on the company’s website. Marcel Breuer’s “House in a Garden”—designed for Several years later, in 2007, Christie’s a 1949 exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art in New auctioned the Jean Prouvé–designed York and moved to Kykuit, the Rockefeller family estate in Westchester, N.Y., shortly after—is an early Maison Tropicale house in New York. example of architecture treated as moveable art. The steel prefabricated house, one of Photo by Mary Kay Judy

32 fall 2011 ForumJournal Landmark Modernist House Heads During this period, before the reces- to Auction,” New York Times, Oct. sion slowed the pursuit of these houses, 31, 2007.) However, in contrast to the an innovative approach for architectural previous auctions, it was not being collection was proposed in the spring of offered to be moved in the terms of 2007 by Michael Govan, the director of sale. Christie’s created a brief film to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. promote the sale which highlighted Citing architecture as inseparable from the importance of the desert setting art and noting the high degree of signifi- and intimate relationship between cance of local mid-century architecture, the house and landscape; the narra- he proposed acquiring local landmark tor enthuses that the experience of the houses by notable architects such as house is “a complete immersion in a Rudolf Schindler for the museum’s col- work of art” (www.christies.com/fea- lection. The houses would be preserved tures/special-sites/kaufmann_house). and maintained as museum pieces and The house was auctioned in May 2008 also serve as housing for curators. To for $16 million, which was on the low date, apart from the purchase of a John end of the anticipated sale, perhaps Lautner office interior, the museum has indicative of the onset of the economic yet to acquire any properties. recession. Soon after the auction how- In August 2010 an article appeared in ever, the sale fell through. the Los Angeles Times about two of Frank

ForumJournal fall 2011 33 Lloyd Wright’s textile-block houses in that act of taking the Elgin Marbles (or, more city, La Miniatura and the Ennis Brown appropriately, the Parthenon Marbles) out House, both of which were for sale. Nei- of Greece? Or if you were to purchase and ther house had found a buyer despite steep move the Farnsworth House, would you be price reductions. According to the article, denying Illinois its heritage? These issues are the Realtor for La Miniatura was report- also reminiscent of the claims over the past decade made against Since prefabricated houses weren’t designed North American for a specific site, it may be more acceptable to museums for repatria- move them than a house that was created with its tion of national trea- setting in mind. sures to their country of origin. Such edly in discussions with Japanese art col- questions are not new, of course. Historic lectors who had proposed dismantling the buildings, or sections of them, have been house and shipping it to Japan. The Realtor collected and moved for centuries—but the was quoted as saying: “With my position in fate of endangered Modern buildings is a the preservation community, I will probably particularly pressing concern. be crucified for saying this, but we have to For prefabricated houses or those that consider all options. We moved the London have been moved more than once, the Bridge to the Colorado River. Why couldn’t preservation issues are not clear-cut. Since we move this house to Japan?” (Jori Finkel, prefabricated houses weren’t designed for “Dramatic, Historic and Prices Slashed, Yet a specific site, it may be more acceptable to No Buyers Are Biting,” Los Angeles Times, move them than a house that was created Aug. 27, 2010) However, in late July 2011 with its setting in mind. In addition, it may it was announced that the Ennis House had be more appropriate to move a house that been purchased by a private owner commit- has already been moved more than once ted to its restoration in situ. At the time of since it has lost any association with its writing, La Miniatura is still on the market. setting. But at what point does its setting become significant to the house and to Preservation Issues— local history? Borrowing a concept from The Elgin Marble Debate National Register criteria, should a build- The uncertain future of these two proper- ing be on a site for at least 50 years to be ties have left many in the local architec- considered significant to its location? ture and preservation communities asking Certainly when moving the building is what would it would mean for Los Ange- the only option to save it, then it should be les if they were to lose a Wright house to moved. However in many cases buildings an international collector. are lost at the 11th hour because there The Los Angeles situation raises a num- is not enough time to mobilize. To pre- ber of questions: Shouldn’t a Modern build- vent these loses, should moving Modern ing’s heritage belong to the identity and buildings be a more established, accepted community in which it was originally built? solution for saving them? Should a Modern If you take buildings out of Brazzaville, preservation advocacy organization main- Congo, for auction in New York would that tain an online listing of threatened Modern be comparable to the now highly questioned properties eligible for moving?

34 fall 2011 ForumJournal “Moving Modern” Roundtable frame buildings from the late 1800s to To respond to this growing trend and the the turn of the 20th century. While this issues it raises, the Neighborhood Preser- is an excellent guide for older buildings, vation Center in New York sponsored a it does not address modern building roundtable of interdisciplinary preserva- materials, technology, and systems such tion professionals to discuss “Moving as curtain walls and prefabrication. A Modern” in June 2011. It was agreed that guide for moving Modern architecture each situation must be evaluated individu- would continue to the build on estab- ally, but that the guiding philosophy for lished knowledge in the same way the all cases is that Modern buildings should field of technical building conservation not be moved unless that is the only has drawn from previous experience to option for preservation. address new challenges for restoring and However (barring economic limita- preserving Modern architecture. tions, construction deadlines, and the As such, the recommendation was failure to match a proposed move with to create a “toolkit” specifically tailored a new site), from an engineering stand- to Modern heritage resources. It will point, these buildings can be moved. One provide such information as criteria to participant, Nancy Hudson, a structural evaluate a modern building’s suitability engineer at Robert Silman Associates, for moving and its proposed new site; pointed out: “Anything is possible.” Eva technical guidelines on means, methods, Subotnik, professor of law at St. John’s and estimated costs; a template RFP University, was then quick to highlight for moving contractors; and a template UNESCO’s massive undertaking of dis- legal contract to define the scope of mantling and moving six temple com- work and responsibility for the owner plexes—nearly 30 buildings, including and buyer of the property to be moved. Abu Simbel—under the Save Nubian Additional roundtables and discussions Heritage Program from 1959 to 1979. are also needed to keep this topic a focus Additionally, it was agreed that of attention. owners, potential buyers, and advocacy Watch for further developments. FJ organizations, as well as preservation Mary Kay Judy is an architectural conservator professionals, need to be better prepared based in Brooklyn, N.Y. She is currently working as a restoration consultant on several Modern to evaluate suitability for moving and houses including Philip Johnson’s Glass House, offer technical advice. As it is, techni- Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House, cal resources on how to move a historic and Philip Johnson’s 9 Ash Street House. Please send information on other “Moving Modern” building are rare, since this is considered case studies to [email protected]. an option only in extreme circumstance, 1 In countries such as Peru, Mali, Czech Republic, and China, among others, there are restrictions and none address the special challenges on exporting cultural heritage or antiques over or considerations of Modern buildings. a certain age. Typically items ranging from 50 to 100 years old must be approved by the local The most comprehensive guide to date is antiquities department of the Ministry of Culture or in-country customs office for export. Moving Historic Buildings by John Obed 2 The criteria for eligibility as either an NHL or NR Curtis, published in 1975 in cooperation property agree that a moved building must be significant primarily for its architectural merits with NPS in the Technical Note series. and embodied values while retaining a very high Curtis uses several case study examples, amount of integrity. Further, the moved loca- tion must be in keeping with the original site in all of which were masonry or wood- terms of orientation, setting, and environment.

ForumJournal fall 2011 35 Miami Marine Stadium: Making the Case for Exceptional Significance

Jorge L . hernandez

ore and more Mid-Century the Burke Master Plan depicts the basin— Modern masterworks face 6,000 feet long and 1,400 feet wide—con- uncertain futures as they “show figured as an aquatic circus maximus, their age.” After decades of dredged from Biscayne Bay and surrounded Mheavy use, they may now require extensive by land on three sides yet open to the west repairs, alterations, and upgrades. Often framing views of Miami’s skyline. The misunderstood, public opinion regards these rendering also shows how the planners had structures as either no longer the prominent envisioned the architecture of the grand- exuberant symbols they once were, or not stand, resembling a straightened section of “sufficiently historic.” The Miami Marine a ball field grandstand, with a vaulted metal Stadium—once a vibrant cultural center for roof—an expected formal response for the the young city of Miami, but now shuttered design of a grandstand structure. and abandoned—is one such example. Nothing about this early rendering suggests the masterwork that would be A Remarkable Design produced when the architectural commis- In 1962 the Chicago planning firm of sion was granted to the Miami firm of Ralph H. Burke, led by J. L. Donoghue, Pancoast, Ferendino, Skeels and Burnham submitted a master plan to the City of in 1962. Upon receiving the commis- Miami for a recreational landscape on sion, the partner in charge of the project, Virginia Key—the Miami Marine Sta- Andrew Ferendino, tapped a 26-year-old dium. The firm’s proposal for the stadium, Cuban architect, Hilario Candela, as the envisioned as the world’s finest speedboat lead designer. Hilario had joined the firm just a year earlier. The grandstand structure that Candela The grandstand designed is a masterpiece among Miami’s Modern structure that Candela works of architecture. designed is a master- piece among Miami’s racecourse, consisted of a shaped and Modern works of architecture. The structure, dredged aquatic basin similar to one built which is 326 feet long and 126 feet wide, in Long Beach, Calif., for the Olympics of consists of eight bays of “V” shaped columns 1932 and a waterside grandstand structure supporting a thin-shell concrete roof with a modeled after the one built at Jones Beach 65-foot cantilever. The undulating planes of Theater in Wantagh, N.Y., in 1952. the roof structure are formed by hyperbolic The combination of grandstand and paraboloids (a continuous flowing double- basin was unique and remains so to this curved form) and appear to float over the day. An aerial rendering that accompanied 6,500 seats of the stands below. The view

36 fall 2011 ForumJournal A 1963 photo shows the architect Hilario Candela standing in front of the stadium while it was under construction. In 2011, at the awards ceremony for a competition that solicited design ideas for reviving the facility, Candela notes that he never anticipated being able to look back over 50 years and “hear one of my designs, my creations, so celebrated and heartily fought for.”

Photo courtesy of spillis candela DMJM Archives from the nearby causeway presents a forceful celebration, a social nexus for the com- pattern of “chiaroscuro” caused by the deep munity. Over the years, the mix of activities sculptural recesses of the structure awash in was astounding: high-speed boat races, strong Florida sunlight. On the other side of rowing regattas, swimming competitions, the basin, the structure is open to the sky and beauty pageants, water skiing exhibitions, sea as the lower rows of seats project over opera, movies, classical concerts, rock and hover above the waters of the basin. concerts, political rallies, Easter sunrise In the words of Hilario Candela, “The services, flotillas for the Patroness of Cuba, stadium is an architecture for that place performances by Mitch Miller, Arthur where the land and the sea kiss.” The form Fiedler, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, of this monumental yet graceful structure Bonny Rait, El Puma, and many others. At resembles a giant work of origami in con- the Marine Stadium, Elvis Presley shot his crete. It suggests waves, wings, sails, clouds, movie Clambake and Sammy Davis hugged shells, kites—all evoked by the skillful use Richard M. Nixon during a political rally. of geometric forms. The architecture of the No event has become so inextricably grandstand lends a presence at once brutal linked to the venue as the Jimmy Buffet and fragile in contrast to the natural serenity concert in 1985. The youthful abandon of of the protected waters of the basin. Archi- Buffet’s lyrics and the spirit of this setting tecture and designed landscape (grandstand were a perfect complement. Where else and basin) together give rise to a truly but here, under a Miami sky, could the memorable place—the Marine Stadium. performer and one-third of the audience be afloat? That’s because of a custom at the Role in Miami’s Cultural Life stadium that had evolved over time: Just Since its opening night, December 27, 1963, before a concert, for a small fee, boats were the stadium was a place of spectacle and allowed to coast into the basin and moor

ForumJournal fall 2011 37 This historic photo of the Miami Marine Stadium shows the “V” shaped columns supporting the concrete cantilevered roof.

Photo Courtesy of Spillis Candela DMJM Archives

to one another around the floating stage to containing permanent dock slips and enjoy the show. Yet even as this most memo- mooring points, and allowing com- rable of concerts took place, the stadium’s mercial over-development of the site. If heyday was already nearing its end. realized, the plan would have destroyed the cultural, social, natural, and aesthetic Abandonment by the City fabric of the site’s history and created a Mismanagement and the city’s unrealized pallid replacement of the vibrant original. hopes for private development of the pub- lic site, coupled with the assault of Hur- Friends of Marine Stadium ricane Andrew in 1992, brought about the In February 2008 a new group, Friends stadium’s current derelict state. The City of Marine Stadium (founded by Hilario of Miami, claiming that the hurricane had Candela, Becky Matkov, Donald Worth, irreparably damaged the structure, closed and myself) was established under the the facility and sought funds from FEMA auspices of the Dade Heritage Trust. In and the insurance carrier to demolish it. less than three years, the organization has However, the structural engineering com- rallied the community behind the cause to pany hired by the insurance company to save the stadium and return it to vigorous evaluate the City’s claims found evidence public use. The organization sought and to the contrary. The plan to demolish the obtained local historic designation from the grandstand failed. Still, the grandstand City’s Historic and Environmental Preser- was fenced in and abandoned for 19 vation Board. (Although the City withheld years. It was left to rot—a clear case of its consent for the designation, the local demolition by neglect. ordinance allows the Board the authority In 2008 the City was set to begin the to grant designation anyway.) This was approval process for a new master plan quickly followed by the inclusion of the for all of Virginia Key, including the Marine Stadium on the lists of endangered stadium and surrounding property. This historic sites of the most prestigious preser- plan, authored by the firm of Edward vation organizations at state, national, and Durrel Stone and Associates, proposed international levels including the Florida demolishing the Marine Stadium grand- Trust and the National Trust for Historic stand, filling the basin with a marina Preservation in 2009. This recognition led

38 fall 2011 ForumJournal The World Monuments Fund to include tory does not advance a year at a time, but the stadium on its list of 100 worldwide rather in periods of time which can logically sites under watch in 2010. The nation and be examined together.”3 the world joined the local community in At the time the Friends group was seeking recognizing the unique historic character of designation, the age of the stadium was five the Marine Stadium. years short of the 50-year mark. The Friends group, however, successfully established The Challenge of Designating that the Miami Marine Stadium had truly Recent-Past Places achieved “exceptional importance” within In securing the local designation, Friends the past 50 years. Here’s why: of Marine Stadium had to confront The concept of the significance of history a problem that is all too familiar to being revealed in “periods of time…exam- advocates for recent-past resources—over- ined together” allowed for the interpreta- coming the resistance in national, state, tion of the architecture of the stadium in and local historic designation criteria to connection to a lineage of works in exposed recognize places that are less than 50 years structural concrete that begins at the dawn old. The Criteria Considerations for the of the 20th century with the work of National Register of Historic Places state Auguste Perret, the French engineer. Later that “properties that have achieved signifi- mid-century works by Luigi Nervi (Italy), cance within the past 50 years shall not be Oscar Niemeyer (Brazil), and Eero Saarinen considered eligible for the National Regis- (USA) provided a context for comparing ter” unless the property is of “exceptional the stadium to contemporary works already importance.”1 This restriction has been recognized nationally and internationally as picked up by most state and local registers masterpieces of Modern architecture. as well, and is often (arguably, too strictly) More important is the story of a trio used to dismiss all “underage” resources.2 of master architects sharing and elaborat- But the National Park Service publica- ing ideas with regards to Pan-American tion Guidelines for Evaluating and Nomi- Modernism of the mid-century. The Marine nating Properties that Have Achieved Sig- Stadium plays a major role in that story. nificance Within the Past Fifty Years adds Before completing his education at the that “An understanding of the context of Georgia Institute of Technology in 1957, the historic resource is based on the knowl- Hilario Candela, the designer for the edge of the time, historic theme and geo- Marine Stadium, had interned in the office graphic area with which the property If realized, the plan would have destroyed is associated.” the cultural, social, natural, and aesthetic fabric Further: “The 50 of the site’s history and created a pallid replacement year period is an of the vibrant original. arbitrary span of time, designed to ensure that enough time of Max Borges Jr. in Havana. Both Max has passed to evaluate the property in a Borges Jr. and his brother Enrique Borges historic context…[It] was not designed to were heirs to their father’s legacy as an be mechanically applied on a year by year important Cuban architect. Max Borges Jr. basis. Generally our understanding of his- began his career under the sober influences

ForumJournal fall 2011 39 of rationalist architecture but by 1951 had application of the 50-year threshold in designed his masterpiece, the exuberant evaluating the Marine Stadium. yet haunting Salon de los Arcos de Cristal (salon of the crystal arches) at the Tropi- Future Prospects cana nightclub in Havana. Friends of Marine Stadium, now an inde- The affinity between Borges’ new pendent nonprofit organization, has staved direction and the work of Spanish-born off the bulldozer. After obtaining local des- Mexican architect Felix Candela (a ignation for the stadium, the nomination to distant cousin to Hilario) caused Borges the National Register is now in process. On to invite Felix Candela to collaborate behalf of the Friends organization, Hilario with him in Havana. Felix Candela was Candela, Catherine Lynn from the Univer- the accomplished master of thin-shelled sity of Miami School of Architecture, and structural concrete forms. His sculptur- I conducted a public planning process with ally expressive structures seemed to defy the University of Miami School of Archi- gravity, or at least challenge it. Around tecture students and 30 community groups. the mid- to late 1950s the collabora- The resulting plan was adopted in July tion of these architects had produced 2010 as the official City of Miami Master important works in the history of Cuban Plan for Virginia Key and the Stadium. The Modernism—the Banco Nunez in 1957 organization also sponsored an interna- and the Antilla Flower Shop in 1956. tional ideas competition for the Floating In the mid 1950s, at Georgia Tech, the Stage and meets with future stadium young Hilario Candela met the master, promoters. It receives grants and broadens Felix Candela, who was a visiting lec- public support for the project by working turer. The creative aura of collaboration in partnership with the National Trust and between the elder Pan-American masters the World Monuments Fund. The Friends filled the air during Hilario’s internship in organization is now negotiating with the Max Borges Jr.’s studio. The aesthetics of City of Miami to implement the renova- this collaboration found fertile ground in tions by 2013. The organization continues the imagination of the younger Candela the advocacy, fundraising, and public and its influence would bear fruit on the relations campaign to return the stadium to shore of Biscayne Bay where “the land vital public use. For more information go and the sea kiss” in Hilario Candela’s to www.marinestadium.org. FJ design of the Marine Stadium grandstand. Jorge L. Hernandez is a professor at the This story of the interconnections University of Miami’s School of Architecture, a among masters of Pan-American Mod- trustee of the National Trust for Historic Pres- ernism provides “[a]n understanding of ervation, of Dade Heritage Trust, and a founder of Friends of Marine Stadium. A version of this the context of the historic resource… article appeared in Preservation Today for Dade based on the knowledge of the time, Heritage Trust, 2009. 1 How to Apply the National Register Criteria for historic theme and geographic area Evaluation (National Register Publications, 1990; with which the property is associated.” revised for internet 2002). www.nps.gov/nr/ publications/bulletins/nrb15/ Because the story demonstrates historic 2 For more on this, see Elaine Stiles, “50 Years significance that is connected to “a period Reconsidered” (Forum Journal, Vol. 24, No. 4 [Summer 2010]). of time” and based on inter-related his- 3 (1979, revised 1990), 3, 6. www.nps.gov/history/ tory and geography, it dismisses the strict nr/publications/bulletins/nrb22/

40 fall 2011 ForumJournal Protecting the Neighborhood: Historic Preservation and Community Development

trent nichols

he community development organizing strategies, such as those first field, like the historic preser- championed by Chicago’s Saul Alinsky vation field, has a long and in the 1930s. This was followed by evolving history, continuing to the subsequent groundswell of urban Tbroaden its approach and develop comple- grassroots community-led organizations mentary partnerships. My recent thesis attempting to counteract urban prob- study1 of several Midwestern communi- lems including poverty, racism, arson, ties—in particular two Chicago urban riots, inadequate housing, redlining, neighborhoods, North Lawndale and disinvestment, or urban renewal which Pilsen—indicates that preservationists and frequently tore apart communities. those interested in community devel- community development organizations… opment have much increasingly recognize that their work is also to offer each other, dependent upon the community’s context and the and by working physical and other assets therein. together increase their chances of success. However, certain Many of the grassroots, community- practices are more successful than others. based, nonprofit organizations that This article briefly describes the basis of sought to improve their neighborhoods complementary roles as observed in the became known as Community Devel- case studies, as well as lessons learned that opment Corporations (CDCs). While can help guide the process of these two initially focused on job creation, they fields working together to more effectively soon also worked toward the community- accomplish each one’s goals. led creation of affordable housing and other services. A small number of Community Development CDCs got started during the 1960s and Background and Evolution 1970s but that number increased rap- The roots of the community development idly during the 1980s and 1990s. It is field go back to the early urban settlement estimated that about 3,600 CDCs now houses established to help immigrants operate in the United States. adapt to their new life and the tenement During the 1970s and 1980s, several house reform movement of the late 19th national nonprofit organizations, known and early 20th centuries. The field’s as “intermediaries,” were established modern approach crystallized in the 1950s to provide increased funding, technical and 1960s due to the convergence of the assistance, training, and advocacy for Civil Rights Movement and community the individual CDCs. The three major

ForumJournal fall 2011 41 ones are NeighborWorks America, Local sive and community-based approaches, Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), came to be called “comprehensive com- and Enterprise Community Partners. munity initiatives” (CCIs). One early and influential CCI focused on the South Comprehensive Community Bronx of New York City, and from 1992 Initiatives (CCIs) to 1998 was known as the Comprehen- During the late 1980s and 1990s, these sive Community Revitalization Program national organizations and large private (CCRP). This became a model for an foundations, which frequently funded even larger and more defined CCI, run by community development efforts, identi- LISC, which works in 16 Chicago neigh- fied the need for a more comprehensive borhoods. Known as the New Communi- approach to community development. ties Program (NCP), it began in 2003 and They saw that serious solutions to urban has obtained funding through 2015. This poverty require attention to a wide range CCI is one of the most comprehensive, of community factors, including physi- well-funded, and cutting-edge of any com- cal infrastructure, economic and social munity development strategy in operation. opportunities, education, health, race, Chicago’s New Communities Program and culture. Additionally, a community- engages each neighborhood in community- based democratic approach—one in led planning to identify and preserve which residents have greater control over “quality of life” features which are then their decision-making process at the local documented in a quality of life neighbor- level—was deemed necessary. hood plan. Several of these plans address This new community development the historic built environment, heritage, strategy, which relies on both comprehen- and cultural history, seeking ways to

Key to Acronyms

CCI: Comprehensive Community Initiative

CCRP: Comprehensive Community Revitalization Program

CDC: Community Development Corporation

ESDC: (Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago) Eighteenth Street Development Corporation

HCBI: Historic Chicago Bungalow Initiative

HCGI: Historic Chicago Greystone Initiative

HPI: (Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago) Historic Preservation Initiative

LISC: Local Initiatives Support Corporation

NCP: (Chicago) New Communities Program

NHS: (Chicago) Neighborhood Housing Services

42 fall 2011 ForumJournal urban neighborhoods, would do well to recognize this shared interest and seek out opportunities for partnerships, since some of these same practices can be used across many urban communities that face similar challenges.

Case Studies North Lawndale’s Historic Chicago Greystone Initiative (HCGI) One unique community development entity working in Chicago is using preservation as a focal point in its work, and is already experiencing early suc- cess. Neighborhood Housing Services (NHS) of Chicago is a nonprofit member of NeighborWorks America, which provides funding, financing, investments, Chicago’s North Lawndale neighborhood contains information, advocacy, training, and the city’s largest remaining concentration of technical assistance to CDCs, primar- Greystones, so named for their distinctive grey limestone facades. ily to local NHS offices, whose central Photo courtesy of the Midwest Office, National mission and programming is focused on Trust for Historic Preservation home ownership. preserve these while also trying to avoid NHS of Chicago was established in widespread displacement of current resi- 1975 and seeks to create opportunities dents, mostly low- and moderate-income. for people to live in affordable homes, While community development orga- improve their lives, and strengthen their nizations are primarily concerned with the neighborhoods through home owner- people they seek to serve, they increas- ship and foreclosure education, lending, ingly recognize that their work is also and technical assistance. NHS currently dependent upon the community’s context works in eight Chicago neighborhoods, and the physical and other assets therein, including North Lawndale. Despite its which include the community’s history cultural assets, North Lawndale has been and historic built environment developed plagued for decades with serious chal- over time. These assets can serve the lenges, in the form of residential decline, purposes of community development if deindustrialization, and racial inequality they are recognized, preserved, and fully and antagonism. The Chicago Tribune utilized—a process which is typically the popularized a negative view of North role of historic preservation. Lawndale through its series of articles However, some community develop- on the neighborhood, which were later ment groups are also now engaging in collected in the 1986 book American such heritage preservation work. The Millstone, characterizing the community historic preservation community, par- as a prime example of what was wrong ticularly those organizations working in with American society.

ForumJournal fall 2011 43 The NHS North Lawndale Office is age the preservation of Greystones. It was helping to change that perception through launched in 2006 with the hiring of staff its creatively developed preservation-based to implement the initiative. Taking a cue approach, concerned with not just one from a City of Chicago effort to pre- building, district, or even a particular serve bungalows, known as the Historic neighborhood, but with a building type, Chicago Bungalow Initiative (HCBI), the locally known as the Greystone. The name HCGI adapted strategies from the bunga- “Greystone” refers to the distinctive grey low initiative to suit the unique charac- teristics of North In addition to preserving buildings by providing Lawndale’s popula- technical and financial assistance, NHS and the HCGI tion and history. seek to promote pride in place and a more positive NHS and the image for the community HCGI are working to both indirectly limestone-fronted brick buildings, usu- and directly encourage home ownership ally including ornately carved cornices, through a variety of programs. In addi- column capitals, and/or courses directly tion to preserving buildings by providing above the lintels, most of which were built technical and financial assistance, NHS from 1890 to 1920. Today, North Lawn- and the HCGI seek to promote pride in dale alone has nearly 2,000 Greystones, place and a more positive image for the one of the city’s largest remaining concen- community—shedding light on the com- trations of this distinctive, largely residen- munity’s significant historical movements, tial, building type spread across the city. people, and architecture to encourage In partnership with other local com- residents to celebrate their built environ- munity organizations and individuals, the ment, culture, and history. NHS North Lawndale Office developed The HCGI takes a comprehensive a strategy called the Historic Chicago approach that has included several ele- Greystone Initiative (HCGI) to encour- ments: extensive research and documen- tation including oral histories; utilizing that research to create a widely attended exhibit and to successfully nominate a subsection of the neighborhood to become a National Register historic district in 2010; and publication of several volumes to explain, illustrate, and promote the initiative, including design guidelines for Greystone rehabilitation. The community-led HCGI was a natural component for residents to include

Raising appreciation for North Lawndale’s collection of Greystones has played a key role in promoting residents’ pride in place and a more positive image for the community.

Photo by Charles Leeks, Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago

44 fall 2011 ForumJournal in North Lawndale’s quality of life plan. Combining the forces of preservation and community development clearly increased the strength of the HCGI program. Charles M. Leeks, the neighborhood director of the North Lawndale office of Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago, and one of the founders of the HCGI, notes that the HCGI is positively changing the image of the neighborhood. “Identifying a community asset such as the Greystone has been hugely important to help residents, the city, and media begin to focus on North Lawndale as something other than an ‘American Millstone.’ That ubiquitous moniker has influenced genera- tions of residents, policy makers, and schol- ars to see North Lawndale as a lost cause. The Greystone Initiative has begun to play a significant role in altering that narrative.”

Pilsen’s Historic Preservation Initiative (HPI) The Eighteenth Street Development Corporation in Chicago’s Pilsner neighborhood, a National The Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago has a Register District, actively promoted to residents strong tradition of active community orga- the economic benefits that came with the nizations. The Eighteenth Street Develop- National Register listing. ment Corporation (ESDC) was formed in PHOTOS COURTESY OF LISC CHICAGO PHOTOSTREAM 1976, and its role has continued to evolve in 2006. It is believed to be the largest since then. First established to promote National Register historic district in Illi- housing development and offer construc- nois and encompasses much of the service tion trades training for its low- to moderate- area of ESDC. income community to counter lack of jobs Interest in obtaining the National and disinvestment for a largely immigrant Register listing originated with the local population, it has since expanded to include Chicago alderman and his staff, who commercial and industrial business reten- were attracted by the economic benefits tion development and historic preservation. to property owners, which include a state From 2007 to 2010 ESDC undertook property tax freeze program for rehabili- preservation activities that have become tated owner-occupied historic buildings part of a larger strategy to fulfill the Pilsen and the federal historic rehabilitation quality of life plan. ESDC’s key historic tax credit program. The designation preservation activity relates to market- and incentives were seen as meeting a ing the economic incentives of the Pilsen strongly desired goal of the community Historic District, which was listed in (as expressed in its quality of life plan) the National Register of Historic Places to attract economic investment while

ForumJournal fall 2011 45 still retaining affordability for its largely Model Community Mexican working-class residents. The Development Practices alderman convinced ESDC to provide that Support Preservation staff to help promote the incentives to Integration in a CCI or Quality Pilsen area residents and market these as of Life Plan the Historic Preservation Initiative (HPI), In communities where traditional preser- which it did from 2006 to 2010.2 vation activities, such as a local district designation or National Register nomina- Toward a Community tion, might initially be considered suspect Development/Historic by local residents, it is likely that the Preservation Partnership inclusion of a CDC’s preservation initia- These examples illustrate that both the tive in a CCI type of grassroots quality community development and historic of life planning process will lead to more preservation fields empower individuals widespread acceptance and use of such to shape their communities and, thus, preservation initiatives and tools. their sense of identity. Both fields have While a preservation-minded CDC’s increasingly become “place-based,” and involvement in a CCI, such as the NCP and focus on improving places and sur- its quality of life plan, is not a “silver bul- rounding community. Both fields seek let” for preservation in low- to moderate- to enhance underutilized assets, whether income residential urban neighborhoods, material, human, or both. And each field neither should it be considered unimport- is often responding to the same historic ant. It has several immediately identifiable challenges: negative consequences of benefits for preservation and the CDC. urban renewal, suburbanization, and the First, it allows preservationists to disinvestment in urban neighborhoods. build alliances with the community devel- With these important similarities, opment industry and its participants. Sec- CDCs can legitimately accomplish their ond, it initiates or strengthens the CDC’s mission by including preservation activities link to an intermediary, which typically as a part of their overall agenda, while helps build the overall health and capac- preservation organizations can legitimately ity of a CDC, and ultimately allows it to work to assist these preservation efforts. be more effective in its efforts, including This is another successful way in which preservation-related ones. preservationists can respond to pleas from Third, it can help unite a commu- preservation leaders such as Mary Means, nity around a common purpose, and Donovan Rypkema, Richard Moe, and help solidify or formalize preservation others to become more relevant to greater as a commonly agreed-upon goal. This numbers of people (see especially Forum can be valuable, especially if the plan Journal, Spring 2010 and Winter 2011). includes other community organizations Organizations or individuals that seek or individuals who might otherwise tend to promote preservation, particularly in to oppose preservation—an especially the context of low- to moderate-income relevant concern in low- to moderate- urban neighborhoods, will benefit from income communities because of the real an awareness of the practices and lessons or perceived threat of gentrification and noted below.3 displacement. In theory, and as seen in the

46 fall 2011 ForumJournal Chicago examples, a quality of life plan “networking capacity” as a CDCs ability helps the non–preservation-minded CDC to interact and work with other institu- say to the preservation-minded CDC: tions or organizations. This, they say, “Promotion and rehabilitation of older has become increasingly important given and historic build- ings is important for the greater the number of individuals involved you and your work and supporting the initiative across the community, to improve the com- the greater the likelihood that [historic preservation] munity. We want will enjoy success. our community to be improved so I will support (or at least the trend of comprehensive approaches not impede or denigrate) your work, in community development.4 By design, which includes preservation.” the NCP quality of life plans force the Additionally, the quality of life plan- networking capacity of CDCs to grow if ning process, developed by and with the the plans are to take shape and be imple- community, provides a natural starting mented. The recognition of this is what point for CDCs to better understand allowed the second Pilsen quality of life their community’s concerns and dreams, plan to be formulated with a much deeper and how to engage in preservation activi- level of community cooperation. However, ties that enhance and assist that commu- it is clear from the case studies that some nity’s overall goals. CDCs already have greater degrees of net- Finally, when such a preservation initia- working capacity than others. The HCGI tive is included in the quality of life plan, could not have been accomplished without the plan can serve as another marketing NHS of Chicago’s North Lawndale office tool, a case for support, an avenue for seed- demonstrating a high degree of networking funding, and a networking and coordinat- capacity. The partnerships of the HCGI ing tool for the preservation initiative. are a key factor in its success, for this helps increase the potential for success in all Networking Capacity the other areas of Glickman and Servon’s The development and establishment of a capacity components: resource, organiza- robust CDC’s preservation initiative usu- tional, programmatic, and political. ally requires the involvement of a variety of individuals, such as executive leadership Multidimensional Approach of local CDCs, local politicians, scholars, and Marketing residents, an outside facilitator, and inter- As mentioned before, the HCGI uses a ested funders. While each case will look comprehensive strategy that employs different, in general, the greater the number many complementary activities to build of individuals involved and supporting the community pride and promote home initiative across the community, the greater ownership. Since the initiative was the likelihood that it will enjoy success. formulated through the consultation of Norman Glickman and Lisa Servon, multiple organizations and individuals, urban studies and community develop- they also, in turn, recommended and ment scholars who have completed several market it through their own multiple important studies of the field, describe channels of influence.

ForumJournal fall 2011 47 Thus, we see that it is best to make Conclusion the preservation initiative as multi- Both the historic preservation field and dimensional as possible. The fact that the community development field have Pilsen’s HPI had not developed any other much to offer each other, particularly preservation-related or heritage-related when working in low- to moderate- programmatic activities, publications, income urban neighborhoods. Through or marketing since the National Register case studies mentioned in this article, nomination (or ever apparently conceived we see how some initiatives can serve of them initially) makes it clear that the as models for other communities inter- HPI was developed primarily for the ested in harnessing the complementary economic factors of the preservation strengths of each field. Although every incentives. This less-than-comprehensive community is unique, integrating pres- approach has limited effectiveness. This ervation and community development is in contrast to the much more multi- can increase the chance of success for dimensional HCGI, utilizing the inher- achieving each field’s goals.F J ent role of preservation and heritage Trent Nichols currently works at Feeding as a positive identity- and community- America in Chicago and serves as chair of building force. Thus, the HCGI appears the Wheaton, Ill., historic commission. He can to be a more truly historic preservation be reached at [email protected]. initiative, which includes the educational For more information on the Historic Chicago Greystone Initiative, see www.nhschicago.org/ and social dimensions of preservation, site/3C/category/greystone_history; for the compared to the Pilsen HPI, which so far New Communities Program and the quality of life plans of each of the 16 neighborhoods, see includes only the economic dimension. www.newcommunities.org. 1 Trent Nichols, “Chicago Community Develop- Incentives for Preservation ment Organizations Using Preservation to Improve Their Communities” (master’s thesis, However, the economic dimension is not Goucher College, 2010). to be neglected. Although recent market 2 Due to staff and policy changes and budget cuts, ESDC discontinued staffing the HPI in conditions have minimized the current 2010, and the alderman’s office took on this impact of incentives for preservation in role to continue the program. 3 My thesis examining several case studies, the case study communities’ residential along with a literature review, provides an analysis of several effective practices which properties, historically, incentives are an other CDCs might use to develop their own important part of the equation to attract historic preservation–related initiatives or pro- grams in similar contexts, along with lessons individuals and organizations to pursue for preservation. The themes of this article a local or National Register designation. were also discussed at the 2010 National Preservation Conference session “Preserva- In Illinois, homeowners can benefit from tion Strategies in Low-Income Communities.” The National Trust website includes a blog financial incentives such as the property report of the key findings from the session. tax assessment freeze for rehabilitated his- They are worth noting for the overlap of recommended approaches from my own toric residences, while CDCs involved in research. See Eli Pousson, “Preservation in preservation of affordable housing or who Low-Income Urban Neighborhoods Driven by Partnerships,” December 22, 2010, accessed own income-producing historic buildings June 2010, .http://blog.preservationnation. org/2010/12/22/preservation-in-low-income- may use the federal historic rehabilitation urban-neighborhoods-driven-by-partnerships. tax credit, the Low Income Housing Tax 4 Glickman and Servon, “By the Numbers: Credits, New Markets Tax Credits, or Measuring Community Development Corpo- rations’ Capacity,” Journal of Planning Educa- some leveraged combination of these. tion and Research 22, no. 3, 11 (2003).

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