The Planner and the Preservationist
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University of Pennsylvania ScholarlyCommons Departmental Papers (City and Regional Planning) Department of City and Regional Planning April 1984 The Planner and the Preservationist Eugenie L. Birch University of Pennsylvania, [email protected] Douglas Roby Metropolitan Transit Authority Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.upenn.edu/cplan_papers Birch, Eugenie L. and Roby, Douglas, "The Planner and the Preservationist" (1984). Departmental Papers (City and Regional Planning). 33. https://repository.upenn.edu/cplan_papers/33 Reprinted from Journal of the American Planning Association, Volume 50, Issue 2, April 1984, pages 194-207. The author, Dr. Eugenie L. Birch, asserts her right to include this material in ScholarlyCommons@Penn. This paper is posted at ScholarlyCommons. https://repository.upenn.edu/cplan_papers/33 For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Planner and the Preservationist Abstract In many ways the planning and historic preservation movements have had similar but separate patterns of institutional development. Although the planning profession is older and more refined than the preservation effort, their shared concern for the quality of the built environment has made them natural allies in promoting conservation practices in American metropolitan areas. At times, differing objectives have marred their mutual cooperative endeavors; but on the whole, they have developed an important symbiotic relationship that has served to strengthen both professions. Comments Reprinted from Journal of the American Planning Association, Volume 50, Issue 2, April 1984, pages 194-207. The author, Dr. Eugenie L. Birch, asserts her right to include this material in ScholarlyCommons@Penn. This journal article is available at ScholarlyCommons: https://repository.upenn.edu/cplan_papers/33 - 37 - The Planner and the Preservationist An Uneasy Alliance Eugenie Ladner Birch and Douglass Roby In many ways the planning and historic preservation movements have had similar but separate patlems of institutional development. Although the planning profession is older and more refined than the preservation effort, their shared concern for the quality of the built environment has made them Aatwal allies in promoting con servation practices in American metropolitan areas. At times, differing objectives have marred their mutual cooperative endeavors; but on the whole, they have de veloped an important symbiotic relationship that has served to strengthen both professions. , "Historic preservation as a distinct kind of urban plan tion. In 1982, however, the association suspended the ning is relatively recent in origin," asserted Wayne O. group for nonperformance.3 Attoe in Introduction to Planning, a definitive textbook Several factors have produced modem planners' am I published in 1979. In fact, he maintained, "Historic bivalence to historic preservation. Historically, the ~ preservation. .. remains a troublesome aspect of urban planning and preservation movements have pursued planning." Nonetheless, he concluded, "historic pres distinct goals, served different populations, and expe ervation can be integrated into comprehensive urban rienced dissimilar patterns of organizational growth. In planning practice.") recent years, however, the two groups have moved Not all contemporary accounts of planning practice closer together. Their growing cooperation has hinged agreed with Attoe's statements. Some did not consider on two interrelated items: .each movement's evolving preservation important at all. The latest version of the definition of its function in American society, and the profession's familiar green handbook (also published changing nature of public-sector involvement in urban in 1979), The Practice of Local Government Planning, development. barely mentioned the field. The third edition of Urban In the first instance, planners and preservationists LAnd Use Planning, by F. Stuart Chapin, Jr., and Edward have moved. closer to each otherthrough the redefinition J. Kaiser, appearing in the same year, made no reference of their respective missions. In the past fifty years, many to it despite its analysis of other modem concems.2 planners have slowly narrowed their focus from analysis The stance of the American Planning Association of regional and citywide trends to concentration on which grants professional credentials to planners-re neighborhood efforts. During the same period, the flected that dichotomy. Only in October 1980 did the pre:servationists have broadened their agenda to include APA admit a historic preservation division intoits ranks, the conservation of urban districts and neighborhoods allowing it to join transportation, environmental pro as well as isolated, individual structures. Although nei tection, and urban design as a legitimate planning func- ther group has lost sight of its own origins, both have established grounds for mutual agreement and sup portive ventures. The implications of their merging in terests are best illustrated in their joint partigpation in Birch, an associatt proftssor ofurban planning at Hunttr Colltgt, selected government activities. has writttn about tht history of proftssional dtvtlopment and At the municipal level, increased attention to con has contributtd prroiously 10 tht Jownal. Sht now is co-editor of tht book rtvilW S.tction for tht Journal. Roby, dirtctor of servation efforts has provided a framework for their optrations IInalysis with tht Mttropolitan Transit Authority in cooperation. By 1982, for example, 832 cities had en Ntw York City, holds II doctorllte in history from Harvllrd and acted preservation laws incorporating provisions for a masltr's dtgrtt in urblln planning. from Hunttr Colltgt. Ht zoning protection, districting, and transfer of devel 4 collllborllttd on this articlt when ht WIIS a Public Strvice Ftllow opment rights-areas of traditional planning interest. in Hunter's Graduate Program of Urban Planning. Furthermore, a growing body of federal and local case 194 APA JOURNAL - 38 - law--eulminating in the landmark Grand Central de They were to present prescriptions or master plans for cision. Pmn unITal Transporta'ion 17. Nt'W York City (438 improving city life. To that end they appraised urban U.S. 1978}-strengthened. the legal basis for this use systems, especially circulation and recreation facilities, of the police power. a factor not lost on the planners. and n!Structured metropolitan centers to create long III reality. federal government initiatives have con range schemes for civic order. Later they added. im tributed. most substantially to joint efforts by planners portant implementation devices. Their most successfuJ and preservationists. t:>im:t funding. new administrative effortswere the zoning ordinanceand the capital budget. practices. and tax reforms have been the main feat\1re In the first three decades of the twentieth century, plan· of national planning-preservation activities. For ex ners would refine and codify theirmovement. ultimately ample. a 1980 study of funding practices under the setting up professional qualifying aiteria; create a solid Urban Development Action Grants administered by the base of citizen support; and mobilize sufficient political U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development strength to make planning a legitimate municipal con revealed. that HUD had spent about 43 percent of its cern exercised through the permanent local planning funds on rehabilitation, much of which involved. pres commission and planning department. By 1927. four ervation. (Rehabilitation dated from 1954, when the hundred American towns had incorporated some fonn Housing Act and succeeding urban legislation autho of planning in their operations.· rized such expenditures.) Funding for rehabilitation of Although essentially local in focus, the planning historic properties dated. from the 1966 Model Oties movement would be highly organized on the national Act.' Additional impetus came from the passage of the level. By 1934, it had three representative organizations, National Historic Preservation Act (1966), which es the American Institute of Planners. the American S0 tablished important intergovernmental bureaucratic ciety of Planning Officials, and the American Planning links; and insertion of key provisions in the Transpor and Ovic Association. Membership in the (onner two tation Act (1966) and the National Environmental Pro groups was dominated by white, maJe professionals. tection Act (1969), both of which required federal ad while the latter had a larger female representation in ministrators to take s~al care to proted historic sites. its membership, which consisted largely of citizen vol Finally, the Tax Reform Act of 1976 and its subsequent Wlteers.' amendments made adaptive reuse (the recycling ofolder On the whole, the planning movement-with its buildings formerly considend obsolete) economically am.algam of professionals. including architects, engi viable and provided an alternative to clearance neers, lawyers, and real estate agents. and its diverse and-demolition schemes often employed by planners base of citizen support. including politicians. business in urban development. men. and volunteer civic activists-insinuated. itseU into lbrough these devices, historic preservation slowly American municipal life rapidly and efficiently. became an important item in the urban agenda. By In contrast, the preservation movement had a slower. 1980, planners and preservationists united