Historic places often bring economic benefits such as visitors to shop and eat, and higher property values. Buildings that are restored rather than replaced decrease construction debris in landfills and lessen the environmental impact of making new materials. Finally, historic preservation improves a community’s quality of life by grounding people with a sense of place.

No. Change is inevitable and historic preservation is not meant to obstruct change. Historic preservation encourages responsible and thoughtful change.

No. The street view of a property is typically the only façade that should have minimal changes. Changes or additions to the rear or other sides of a property not viewable from the street are often acceptable. Interior changes are rarely a concern—in fact, interior changes are often necessary to adapt a historic property for modern needs.

Nearly all private property is subject to certain restrictions from ordinances and zoning laws. For example, in most cities you must maintain your property so that it is not an eyesore, you can only build on a maximum percentage of your lot, and you cannot operate a retail business in a residential neighborhood. Historic preservation ordinances are another one of these ordinances. Historic preservation ordinances are no more restrictive than most other ordinances by which private property owners must abide. Historic preservation ordinances are in place to preserve a community’s sense of place, unique character, and property values.

Yes. While each city has its specific requirements for approving the demolition of a historic building or a building in a historic district, each generally considers three primary factors: historic significance, structural condition, and integrity. Read more here.

The greenest building is a building that is already there. All the energy needed to create the materials to build a building has already been used. Reusing that energy by adapting an existing building is far more sustainable than finding or creating new materials for a new building. With enough creativity, most buildings can be adapted for modern uses at far lower environmental costs than demolition and building new. Additionally, construction waste accounts for more than twice the amount of municipal waste put into landfills. In 2018, 600 million tons of construction waste went to landfills in the United States. Read more HERE.

Preservation of the built environment provides a community with a sense of place that contributes to its quality of life. This is because buildings embody the people who built them and used them. The stories of these people from the past explain a great deal about a community’s present and future. Furthermore, historic preservation is relevant as a renewable resource which is becoming increasingly important in reversing the effects of climate change and responsibly utilizing the Earth’s limited resources. Learn more HERE.