The National Trust for Historic Preservation has a popular program, This Place Matters. Preservationists and lovers of older buildings are asked to stand in front of a building, structure, or park that matters to them, and have their picture taken while holding a sign that simply reads, “This Place Matters.” Unfortunately, a lot of places that matter have fallen to the wrecking ball or progress or neglect. But historic preservation isn’t just about saving old buildings – at its core, it is about saving communities. This presentation looks at how demolition has destroyed communities, turned irreplaceable gems into rubble, and led to poor urban planning decisions. But the presentation is also a call to preserve and reinvest in our historic urban cores, and the role that preservation can play in rejuvenating communities.
Presented by: Scott D. Butcher, FSMPS, CPSM. Scott loves old buildings; in fact, his company’s corporate offices are located in an adaptively reused Pennsylvania German bank barn. He is the former president of Historic York, Inc. – an architectural preservation organization – and the author of multiple books that celebrate urban cores and historic architecture, including Tucson Perspectives, York: America’s Historic Crossroads, Gettysburg Perspectives, York’s Historic Architecture, and Historic Architecture of Pennsylvania. This presentation was originally given as the keynote for Historic York’s annual Preservation Celebration, and subsequently given to multiple community groups.
