PreserveCast

Fighting Blight and Building Community with Nneka N’namdi

Blight doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of countless decisions, bad policies and disinvestment over decades. Nneka N’namdi is the founder of Fight Blight Baltimore, an economic, environmental, and social justice initiative that is working to address these systemic barriers and challenges to communities in some of the state’s most historic neighborhoods.

N’namdi was recently profiled in Baltimore Magazine, where I learned about the innovative and dynamic initiative she’s leading – which holds tremendous promise for legacy communities around the country confronting decades of disinvestment and is a story that deserves national attention on this week’s PreserveCast.

Documenting the Physical Vestiges of Slavery and Tenant Farming with Jason Church

Preservation requires a solid and significant understanding of our past – and on this week’s PreserveCast we’re talking with Jason Church, a National Park Service preservationist who is leading an effort to expertly document the powerfully important physical vestiges of slavery and tenant farming. As these humble and simple structures fade away, work like this takes on a new level of importance and significance.

All across America, the physical evidence of slavery is being lost to the ravages of time and indifference. Without expert documentation – there’s a real chance we could lose all memory and understanding of these important buildings. That’s why Preservation Maryland is partnering with the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training to laser scan structures on Maryland’s eastern shore as a part of a broader national effort – a topic we knew we had to bring to our listeners.

Saving Places and Making Preservation Relevant with Landmarks Illinois

This week’s guest is unique; we’re bringing back Bonnie McDonald to talk about the work of her organization, Landmarks Illinois, as they celebrate their 50th anniversary and look forward to the next 50 years of saving places and making preservation relevant in a rapidly changing world.

Market Morality and the Politics of Preservation with Whitney Martinko

What we preserve tells as much about us as it does about the history itself. Preservation is a movement with a history unto itself – but all too often that story is overlooked in favor of the history of the sites that are preserved. Whitney Martinko, an associate professor of History at Villanova University, is tackling that story and recently published Historic Real Estate: Market Morality and the Politics of Preservation in the Early United States, an in-depth look at why and what we preserve and how interconnected our preservation landscape is to our market driven economy. On this week’s PreserveCast we’re talking about the impulse to preserve and what it says about us, the preservers.

Sparking and Sustaining Positive Change in Your Historic Community with Dana Saylor

Change can be difficult. Building momentum, engaging diverse audiences, and bringing history to life is the tough stuff of preservation and community engagement.

Today’s guest, Dana Saylor, has made it her mission to help fellow preservationists, artists, community leaders, and interested citizens in developing strategies that turn ideas into action. Dana is a creative community connector and mentor to fellow changemakers. Her work is about building emotional connection to place. She is based in Buffalo, New York, and is an Advisor to the National Trust for Historic Preservation. On this week’s PreserveCast, we’re talking the nuts and bolts of making change happen with a leading voice for this critical and timely work.

Hey, Nick here, and before we get started – just a quick reminder to please consider making a donation – even $5 would go a long way – and you can do it at preservecast.org; also would you be willing to give us a five-star rating and maybe a quick review. We haven’t had a new review in way too long and I need your help! And, finally, today’s episode is made possible thanks to the support of The 1772 Foundation. Now, let’s make some change happen!

PreserveCast Ep135: Preserving Public Housing with Dr. Lisa Lee of the National Public Housing Museum

The story of where we live is uniquely personal. Many historic homes have been preserved and opened to the public – places that tell a story about the way we once lived.

 

However, American public housing – places built and maintained by governments – has been long been overlooked, forgotten, and worse yet, maligned.

 

Today’s guest, Dr. Lisa Lee, is working to solve that gap in memory and understanding as the Executive Director of the National Public Housing Museum, the only cultural institution devoted to telling the story of public housing in the United States.

 

Find the best spot to sit and relax in the place you call home as we talk about the history of housing on this week’s PreserveCast.   

PreserveCast Ep134: Doing Social Good through Preservation Activism with Catherine Fleming Bruce

As America confronts, commemorates, and questions its history – preservationists like Catherine Fleming Bruce are helping to frame those conversations and providing powerful examples of how historic places can help us in these challenging times.

Bruce is the author of an award-winning book on sustaining the sacred spaces of civil rights, human rights, and social movements and how this work can support the march towards greater social justice. With her book, "The Sustainers: Being, Building and Doing Good through Activism in the Sacred Spaces of Civil Rights, Human Rights and Social Movements," she became the first African American winner of the annual Historic Preservation Book Prize, presented by the University of Mary Washington Center for Historic Preservation.

It’s a weighty topic – but one we must explore – and with someone who knows it well on this week’s PreserveCast.

PreserveCast Ep124: Leading from the Front: Aimee Jorjani, First Full-Time Chairman of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation

Today’s guest is a first for PreserveCast.

Aimee Jorjani was appointed by the President of the United States to be the first full-time chairman of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation – the federal agency tasked with coordinating preservation policy across the government.

From the halls of Congress to the pueblos of the southwest – Chariman Jorjani is doing her bit to promote preservation and we’ll learn what she’s planning next on this week’s PreserveCast.

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Aimee Jorjani earned Senate confirmation in June 2019 as the first full-time chairman of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP).

Ms. Jorjani has nearly 20 years of experience in the fields of government and cultural resources from a variety of perspectives including both executive and legislative branches, as well as the non-profit sector. Her career began on Capitol Hill in 1999 working as a legislative aide to Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI). In 2002, she moved to the US Department of the Interior (DOI) and held several positions, including serving as the Deputy Secretary’s Special Assistant for Historic Preservation.

A native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Ms. Jorjani graduated from Northern Michigan University with a major in political science and minor in public relations and later earned a Masters in Historic Preservation from Goucher College.

PreserveCast Ep121: (Re)Developing the "Why" of Preservation with Tom Moriarity of Retail Development Strategies

Why do we do what we do and why don’t others understand why it’s so important?

Those are the driving questions that prompted long-time preservationist and real estate expert Tom Moriarity to dive into a discourse on what preservation needs in the years ahead. It’s a big task – but one that we need to constantly revisit if we hope to save places that truly matter.

So, prepare yourself for some real talk from one of America’s most trusted voices in preservation on this week’s PreserveCast!

PreserveCast Ep119: [Healthy, Hip & Historic] "Reset to Default: Making Preservation the New Normal" by Jim Lindberg, National Trust for Historic Preservation

In the penultimate episode of PreserveCast's special series during the COVID-19 pandemic, we will hear from Jim Lindberg, Senior Policy Director for the National Trust for Historic Preservation who will discuss the ways the goals of preservation are interconnected with those of advocates for issues like the environment, community health, and equitable development.

Collaboration and partnership are a key part of any successful preservation effort and this presentation by Jim Lindberg will explore the importance of this broad coalition to build systems that encourage building reuse. Research across these various fields demonstrates the need to build new rules and unwind entrenched thinking on building communities. The aim to create places that are greener, healthier, and more equitable applies to urban and rural communities alike.

James Lindberg has more than 25 years of experience in historic preservation, planning, and sustainable development. Through his leadership of the National Trust’s Research & Policy Lab and the ReUrbanism initiative for cities, he seeks innovative ways to encourage building reuse and create more inclusive, healthy, and resilient communities.

PreserveCast Ep116: [Healthy, Hip & Historic] What the Future Holds for Historic Preservation and Community Revitalization with Storm Cunningham

As this current international pandemic has changed the everyday ways that we interact with each other and our communities, it’s clear that our environment has important physical and psychological effects on us all. Preservation addresses the physical material of our built environment – and those materials’ potential positive or negative health impacts – so too, does preservation address an emotional connection to a time and place in history.

This five-part special podcast series, Healthy, Hip & Historic on PreserveCast will feature five preservation visionaries that will place our preservation work in a broader context, identify challenges, and illuminate solutions for linking historic preservation and healthy communities.

Preservation Maryland brought Storm Cunningham, an author whose work is leading the way for partnerships between preservationists and environmentalists, to our annual statewide conference held in 2016 in Frederick, Maryland. Storm Cunningham is the publisher of Revitalization News online, and the author of "The Restoration Economy," "reWealth," and the forthcoming "Planetary Renewal: A Strategy To Reverse Our Decline."

As a regional partnership planner, he has facilitated comprehensive revitalization processes, not just a vision, project or plan which help places enhance their economy, boost the quality of life and increase climate resilience by repurposing, renewing and reconnecting their natural built and socioeconomic assets.

Storm joined our group of preservationists, planners and heritage tourism and museum professionals to show the group how they can think differently about who they partner with and what benefit comes from those partnerships. If we want to make the world a better and more sustainable place, we need to breakdown the silos each discipline has wedge themselves.

One example Storm will share was a potential relationship between “water people” and “solar people.” Instead of saying “we have nothing in common,” think about your goals and how they overlap. “Solar People” want solar panels to make clean energy and “water people” want to get safe and clean water long distances. Water evaporates unless it is covered, so why not cover the water channels with solar panels? This is a win-win. More energy and less water loss.

PreserveCast Ep112: Horses, Houses, and History in Saratoga Springs with Samantha Bosshart

Nestled in the verdant fields and forests of the Hudson Valley, Saratoga Springs is a historic jewel of New York State – a place where the past is evocative and ever-present. The unique and charming character of Saratoga Springs didn’t happen by accident – like many places it’s the result of dedicated preservationists, like today’s guest, Samantha Bosshart who leads the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation. On today’s episode, we’ll talk about preservation work in a small town with the nation’s oldest sports venue. Giddy up; we’re talking horses, houses and history on this week’s PreserveCast.

Samantha Bosshart joined the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation in 2008 and under her leadership, the Foundation completed a $750,000 restoration of the Spirit of Life and Spencer Trask Memorial; undertook a comprehensive cultural resource inventory of the Saratoga Race Course, and successfully advocated for the Foundation to review capital improvement projects to ensure the preservation of the historic character of the oldest sports venue in the country.

Prior to leading the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation, she held positions at the Historic Albany Foundation and Galveston Historical Foundation. Samantha is a graduate of both Indiana University and Cornell University where she received her Masters of Arts in Historic Preservation Planning.

PreserveCast Ep108: The Science of Data-Driven Community Revitalization with Heather Arnold of Streetsense

Why is it that some communities succeed and others flounder? What draws people into some shops and not others? What makes a great community? Is there a science to revitalizing downtowns and communities? Today’s guest, Heather Arnold, has made a career helping to answer these questions and many more. Grab you calculators and open up a new spreadsheet, because on this week’s PreserveCast we’re taking a deep dive into the science of revitalization and community redevelopment.

Heather Arnold is the principal of research and analysis and managing director of public sector work at Streetsense, a strategy and design collective based in Bethesda, MD. In this role, Heather specializes in retail market analysis, incentive planning, and merchandising for downtown environments. With over 20 years of experience, she has made incredible strides toward shaping urban commercial landscapes and increasing access to opportunities in underserved neighborhoods. In this pursuit, she has been a catalyst for meaningful change — from repositioning malls toward active uses to creating community where surface parking once dominated.

With an expert eye toward the development and implementation of retail solutions, Heather brings data-driven strategy to communities in need.

PreserveCast Ep. 106: David J. Brown Reflects on 20 Years at the National Trust for Historic Preservation

Few names over the past twenty plus years have been as synonymous with the National Trust for Historic Preservation as David J. Brown. David served as the Chief Preservation Officer for the Trust and has worked with several CEOs to implement a complex, difficult and costly mission to save America’s historic places. As David has recently departed the Trust and begins writing his next chapter, we had a chance to sit down with this influential preservationist to talk about where he’s been and where he’s headed on this week’s PreserveCast.

David J. Brown led National Trust’s comprehensive preservation efforts, with four decades of experience in working to save historic places and build thriving, livable communities. He played a key oversight role in the implementation of the National Trust’s Preservation10X strategic vision, including the National Treasure campaigns that helps protect some of America’s most significant and threatened historic places. He guided the Trust’s advocacy work on behalf of the country’s most important preservation laws and incentives. And he supported local preservation leadership by providing the preservation community with effective, high-impact training offerings.

Prior to his work with the National Trust, David served as the founding executive director of the Preservation Alliance of Virginia, where he produced one of the nation’s first studies on the economic impact of preservation, and as director of the Historic Staunton Foundation in Virginia. He was among the first graduates of the Historic Preservation Program at Middle Tennessee State University and has a Masters in Planning from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

PreserveCast Ep. 102: Landmarks Illinois' Statewide Approach to Preservation & Development with Bonnie McDonald

For many PreserveCast listeners, Illinois may only mean Chicago and the hustle and bustle of the second city – but Illinois is a massive state with a rich and stunning diversity of heritage. It’s a big job to advocate for and preserve that heritage and Landmarks Illinois, founded in 1971, is in a race against time to help the people of Illinois save places that matter. Landmarks Illinois’ President and CEO Bonnie McDonald is today’s guest – a leader in the field who is blending economic and real estate development with historic preservation in new and intriguing ways. It’s time to talk preservation prairie style on this episode of PreserveCast.

PreserveCast Ep. 101: A Retrospective with Your Host, Nick Redding

This is also our 101st episode – and we’re changing the format slightly today to offer a brief retrospective on what we’ve learned about ourselves and preservation over the past 100 episodes – and to talk about where we’re headed moving forward...

If you’ve enjoyed these past 100 episodes, we hope you’ll consider making a year-end gift to offset our significant expenses in bringing you this content. Think of us as your Preservation Netflix – even a one-time $20 gift would go a long way! You can make a simple online donation to Preservation Maryland at presmd.org and hit the DONATE button in the upper right corner.

PreserveCast Ep. 94: Training a Volunteer Workforce to Save Historic Places with Towny Anderson of HistoriCorps

Towny Anderson has over 40 years of experience with historic preservation. He has restored historic properties first as craftsman, then contractor, and later developer and owner. He was an independent scholar, cum laude graduate of Middlebury College and attended the Preservation Leadership Training program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Anderson served as Vermont’s first appointed State Historic Preservation Officer, as a Director of the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers and as Chair of the Vermont Historic Preservation Advisory Council. He is a Senior Fellow of the American Leadership Forum. Anderson co-wrote groundbreaking statewide legislation encouraging reinvestment in Vermont’s historic downtowns. He was a founding board member of MainStreet Steamboat Springs. Two of his certified historic rehabilitation projects received National Trust Preservation Honor awards. Appointed Executive Director of HistoriCorps in August 2012, Towny Anderson is bringing together everything he loves about historic preservation – buildings, people, beautiful places, and education.

PreserveCast Ep. 92: Unpacking the Phillips Packing Plant with Katie Parks White and the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy

The Eastern Shore Land Conservancy is truly a renaissance organization. With a proud history of land conservation, the conservancy also operates the Center for Towns, a program focused on the health and sustainability of the Eastern Shore’s historic communities. Most recently, one of the organization's projects has been selected as one of Preservation Maryland's Six-to-Fix projects for 2019. In this episode, Nick speaks to Katie Parks White, the vice-president of conservation for the Conservancy to learn about this exciting adaptive reuse project at the historic Phillips Packing Plant project in Cambridge, Maryland.

In this episode you will learn: how to foster economic growth in a historically rural community without adding intrusive development; how to engage a community into revitalization efforts; how to conserve land and maintain cultural landscapes amid rising pressures to grow from surrounding metropolitan areas.

Grab a pail and dig into the agricultural and industrial history of Maryland's Eastern Shore on this episode of PreserveCast!

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PreserveCast Ep. 87: Myth Busting Historic Tax Credits with Renee Kuhlman

The term "policy" is usually associated with facts, figures, and dry, boring statistics. Today’s guest, Renee Kuhlman, proves that association wrong.

In her 19 years at the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Renee has provided advocacy training, written articles, and briefs on policy issues, and has worked with preservationists around the country to effect real and meaningful change. As the current Director of Policy Outreach, Renee has been assisting legislators and advocates across the country with the adoption, expansion, and protection of state-level and federal-level historic rehabilitation tax credit programs.

Most recently, she has been involved in a multi-year campaign to protect historic tax credits, which are some of the most important tools available to the preservation community. Renee also works on a campaign to enact dedicated funding for the maintenance of historic resources in our national parks.

In this episode, Nick and Renee discuss: what a historic tax credit is and why you should care; the deconstruction of negative myths surrounding historic tax credits and how they benefit communities; how real estate developers and you can benefit from both federal and state-level historic tax credits; the role local grassroots organizations played in saving federal historic tax credits last year; resources you can access to advocate for; and how to improve or increase your state's historic tax credits; and how our national parks hold more than just beautiful outdoor scenery/

As you can see, it's not just all stats and figures on this week's episode of PreserveCast!

 

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PreserveCast Ep. 84: Two-Stepping Through Dance Hall Country with Steph McDougal

Preservationists often wear many hats across a variety of fields. Today's guest is no exception. Steph McDougal is a preservation renaissance figure – working as a preservation consultant, authoring books about Texas architecture, and volunteering her time to serve her community and to save historic dance halls throughout the Lone Star State.  Not only is Steph the founder of McDoux Preservation, a data and community-driven historic preservation consulting practice based in Houston, she is also the co-founder and current board president of Texas Dance Hall Preservation, Inc. She acts as a facilitator of community engagement, which connects Texas' historic social dance clubs to today's current community. Her mission is to stabilize, preserve, and reinvent new, sustainable uses for the most iconic vernacular architecture deep in the heart of Texas.

Get ready to boot scoot and two step across Texas' rich dance hall history with Steph and Nick on this week's PreserveCast!


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PreserveCast Ep. 83: Exploring Harriet Tubman's Dorchester County with Amanda Fenstermaker

In Maryland the land across the Chesapeake Bay, the Eastern Shore, is a place rich in history. The landscape itself oozes history and speaks in many voices for those willing to listen. Dorchester County, founded in 1669, is one of the Shores’ most historic places most famous for its connection to Harriet Tubman.

This week’s guest Amanda Fenstermaker works tirelessly to market, advocate and protect her native county’s history – and the results are showing as the county is quickly becoming a major tourist destination for those interested in learning about our nation’s African-American history.

Join us this week for a journey to the Eastern Shore, a teaser for a real road trip you’ll certainly want to make on your own very soon.

PreserveCast Ep. 80: Keeping Historic Savannah Authentic with Daniel Carey

Savannah, Georgia, often conjures up visions of elegant mansions shrouded by graceful Spanish moss clinging to the branches of towering live oaks. But that vision isn't always a given. It is a daily fight to protect the city’s historic character from the ravages of time and being loved to death by throngs of tourists every year. Fortunately, Daniel Carey is leading the effort at the Historic Savannah Foundation to maintain an authentic experience for tourists of the city as well as keeping it affordable and maintaining its charm for its native residents. Learn how Daniel is promoting slow rise revitalization efforts as well as developing a sustainable approach to tourism management in this week's episode of PreserveCast!

https://www.preservecast.org/2018/07/30/keeping-historic-savannah-authentic-with-daniel-carey/

 

PreserveCast Ep. 76: Preservation Buffalo Style with Jessie Fisher

Buffalo. The very word conjures up visions of snow drifts and shuttered factories –but the reality is much different. Today, Buffalo is a city on the rise and the rich history of this city by the lake is playing a starring role in its renaissance. Today’s guest, Jessie Fisher, is leading the city-wide preservation group charged with identifying, protecting and promoting that heritage. Fortunately, you won’t need your snow shovels for this interview -- its June and it’s a fine time to talk about all things Buffalo on this week’s PreserveCast. 

Listen here: https://www.preservecast.org/2018/06/18/preservation-buffalo-style/

PreserveCast Ep. 73: Brittany LaVelle Tulla and Historic Charleston

What do you think it takes for a historic location to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site? This week’s guest, Brittany LaVelle Tulla, thinks that her home and her passion, Charleston, South Carolina, has what it takes. Join Nick as he and Brittany talk all things historic preservation in one of the most famous historic towns in the country, including Brittany’s own business as an architectural historian, her work with the Charleston Young Preservationists, and the dynamic and unique challenges facing a town that many see as a total preservation success. This is PreserveCast!

Listen here: https://www.preservecast.org/2018/05/28/brittany-lavelle-tulla-historic-charleston/

 

PreserveCast Ep. 67: Adventures in Preservation with Judith Broeker

As the winter comes to a close, you may find yourself dreaming of some relaxation time. Sure there’s the beach or camping, but have you ever considered a trip where you can help repair 500 year old stone towers in Eastern Europe? If your answer to that question is yes, this is the podcast for you. Judith Broeker, the co-founder of Adventures in Preservation, facilitates volunteer trips across the globe, connecting preservation craftspeople and experts with individuals who are ready and willing to lend a hand, and travel too! Judith and Nick discuss how these trips are funded, how projects are chosen, and the ways that these trips can assist historic communities, on this week's PreserveCast!

Listen here: https://www.preservecast.org/2018/04/16/adventures-in-preservation/