A weekly round-up of my favorite preservation related stories from around the web and in the news. Click on the title of each story to jump through to the original article/blog post.

 

$9 Million in Tax Credits Awarded to 7 Cincinnati Area Projects – Urban Cincy

Seven Cincinnati-area developments have been awarded nearly $9 million in tax credits from the Ohio Development Services Agency (ODSA) through the state’s historic preservation program. Thanks to the allotted credits, Eden Park’s 118-year-old pump station (one of my favorite Cincinnati structures) may soon see new life as a micro-brewery!

http://edwardlifson.blogspot.com/2012/12/phoenix-mayor-gets-modern-architecture.html

Phoenix Mayor ‘Gets’ Modern Architecture- Hello Beautiful!

An interesting comparison between mayoral reactions to threatened architectural treasures in Phoenix and Chicago.  Phoenix’s mayor worked to save its Frank Lloyd Wright house, while Chicago’s Rahm Emanuel came out to support the demolition of Prentice Women’s Hospital.

Philadelphia Preservation Suffers from a  “Culture of Despair” – Plan Philly

“I think the preservation needs of this city are huge. The city’s official preservation apparatus is in real trouble, and has been that way for a while. This is especially apparent to outsiders. Architectural historians marvel that buildings by nationally famous architects, like Napoleon Le Brun or Samuel Sloan, are constantly on the chopping block. But even ordinary visitors who know little or nothing about architectural history are astounded to learn that buildings like the Church of the Assumption on Spring Garden Street are in imminent danger, or that the 18th-century housing stock can come down with some regularity.

There is a real culture of despair, or resignation, when it comes to preservation in this town. It’s not that people don’t care; it’s either that they assume that the system is working, or have given up on it ever doing so.

Philadelphia has become a real can’t-do kind of place, unwilling or unable to think creatively about preservation and adaptive reuse.”

Historic Houses Struggling to Attract Visitors – The Washington Post

That historic house museums are struggling for revenue and relevance in the digital age isn’t a shock to anyone anymore. In this article, the Washington Post explores some possible solutions for adapting to a new age.