Revitalization

Preservation Vacation: What’s Next for Idlewild, Michigan’s “Black Eden”?

Posted on: December 20th, 2012 by David Robert Weible 3 Comments

Idlewild Michigan Historical Markers Dedication, Yates Township, Lake County.

It was known as the Black Eden, and at its height in the 1950s and ‘60s, more than 25,000 African-Americans would travel from Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, and Indianapolis each summer to visit its 2,700 acres of lakes and western Michigan wilderness for intellectual stimulation, partying, and a sense of community. This was Idlewild.

“If you were a doctor, a lawyer, an entrepreneur, an educator, and you had the income to travel either by train or auto, [Idlewild] was a place that you wanted to be,” says Dr. Ronald Stephens, a professor of 20th-century African-American history and culture at Ohio University and author of the forthcoming book, Idlewild: The Rise, Decline and Rebirth of a Unique African-American Resort Town. “The idea of having that sense of community, independence, and ownership was a really big deal in black America.”... Read More →

David Robert Weible

David Robert Weible is an assistant editor at Preservation magazine. He came to DC from Cleveland, Ohio, where he wrote for Sailing World and Outside magazines.

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The Historic Tax Credit Takes Center Stage at the Timmy Awards

Posted on: December 19th, 2012 by National Trust for Historic Preservation 1 Comment

Written by Erica Stewart, Public Affairs Manager

Old Naval Hospital, Washington, DC.

Each year the National Housing & Rehabilitation Association (NH&RA) celebrates exceptional preservation real estate projects with its J. Timothy Anderson Awards for Excellence in Historic Rehabilitation (or, more casually, the Timmy Awards). Awards are based on overall design and quality; interpretation and respect of historic elements; innovative approach to construction and use of building materials; impact on the community; sustainability; and financial and market success of the project.

This year’s winners take the practice of historic rehabilitation and community revitalization to new heights, featuring exemplary work to restore the past while breathing new life into communities. From a 1920s apartment hotel in Kansas City renovated for affordable senior housing, to unique residential units in a mid-century Quonset hut in a small Virginia town, these projects are sure to motivate and inspire preservationists nationwide.... Read More →

National Trust for Historic Preservation

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a privately funded non-profit organization, works to save America's historic places.

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Open for Business Again at Pittsburgh’s Market Square Place

Posted on: December 12th, 2012 by Julia Rocchi 9 Comments

Several years ago, Market Square Place was just a series of historic buildings on three different streets with different styles and heights, all suffering from decades of neglect. Some saw this as a case for demolition, but the City of Pittsburgh saw an opportunity to promote green urban living.

A public-private partnership brought the historic buildings together into a single mixed-use complex that now boasts residences, retail storefronts, and a YMCA, all with facades that have been restored to their original 1930s appearance. This successful reinvention as a fresh, eco-friendly community earned Market Square Place an Honor Award at the 2012 Richard H. Driehaus National Preservation Awards -- and the approval of the surrounding neighborhood.... Read More →

Julia Rocchi

Julia Rocchi is the managing editor for the National Trust. By day she wrangles content; by night (and weekends), she shops local, travels to story-rich places, and walks around looking up at buildings.

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[10 on Tuesday] 10 Steps to Establish a Local Historic District

Posted on: December 11th, 2012 by Julia Rocchi 2 Comments

[10 on Tuesday] 10 Steps to Establish a Local Historic District from PreservationNation

Today’s local preservationists are big-picture thinkers. They’re not looking only at landmarks; they’re also thinking about their community’s whole environment, development history, sustainability, and politics. And one great way to protect a place’s history, culture, and values is to establish a local historic district.... Read More →

Julia Rocchi

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An Eyesore No More: The Resurrection of LA’s Boyle Hotel

Posted on: December 10th, 2012 by Lauren Walser 2 Comments

This historic photo from California State Library shows the historic Boyle Hotel in Los Angeles in 1895.

Looking at it just a few years ago, you might have had a hard time believing that the Boyle Hotel in Boyle Heights, a community located just east of downtown Los Angeles, was once the grandest structure in the neighborhood.

When it was built in 1889, the four-story, Italianate-style hotel signaled the city’s growth. The farmland once surrounding the city center was being transformed into new suburban neighborhoods, like Boyle Heights, and the red brick and elegant turret made the new building a popular gathering place for the community.

Over time, it became home to mariachis, who congregated across the street at Mariachi Plaza, playing music and waiting for work.

But by the time the nonprofit East Los Angeles Community Corporation (ELACC) purchased the building in 2006, much of the building’s original splendor had been lost.... Read More →