The ethics of historic preservation

Wallpapers in Historic Preservation

Examining the Impact of Historic Preservation in New York City

fi ndings: A number of studies have examined the property value impacts of historic preservation, but few have considered how preservation shapes neighborhood composition. In this study, we ask whether the designation of historic districts contributes to changes in the racial composition and socioeconomic status of New York City neighborhoods. Bringing together data on historic districts with a...

Basics of Wood Inspection: Considerations for Historic Preservation

Wood performs well in structures, often for hundreds of years or more, when it is kept dry and protected from the deleterious effects of moisture and biological deterioration. The open construction typical of historic structures, which provides air infiltration into the structure, makes it possible for the wood to dry quickly if it gets wet. Often this type of construction is criticized for per...

Preservation of York Minster historic limestone by hydrophobic surface coatings

Magnesian limestone is a key construction component of many historic buildings that is under constant attack from environmental pollutants notably by oxides of sulfur via acid rain, particulate matter sulfate and gaseous SO(2) emissions. Hydrophobic surface coatings offer a potential route to protect existing stonework in cultural heritage sites, however, many available coatings act by blocking...

Policy and Historic Preservation: A Preliminary Research Agenda

My basic premise for today’s talk is that research, especially social science research, has been largely missing from policy debates in preservation. I would like to suggest that the preservation field needs to embrace a more rigorous, coordinated and empirically grounded research agenda. My talk will cover three areas. First, I will describe four categories of research questions. Second, I wil...