The Changing Face of Historic Renovation
When I first started as director of a downtown organization in the early aughts, my predecessor gave me one piece of advice: stay away from historic preservation. Apparently, she had once tried to establish a historic district and had been shot down by the board fairly handily. It only took 2 years for everything to change. In the […]
Read MoreInclusive Neighborhoods
I recently attend a neighborhood planning meeting for the West Central neighborhood, truly a busman’s holiday since it’s my own neighborhood. There was some great initial information about the demographics and character of the area, although nothing spoke to the inclusiveness and diversity of the neighborhood more than seeing “Quonset Hut” listed as one of the common architectural […]
Read MoreUrban Archaeology and Ghost Hotels
If you’ve ever remodeled your kitchen, you may have an inkling what it’s like to renovate an historic building. Rehabs often take longer than planned because you simply don’t know what you’re going to find once you remove the drywall. But what if the thing you find is a historic hotel? In Orange, California, just […]
Read More