Call for Presentations: Historic Preservation in America’s Legacy Cities

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Historic Preservation in America’s Legacy Cities
An Interdisciplinary Convening Hosted by
The Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University and
The Cleveland Restoration Society

June 5-7, 2014
Cleveland, Ohio

Call for Presentations

The Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University and the Cleveland Restoration Society are convening an interdisciplinary meeting to discuss the role of historic preservation in revitalizing America’s legacy cities, where long-term population loss and economic decline present significant challenges for the future of the urban built environment. These cities have significant cultural heritage and a large stock of historic buildings, yet vacancy and abandonment are very pressing realities and, at times, demolition may be the best course of action.

At this crucial juncture, cities face difficult questions. What is the role that preservation can and should play in shaping the future of legacy cities? How can historic assets be identified and leveraged for planning and revitalization? What benefits and impediments exist in integrating preservation into community and economic development? How should we make decisions about what to save and what to destroy? This convening will be an opportunity to collaborate, share ideas, and devise solutions, with the goals of launching a more integrated approach to planning for the future of legacy cities, bringing preservation into urban policymaking, and crafting a 21^st-century preservation profession that is responsive to current needs and conditions.

We invite policymakers, community leaders, practitioners, and scholars from a range of fields, including urban planning and design, community and economic development, urban policy, and historic preservation.  The convening will take place at the Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University from Thursday, June 5 through Saturday, June 7, 2014, and will include a mix of speaker sessions, roundtable discussions and local tours.

Proposals are invited on any topic that addresses the role of historic preservation in America’s legacy cities. Potential topics might include (but are not limited to):

• Case studies of innovative projects, policies, or programs that leverage and/or incorporate historic resources
• Synergies and tensions between preservation and legacy city planning and development
• Partnerships between public, private, nonprofit, and/or community actors
• The role of preservation in community and/or economic development
• Preservation and rightsizing policies at the local, state, and/or federal levels
• Decision-making around demolition and targeted reinvestment
• The role of non-governmental (or quasi-governmental) actors in shaping and revitalizing historic cities and neighborhoods (e.g., community development corporations, land banks)

Proposals can be for individual presentations or entire sessions. The program committee will organize individual proposals into sessions of 3-5 speakers, with presenters having about 15 minutes each. Session proposals should similarly include 3-5 speakers.

Please send all proposals in either Word or PDF format to LegacyCityPreservation@gmail.com. All of the following information must be included:

• Session title (if a session proposal)
• Individual presentation title(s)
• A one-page (about 300 words) description of the proposed presentation or session
• Name, contact information (address, email, phone), and a brief bio (100 words) for each speaker. For session proposals, all speakers must be confirmed prior to proposal submission.

Deadline for proposal submission: February 1, 2014.

You will be notified if your proposal has been accepted by March 15, 2014.

Presenters are required to register for the convening. Any presenter not registered by May 15, 2014, will be dropped from the program.All presenters are responsible for their own registration fees, travel, lodging, and expenses. Information on registration fees and hotel rates will be available in early 2014.

For more information, visit urban.csuohio.edu/conference/LegacyCityPreservation or find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/LegacyCityPreservation.

Questions may be sent to LegacyCityPreservation@gmail.com or to Dr. Stephanie Ryberg-Webster at: s.ryberg@csuohio.edu.

Convening Cosponsors: