Does historic preservation make economic sense?

Author and consultant Donovan Rypkema, in his book “The Economics of Historic Preservation,” shares an observation that it is only in the last decade that those in the preservation community have begun to comprehend the true nature of the economic and social impact of their work. He also encourages individuals advocating for historic resources to adopt and use the language of the development community, as that is also the vocabulary which is key for local, state and national legislators.

In Ohio, a number of recent local discussions – from the consideration of historic and conservation districts to the enforcement of local design review and historic preservation ordinances – have turned on this very question. How can the impact of preservation be documented? The question is important, as almost all Ohio local ordinances include economic impacts as a major reason for enacting the legislation, and identifying the scope of those impacts is often critical in enforcement proceedings.

Here’s a start. This page on the website of the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers includes numerous state studies on this very issue. While none are from Ohio, the reports run the gamut from a review of historic districting on property values to the economic impact of state historic rehabilitation tax credits.

Recent efforts to create an additional historic district in the city of Mansfield included a look at property values in areas of the city which currently have such protection. As the proponents’ website shows, the result has been obvious. A County Auditor’s office is the likely starting-point for creation of a comparable map for your community.

Photo:  Second Street, Lakeside, circa 1884 - Library of Congress/Public Domain