You can vote for the greenest building in NYC.  Right now the Empire State Building is No. 8… let’s go for No. 1.

Patrice Frey is the Director of Sustainability Research for the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Rep. Elijah Cummings, Mayor Sharon Dixon, John Leith-Tetrault of NTCIC, and others celebrating the ribbon-cutting.

A crowd of 50 supporters, partners and residents gathered recently to help welcome the reinvented Professional Arts Building back to Baltimore’s Mount Vernon neighborhood. Once a thriving hub for the dental and medical trades, the eight-story, 1927 building on Reed Street was vacant and poorly maintained for several years. Thanks to the shared vision of Somerset Development and joint venture partner, NAGE Housing, Inc., the historic office building now houses 96 modern, light-filled rental units—all of which are affordable to individuals earning between 80 and 120% of Area Median Income.

In a ceremony officiated by Congressman Elijah Cummings and Mayor Sheila Dixon, the building’s transformation was unveiled. Though the use of the building is a departure from its past, ties to the building’s previous life are visible throughout. The project utilized state and federal historic tax credits, ensuring that its character-defining features would remain. Thus, the ceramic wall tiles that surrounded the dentist chairs remain, original office doors have been retained, and a lobby marquee still shows the names and floor locations of the professionals who last occupied the property.

The exterior of the Professional Arts Building.

The potential impact of the Professional Arts Building on the neighborhood is exciting. The Mount Vernon neighborhood is a great place to call home—rich in historic commercial buildings, brick rowhouses and shady streets, but its entertainment and shopping options—amenities that city-dwellers have come to expect—are limited. What the neighborhood does have is ideal access to public transportation and proximity to arts institutions. The Professional Arts Building sits just a block and a half from Baltimore’s light rail, subway, train, and bus lines. It is also convenient to the Walters Art Museum, Maryland Institute College of Art, University of Baltimore and Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. It is hoped that the Professional Arts Building, as Mount Vernon’s first high-rise historic multifamily apartment project, will spur the development of additional projects that will attract a critical mass of residents needed to sustain the retail and commercial establishments the neighborhood is currently lacking.

The National Trust Community Investment Corporation (NTCIC) —the for-profit subsidiary of the National Trust—is doing its part to help make that vision a reality. NTCIC partnered with Citibank to make a $4.5 million equity investment in the project to help catalyze the neighborhood’s revitalization. NTCIC is the federal historic tax credit syndicator, a transaction that transfers the federal historic tax credits to Citibank to defray its tax liability in exchange for essential cash resources to the project during its development. NTCIC’s involvement in the Professional Arts Building represents its sixth closed or committed equity investment in Baltimore, totaling $52 million.

Though no longer a medical building where generations of Baltimoreans had their teeth cleaned and their pulse checked, the Professional Arts Building—in its new role as multifamily residential building—is as essential as ever to the health of the neighborhood and City of Baltimore. And best of all? No Novocain needed.

Erica Stewart is the outreach coordinator for the Community Revitalization department at the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

The Farnsworth House, Plano, IL

On January 1, 2010, the National Trust for Historic Preservation will assume the management of the Farnsworth House, an international icon of Modern architecture located in Plano, Illinois.  While the National Trust has owned the site for the past six years, Landmarks Illinois has managed and operated it.  The National Trust is very proud of the Farnsworth House and the work that both organizations have put into the site, and we are determined to do right by it.  We expect a very smooth transition for the site, including no change in visiting opportunities, as the National Trust and Landmarks Illinois have been terrific partners for many years, well before our collaboration on the Farnsworth House.  Finally, we are delighted that Whitney French will continue as the Site Director by joining our staff and providing us with her experience and knowledge of this unique place.

We look forward to this opportunity because it will strengthen our newly created  Modernism + Recent Past program, which focuses on the significant architecture of the mid-20th century, as well as those places of social, economic, and cultural importance.  Furthermore, it allows even closer collaboration with the Farnsworth House’s “sister” property, the Philip Johnson Glass House (another Modernist site owned and operated by the National Trust).  Philip Johnson was inspired in his design of the Glass House by plans Mies van der Rohe developed for the Farnsworth House.

Read the full statement on PreservationNation.org.

Learn more:

• The Farnsworth House
• The Farnsworth House on PreservationNation.org
• National Trust to take over Farnsworth House: Landmarks Illinois has been operating at a deficit (Chicago Tribune)

Alexander Inn (The Guest House)

Nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in East Tennessee, there is a special region where almost every small town finds itself beautifully positioned on a river, lake, or other body of water. The uniqueness of this region is marked by the most visited National Park in the country, a “Secret City” where the atomic bomb was developed, the first court ordered integrated school in the south, and the childhood home of best-selling author Cormac McCarthy.

One of the most important facets of my position as a Partner in the Field for East Tennessee is creating a network of like-minded individuals who can learn from Knox Heritage, each other, and national counterparts. Though I just began in November 2008, I’ve quickly learned the power of collaboration.  There are myriad individuals and organizations interested in preserving different facets of history: historical societies, genealogical societies – even cemetery associations.  But because many of these groups thrive in a region where family roots are still strong, they are interested mostly in personal history – they are driven to save the stories of their people.  For most of these groups, the preservation of the historic built environment is not their main goal.

In some cases, people may not initially see their connection to the preservation of historic structures.  By linking the personal histories with the existing tangible structures, we’re able to strengthen the link to the past, and in turn, strengthen the argument for historic preservation.   While historical markers on the side of highways are useful, they can never compare to the actual historic landmark.  By linking groups that share common interests, collaborating with the historical associations and listening to the various goals of the cemetery enthusiasts and the genealogical societies, the efforts to preserve the built environment are strengthened many times over.

Here’s an example: in February, the newly founded East Tennessee Preservation Alliance (ETPA) helped the Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association (ORHPA) host a fundraiser – with a twist.  By combining forces with renowned authors Jon Jefferson and Dr. William Bass, who with HarperCollins Publishing were releasing the fourth novel in their “Body Farm” series, local historic preservationists were able to tap into a new audience – the fans of the Body Farm.   Bones of Betrayal, the latest tome from Jefferson Bass, is set in Manhattan Project-era Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

In the first chapter of Bones of Betrayal, a body is discovered in the swimming pool of the Alexander Inn.  From there, the novel follows famed forensic anthropologist Dr. Bill Brockton, a character based on Dr. William Bass, and his team as they investigate the mysterious victim in the hotel pool.  A small piece of their story links fiction with preservation and the story continues.

The Alexander Inn, originally named the Guest House, was the only hotel in Oak Ridge at the time of the Manhattan Project and one of the most important buildings in the city.  Notable guests included famous physicists Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer and Enrico Fermi, as well as Secretary of War Henry Stimson.  The hotel still stands today, but this incredibly important building has been forgotten and abused.  The Alexander Inn has suffered water damage from bursting pipes, substantial vandalism, and is a victim of demolition by neglect.  With the consent of the Inn’s owner, ORHPA paid for a thorough engineering study and has regularly advertised the property for sale.  Listed annually at the top of ORHPA’s “Endangered Eight” and the 2002 Tennessee Preservation Trust “Ten in Tennessee Endangered List”, the hotel desperately needs a new owner to breathe new life into the iconic building.

But how does a book release relate to historic preservation? Well, that’s where collaboration comes into play.  Because the authors reinvigorated interest in the Alexander Inn by placing it within their book’s latest plot line, it was fitting to host a book signing and have the proceeds benefit the historic hotel.  Attendees of “Books, Bones, and the Bomb” were treated to an evening full of presentations about forensic anthropology, local Oak Ridge heroes, and the importance of preserving the built environment as a way to link our personal stories, real or fictional.  Because the readers now associate the story with the place, devoted followers are now more likely to join in the effort to preserve the Alexander Inn.  Knox Heritage, ORHPA, ETPA, Books-A-Million, and HarperCollins Publishing hosted over 200 people and raised over $4,000 for ORHPA.

By partnering with unlikely supporters, money and awareness were raised to protect an important piece of World War II history.  As ETPA continues to grow and work in the region, collaboration, like this, will be critical to the success of the new organization and the preservation of vanishing resources.

ETPA exists because of the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Partners in the Field (PIF) program. The PIF program is the true definition of collaboration and it is an honor to be part of the movement to protect the places that matter.

Learn More:

• Knox Heritage
• The Alexander Inn and the Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association
• Bones of Betrayal
• You Tube video of the Alexander Inn with historic images and present day shots

Ethiel Garlington is the Director of Preservation Field Services for Knox Heritage and staff support for East Tennessee Preservation Alliance. Become a fan of the East Tennessee Preservation Alliance on Facebook, follow us on Twitter (@etnpa) or join our BigTent group.

The New York Times ran a photo essay in their magazine this weekend entitled “Ruins of the Second Gilded Age.” The photos are the work of photographer Edward Martins, who set out to capture “the physical evidence of the real estate bust in the United States.” Check out these eerie images of abandoned projects throughout the country.

We already had a spectacular inventory of buildings — even entire cities — left for dead before the boom ever started, many of them relics of the First Gilded Age. (Think Philadelphia, Buffalo, Pittsburgh. The list of Rust Belt cities goes on and on.) Now we add to our collection of vacant and abandoned properties a whole new swath of unfinished cookie-cutter subdivision homes, McMansions, and over-sized hotels in the Sun Belt.

Most of these photos are of buildings in sprawl locations, except for those of buildings in super-sized desert cities (Phoenix, Vegas.) I have a special sort of contempt for these places — sprawling suburbia and mega cities in deserts. Both are examples of terrifically irresponsible land use which took place in a time when, quite simply, we knew better. That makes it hard to be sad for any of the developers whose dreams went “poof.”

My favorite photo is of the New Urbanist multi-million dollar town homes in Phoenix that went under. Right design idea (compact development), wrong price point (millions per home) in the wrong city (one without a sufficient water supply).

Our buildings from the first Gilded Age, on the other hand, were built to last, and designed in cities that were more environmentally sustainable because they were built before the car. (And I might add, these older cities typically have an adequate water supply.) Even after years of deterioration, many of these places can be revived. That’s the benefit of good bones.

It’s tough to imagine a future for any of the places in Martins’ photos. Except for the city landfill, maybe. And that is an expensive lesson to learn. Economically and environmentally.

As  I mentioned in a post a couple of weeks ago, thanks to the timely intervention of thousands of Americans, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and Congress, the authentic Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery will be restored beginning in September 2009.

In response to this good news, on June 26, 2009, Senator Jim Webb and Senator Daniel K. Akaka released a brief statement applauding the decision by Arlington National Cemetery and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to restore rather than replace the marble Tomb Monument.

In the statement Senator Webb observed that:

“This decision ensures that the historical integrity of this unique memorial will be preserved for future generations of Americans who visit the tomb to honor our men and women in uniform who gave their lives for our nation.”

Senator Akaka also stated:

“The commitment to restoring the authentic monument is consistent with the best of American traditions: We do not discard our national treasures. I applaud the Army and the Arlington National Cemetery for making the right decision, and thank my friend Jim Webb for his work on this issue.”

The good news about the restoration of the tomb monument is spreading slowly but surely through new media outlets like the MarineCorpsTimes.com, NavyNews.com, and VAwatchdog.org.

Friends of the Tomb of the Unknowns who would like to thank our champions, Senator Akaka and Senator Webb, may use the addresses below:

Senator Jim Webb
248 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Senator Daniel K. Akaka
141 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510

Robert Nieweg is the Director of the Southern Field Office of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Another Fourth of July has come and gone, and as I do my best to keep it together during the always-grueling Monday that follows a three-day weekend, I am left with three questions:

1. How is it that mosquitoes consistently find the one area of my ankles that somehow missed the bug spray?

2. Exactly how many treadmill miles do I need to log this afternoon to burn off two hot dogs, chips, a chicken leg, potato salad, baked beans, pasta salad, an ice cream sandwich, and “a few” cold ones?

3. What would the Fourth of July be like without Main Street?

With hometown parades and years of history draped in red, white, and blue, Main Street adds something – a feeling – to the Fourth of July that you just can’t get at home with PBS. It is, as my colleague eloquently blogged just before the big day, the perfect backdrop to “reflect on our heritage and to enjoy Americana.”

Last week, we put out a call for stories and pictures that capture these amazing Main Street moments. Come to find out, some of you celebrated America’s birthday by getting tangled up in a town-wide Twister competition, while others cheered dogs and ducks around the racetrack. And, well, some of you are probably still trying to get “Achy Breaky Heart” out of your heads. Good luck with that.

Regardless of what you did, if it happened on Main Street, we want to hear about it! Visit our Red, White and Blue Main Streets web page, and join others who have shared stories about how they celebrated Independence Day in their neck of the woods. And if you took photos this weekend, consider adding them to our special photo collection. You’ll find easy, step-by-step instructions on the same page.

From ghost towns and lighthouses to expanses of fragile desert and those infamous redwoods, California’s 1.4-million-acre parks system boasts more than 280 miles of coastline, 625 miles of lake and river frontage, 15,000 campsites, and 3,000 miles of hike and bike trails…for now.

If you’ve watched the news lately, you know that times are tough in sunny CA. In the face of a budget deficit of $24 billion and counting, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger recently announced a no-holds-barred budget that would scrap some $70 million in parks funding through June 30, 2010, and even more down the road. As a result, the future of 200+ unique and irreplaceable sites, stories and experiences – nearly 80% of the entire system – is unclear.

Inside the Cooper Molera Adobe

Included on the extensive list is the Cooper Molera Adobe, a National Trust Historic Site in Monterey.

Fully restored in the 1980’s, the Cooper Molera Adobe preserves life from the era when Monterey was part of Mexico to the beginnings of California statehood. This three-acre site includes a house built by several generations of the Cooper and Molera families, historic barns, vegetable and flower gardens, and an extensive museum store. The site is owned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and operated by California State Parks.

A deadline to adopt Governor Schwarzenegger’s budget came and went last week without an inkling of resolution. If passed as is, the Cooper Molera Adobe – and 219 of its counterparts in the system – could be padlocked starting as soon as Labor Day, leaving only 59 units open to visitors. Some revenue-generating solutions (such as an additional fee on vehicle registrations) have been brought to the table as a means of supporting parks/sites that are not economically self sufficient without state dollars, but negotiations are ongoing and remain fierce.

I will be traveling to California later this month, and Cooper Molera is definitely at the top of my itinerary. Please stay tuned for a follow-up post on my visit there, and bookmark PreservationNation.org and the California State Parks Foundation for important news and advocacy updates as this story unfolds.

Max van Balgooy is the director of interpretation and education for the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Historic Sites Department. Learn more about the National Trust’s 29 historic sites across the country, and visit the National Trust Historic Sites Blog.

Families in Clinton, Missouri line Main Street to watch the annual Olde Glory Days parade.

No plans for the Fourth yet? Consider heading to Main Street!

America’s historic downtowns are the perfect backdrop for celebrating Independence Day, and visiting these special places gives us an opportunity to reflect on our heritage and to enjoy Americana in an authentic setting. As a result, Main Streets throughout the nation are welcoming neighbors and new visitors this weekend with a wide variety of events that run the gamut from traditional community gatherings to blow-out patriotic events.

Earlier this week, we created a special web page for Main Street leaders and enthusiasts to post descriptions of how their towns are celebrating our nation’s birthday, as well as to upload photos of their holiday events. So, what’s happening on Main Street? Lots!

Williamsburg, Kentucky isn’t waiting for Saturday to get started. Come Friday, the streets will be closed off for their Old Fashioned Block Party, which features live music and dancing. Hopefully, Williamsburg residents won’t party too hard because Saturday starts with a benefit 5K run/walk. A parade through downtown and a fireworks display will cap off the evening, while other events like the annual corn toss tournament and the town’s duck races keep the celebrations rolling throughout the weekend.

Clinton, Missouri starts early, ends late, and seems to out-do itself every year with its four-day Olde Glory Days, which features free entertainment for everyone. There’s going to be music, weiner dog races and a pet parade, a carnival, a quilt show, a fine arts show, and the debut of a Wii tournament, among so many more activities. Visitors can enjoy the state’s largest courthouse square, many historic building ad murals, Breanna’s soda fountain shop, and a 1921 bandstand. Olde Glory Days is sponsored by the local business community, which uses the July 4th weekend to show Clinton residents how much they are appreciated. Similarly, the celebration in Charles City, Iowa spans five days every year and attracts enough people to double the city’s population! A variety of entertainment and activities are planned for all ages, including its most unique element – a water ski show.

Located 30 minutes north of Baton Rouge, St. Francisville, Louisiana offers unspoiled outdoor recreation, a plethora of historic plantations, and culinary adventures ranging from fried chicken served up at a converted gas station to alligator bites and crawfish boils. Visitors shopping in the historic district on the 4th get to participate in a “flag pull.” Secretly marked flags are at every checkout counter, and shoppers pick one to receive discounts of varying amounts or perhaps even a special gift. After putting away all of their purchases, people gather to enjoy food, music and fireworks.

I don’t know about you, but these events sound like a blast. We invite you to catch the excitement and enjoy this holiday in your nearby historic community. Attending Main Street events, shopping at local businesses, and supporting your local revitalization program shows that you believe that Main Street matters. Want to find a Main Street near you? Search for one with our Main Street program locator.

And of course, it’s not too late to share your community’s celebrations and photos. Visit our Red, White and Blue Main Streets web page to submit yours today.

Andrea L. Dono is an associate editor for the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Main Street Center. She would like to wish everyone a very happy Fourth of July.

This development came as both the state legislature was winding down and hope of reviving House Bill 780 faded. This bill, which we had succeeding in passing through the House, stalled in a Senate committee. It would have done something similar to what the governor ordered – halted land acquisition for the new LSU hospital until a financing plan was approved by the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget.

Governor Jindal’s people opposed HB 780, yet they decided to use this leverage to get LSU’s attention. It is noteworthy that in Davis’s statement below, she recognizes the challenges of raising the funds for this project, which is pegged at $1.2 billion. Here’s the full statement:

There remains no agreement on the proposed governing structure and it is critical that we make an intensified effort to reach an agreement before the state acts to purchase the property. The proposed agreement called for a non-profit corporation to operate the hospital, with the corporation being responsible for obtaining debt financing. Without this corporation, or an agreement by the stakeholders to form the corporation, financing the project becomes a bigger challenge.

This will have no impact on the VA Hospital and the on-going land acquisition activities for the new VA Hospital in New Orleans. Today, we are suspending land acquisition activities and efforts for the MCLNO / Charity replacement hospital pending a resolution of the governance issue.

In other developments out of Baton Rouge, we were happy to see that Senate Bill 75 was put to death – at least for this session – after two last-minute efforts to attach it to other bills. The bill would have required that the New Orleans master plan be put to a vote of the citizens again, despite the fact that they already voted to amend the city charter last fall to include a master plan with the force of law, an accompanying zoning ordinance, and a citizen participation process. However, the issue may not really be dead and could come back to life as part of the mayoral or city council campaigns that will begin this fall.

New Orleans’ master planning process continues to go forward, but there remain questions about whether the City Planning Commission and City Council will ever really weigh in on the plans for the LSU and VA hospitals in Mid-City. Up until now, these bodies have stood back and said they have no authority over the planning of these two massive public projects.

> Learn More About Our Efforts to Save Lower Mid-City New Orleans

Walter Gallas is the director of the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s New Orleans Field Office.