Because historic preservation is vital to economic growth.

“A Broadway producer who once told an aspiring playwright, “If you can’t write your idea on the back of my business card, you don’t have a clear idea.” So I’m going to begin by giving you this entire presentation at a length you can put on the back of your business card.

1. Sustainable development is crucial for economic competitiveness.

2. Sustainable development has more elements than just environmental responsibility.

3. “Green buildings” and sustainable development are not synonyms.

4. Historic preservation is, in and of itself, sustainable development.

5. Development without a historic preservation component is not sustainable.”

I wish I had written that, but I didn’t. I took it, verbatim, from Economic Benefits of Preservation Session, “Sustainability and Historic Preservation” by Donovan Rypkema

Terry Blake, Chair