Thousands of Preservationists Gather in Buffalo, NY and Discuss Cultural Heritage as an Economic Engine for America’s Cities

The National Trust for Historic Preservation hosts its 65th Annual Conference

Posted April 2, 2012 | Contact pr@savingplaces.org or 202-588-6141

Washington, D.C. – The National Preservation Conference—the premier gathering of its kind in the country—will bring more than 2,100 attendees to Buffalo from October 19-22 to elevate the discussion of historic preservation as an community revitalization strategy, drawing heavily from the host city’s rich traditions in architecture, activism and industry. The conference, now in its 65th year, is a forum for tackling some of the nation’s most pressing issues, including jobs generation, sustainable development and right-sizing shrinking cities. The National Trust for Historic Preservation invites local residents to experience and enrich the many free conference sessions available to them. More information on the events is available at www.preservationnation.org/npc-free.

“Washington is desperate for ideas to create jobs and stimulate the economy,” said Stephanie Meeks, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. “Meanwhile, we know that historic rehabilitation—more so than new construction—creates high quality, well-paying jobs that fuel local economies. The site of this year’s conference is a shining example of a once declining ‘Rust Belt’ city redefining itself as a thriving, architecturally distinctive place where people want to live, work and visit. We are inspired by how deeply the people of Buffalo care about using their city’s rich past to create a bright future.”

The theme of cities capitalizing on their built environment will be examined by the National Preservation Conference opening keynote speaker, the controversial writer and thinker, James Howard Kunstler. Pulitzer Prize–winning author Isabel Wilkerson will close the conference with a discussion of American migration patterns and the importance of preserving the many voices in history.

Education sessions will convene the nation’s experts in leading-edge topics in historic preservation, such as quantifying its economic impact, its connection to sustainability and green building, the explosive growth in heritage tourism and saving buildings from our recent past. Buffaloans’ grassroots perspective on what preservation means to their city and community will be presented in the documentary, “A City Speaks: The Premiere of Buffalo Unscripted.” Field sessions will take attendees into the streets of Buffalo and beyond, for tours of the city’s world-renown grain elevators, architectural marvels designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and H.H. Richardson, and landscapes by Frederick Law Olmstead, just to name a few. Forays into surrounding places including Rochester, Niagara and Ontario will reveal their special preservation opportunities and strategies, ensuring that attendees head home energized by best practices and lessons learned.

Registration is open now and throughout the conference. For more information about the National Preservation Conference and registration fees, visit:
www.PreservationNation.org/conference or call 202-588-6296. Media registration for the conference is free. Members of the media can contact the National Trust Public Affairs Office at 202-588-6141 or email virgil_mcdill@nthp.org.