June 18, 2009
Low Cost/High Impact Design for Downtowns
Presenters:- Joe Lawniczak, Design Specialist - The Wisconsin Main Street Program
Description:
Convincing downtown property owners to invest in building upkeep and improvement is a challenge, especially as retail sales decline nationwide. Yet case studies of physical improvement projects from Wisconsin downtowns illustrate how even low-cost designs can significantly impact how a downtown is perceived and how its businesses are experienced.
This session will showcase well-kept buildings as a key piece of an attractive downtown - and an important investment for property owners and communities alike. This program will also introduce some traditional tools for managing physical change in your downtown, including design guidelines, local ordinances and façade improvement incentives.
Foundational Readings:
Main Street News, November 2005, Inappropriate Building Materials on Main Street: An Epidemic? Is there a Cure? http://www.preservationnation.org/main-street/main-street-news/2005/11/inappropriate-building-materials.html by Joe Lawniczak, Wisconsin Main Street
Preservation Briefs # 1-47 http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/TPS/briefs/presbhom.htm by National Park Service & U.S. Dept. of the Interior
Illustrated Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/TPS/tax/rhb/ by National Park Service
Wisconsin Historical Society: Guide to Financial Assistance for Historic Preservation Projects http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/hp/funding/
Wisconsin Main Street Program http://www.commerce.state.wi.us/cd/CD-bdd.html
Facilitator's Discussion Guide:
Purchase Streamed Media: A videostream of this webinar will be available a few days after the program.
Follow-up Readings and Related Materials:
Discussion Blog: Visit our discussion blog and see what the presenters, audience, and others have to say about this and other topics in the series. Open for Q&A and comments.