Legacy cities like Charleston and New Orleans are no strangers to the economic and cultural benefits of historic preservation. For many main streets, it spurs growth and investment, bringing new businesses, residents, and tourists. The cities with some of the oldest preservation movements have seen these benefits for more than 100 years.
One of the primary goals of the Smart Growth movement is to create density where development already exists, which can prevent sprawl and preserve greenspaces. Smart Growth Maryland is eager to encourage infill redevelopment, which takes underutilized lots and land in urbanized areas and returns them to efficient use. While the concept is straightforward, there are a number of approaches to accomplishing effective infill redevelopment. Read on to find out more about four common initiatives communities across the countries use to encourage infill.
Marylanders often say that the state has it all, from mountains, lakes, and beaches to bustling cities and rich cultural and historic sites. If you grew up here, it might be easy to take this diversity for granted, but in the past 30 years, Maryland has lost more land to development than in the prior 300 years. Development and sprawl can often be incremental; it is difficult to see its impact until greenspaces dwindle or historic downtowns experience two “thousand-year” floods in the span of two years. With the state population predicted to grow by over 500,000 people in the next 17 years, how can Marylanders proactively protect vital natural and cultural resources while creating equitable, sustainable, and resilient communities? Smart Growth policies are one way to achieve this. As a movement, Smart Growth aims to create density in already developed areas in order to protect agricultural, cultural, and natural resources.
Before we delve into the barriers to and incentives for Smart Growth and infill redevelopment in our upcoming blog series, here is a refresher on a simple but important question: What does Smart Growth have to do with Historic Preservation?
At first glance the two might seem like very different movements, but a closer look reveals a significant overlap in their strategies and goals. The following PreserveCast episodes explore this intersection, from creating density through infill redevelopment to developing resilient and sustainable communities through adaptive re-use and transit-oriented design.
Building Small: Socially Responsible and Resilient Placemaking with Jim Heid
Building Resilient Communities and Saving History with Senator Sarah Elfreth
Sustainability, Equity, and Preservation: A Conversation with Dr. Erica Avrami