The eyes of those involved in local historic preservation efforts will be focused on the Village of Brockport this spring as the Landmark Society of Western New York and the Preservation League of New York State hold their 27th annual Preservation Conference in the village April 19-20.
This year’s theme is “Outside the Box: Innovative Preservation Practices for the 21st Century,” and will emphasize “outside the box” thinking – innovative and creative planning and advocacy tools that can help communities in Upstate New York to flourish, organizers say.
“It is truly fitting that we hold this year’s event in Brockport, a thriving community on the Erie Canal that has embraced preservation as a revitalization tool,” says Wayne Goodman, Executive Director of the Landmark Society.
Caitlin Meives, a preservation planner with the Landmark Society, says the conference is held in a different location each year and Brockport and the College at Brockport were chosen to host this year’s event because so many great projects have recently been completed or are in the works.
“It has an attractive, bustling and vibrant downtown commercial core with lots of foot traffic and great local businesses,” Meives explains. “Some commercial property owners have also begun rehabbing the upper floors in their buildings, converting these amazing spaces into loft apartments and dance/yoga studios.”
The conference provides the Landmark Society an opportunity to showcase successful communities like Brockport, Meives says.
“Our afternoon field sessions will bring folks downtown to walk the community and hear more about successful projects like the Erie Canal Welcome Center, the facade improvement program, grant-funded projects, murals, etc. Our pre-conference Friday evening event will also bring folks downtown to experience the village. Our Closing Party on Saturday evening is tentatively scheduled for the Morgan-Manning House,” she says.
Additionally, Meives notes, “… there’s a lot of community-based activity happening and village officials, property owners, as well as folks involved in groups like Pro-Brockport, the Greater Brockport Development Corp, the Chamber of Commerce or the Downtown Merchants Association could really benefit from some of the economic tools that preservation can bring to the table. We want to get info about preservation programs and innovative strategies out to those folks who are working every day to make Brockport the best place it can be.”
Dr. Stephanie Toothman, Associate Director of Cultural Resources, National Park Service (NPS), is Saturday’s keynote speaker. Dr. Toothman is responsible for history, historic preservation and cultural programs in 392 national parks and a host of community programs that make up the NPS role in a national preservation partnership among federal, Tribal, state and local governments and non-profits. Dr. Toothman will speak on “2016 and Beyond: NPS and the National Historic Preservation Program.”
Mark Fenton – who grew up in Brockport – is also featured. Fenton is a national public health planning and transportation consultant, and adjunct associate professor at Tufts University’s Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, and former host of the “America’s Walking” series on PBS television. He has authored numerous books and is an expert on walkable communities.
Other conference sessions include case studies and information on commercial and homeowner tax credits; the economics of preservation and Main St. revitalization; funding, repair and adaptive use of historic religious buildings; and a community design charrette, sponsored by the Rochester Regional Community Design Center.
A pre-conference gathering is planned for Friday, April 19 and features a screening of “The Courthouse Girls of Farmland.” This preservation success story is the tale of seven women ages 77 to 94 who made a bold statement by posing suggestively in a calendar to raise awareness and funds to save Randolph County, Indiana’s 1877 Italianate style courthouse. Two of the film’s stars will be at the screening to share their experiences.
The conference this year is presented by Rochester Colonial Manufacturing. Support for the 2013 Preservation Conference is also provided by the Daisy Marquis Jones Foundation.
For information and to register go to www.landmarksociety.org or register by calling 585-546-7029, ext. 11. Early bird discount registration deadline is April 2.
