Opinion: Places like Manning Street enhance our quality of life and power the economy

Communities all over the world have recognized that residents are richer for living with places that are interesting, have character and tell the story of the community.

Our historic places, like Flint - Manning Street, enhance our quality of life, and, just as important, our historic places power the economy. Communities that retain their historic character
• Attract residents to stay and invest in the neighborhoods.

• Draw shoppers who enjoy a vibrant downtown commercial district.

• Attract heritage tourists to invest in the community - shops, museums, inns and restaurants.

• Lure businesses who want to invest in a place that will offer employees a high quality of life, while offering the businesses access to qualified employees.

Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Northville, Farmington, Plymouth, and a revitalized Detroit, Saginaw, or Flint " all of these cities have wonderful historic resources that contribute to each community - unique sense of place.

That sense of place is a community asset worthy of protection and thoughtful management. The primary legal means communities have to manage and protect historic character is the local historic district. When a place is deemed a local historic district, as Manning Street was, that district is then protected and managed by a commission made up of local residents charged with protecting those resources. This commission is a quasi-judicial body, and their decisions must be made legally and carefully, following Michigan law and based on established federal standards.

These standards are rehabilitation standards, not restoration standards. It is understood that buildings may need to be adapted for new purposes and that buildings need repairs. Michigan - historic districts act (Public Act 169 of 1970 as amended) even describes specific circumstances in which work in the district that does not meet these rehabilitation standards, such as demolition of a historic resource, can be approved by the commission. There are specific conditions that must be met and these are spelled out in the state law that all commissions must follow.

Residents trust every historic district commissioner to take the commitment to protect a community - historic resources seriously and to apply the criteria listed in the state law carefully. Whether a city stands to lose to development one historic building or a whole historic neighborhood, we urge the larger community " district property owners, commissioners and other residents and leaders " to engage in a spirited and thorough conversation about community losses, gains and potential alternatives.

Is it ever acceptable to demolish historic, non-blighted homes for a parking lot? Is there the potential for a design that would allow for compromise?

We encourage communities to consider these questions carefully because once historic resources are gone, they are gone forever. Years into the future, residents may sorely miss the historic buildings that were once deemed important enough to be protected and then were sacrificed.

A further consideration " the arts community has long had a positive relationship with old buildings. Communities are often spurred to new life when artists invest in old buildings. Historic buildings often provide the perfect environment in which to create and enjoy art and music. If there ever were an opportunity for a compromise that would balance important historic assets and an important cultural institution, it seems that this could be it.

Creative people often design imaginative solutions that meet the growing needs of a community while respecting its past. Doesn't Flint deserve such an imaginative compromise?

Sincerely,

Nancy Finegood, Executive Director, Michigan Historic Preservation Network, 107 E. Grand River, Lansing MI 48906, (517) 371-8080, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Ellen Thackery, Field Representative, Michigan Historic Preservation Network and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, 107 E Grand River, Lansing, MI 48906, 517.930.1248, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it